S&P 500 and Nasdaq Hit All-Time Highs as Oil Surges to $126 Before Slumping; Alphabet Jumps 10%, Meta Falls 9%

Key Takeaways The S&P 500 jumped 1% and the Nasdaq added 0.9%, both reaching all-time highs, driven by strong corporate earnings and resilient US GDP growth of 2.0% in Q1 2026Brent crude spiked to $126 per barrel -- a four-year high -- before slumping 3.4% to close at $114.01 as initial Middle East escalation fears easedAlphabet surged 10% on strong AI-driven earnings; Meta fell 8.6% on concerns over heavy AI spending; Apple beat forecasts after the bell with shares up 4.7% in after-hours tradingThe Fed, ECB, and Bank of England all held rates unchanged; the ECB warned that war-related energy disruptions have "intensified" risks to eurozone growth and inflationUS Q1 2026 GDP grew at an annualized rate of 2.0%, defying fears of a near-term slowdown despite cooling consumer spending US equity markets surged to record highs on Thursday as strong corporate earnings and resilient economic growth outweighed an extraordinary intraday spike in oil prices that briefly pushed Brent crude to $126 per barrel -- its highest level in four years -- before a sharp reversal closed the session with crude sharply lower. The S&P 500 gained 1% and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.9%, both reaching all-time highs as investor optimism around tech earnings and AI-driven corporate profit growth overcame the morning's geopolitical anxiety. European markets also closed higher, taking their cue from the broadly positive US tech earnings backdrop. Oil's Wild Session The day's most dramatic price action came in energy markets. Brent crude surged to $126 per barrel in early trading -- its highest level since 2022 -- after President Trump warned that the US naval blockade of Iranian ports could last months and reports emerged that he would be briefed on potential fresh military strike options. The combination of escalation fears and the expiry of monthly futures contracts amplified the move. The rally proved short-lived. Markets calmed as the initial panic subsided, and Brent closed down 3.4% at $114.01. "Fears about escalation in the conflict between the US and Iran fueled the initial move higher before the market calmed down," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB. Despite the intraday reversal, Brent remains significantly elevated relative to its pre-conflict levels before US-Israel strikes targeting Iran began on February 28. Earnings Drive the Record Rally The equity market's record-setting session was powered by a split tech earnings picture that nonetheless left the bulls in control. Alphabet -- Google's parent company -- surged 10% as investors applauded the firm's successful pivot to artificial intelligence and solid revenue performance across its major divisions. Apple reported after the closing bell with earnings that beat forecasts on strong iPhone demand, sending shares up 4.7% in after-hours trading. Meta was the session's major disappointment, falling 8.6% amid investor concern over the scale of its artificial intelligence capital expenditure commitments -- a reminder that AI spending enthusiasm has limits when it comes at the cost of near-term profitability. Angelo Kourkafas of Edward Jones attributed the broader market strength to corporate profit resilience. "A lot of that comes down to corporate profits," he said, adding that US GDP data "continues to defy fears of a near-term slowdown." GDP Beats, Consumer Spending Cools The macro backdrop supported the bullish equity narrative. The US Commerce Department reported Thursday that the economy grew at an annualized rate of 2.0% in the first quarter of 2026 -- a figure that defied expectations of sharper slowdown given the geopolitical and inflationary headwinds of the period. A surge in AI-related investment was identified as a key growth driver, though consumer spending cooled during the quarter. Central Banks Hold as Europe Warns Thursday also brought a coordinated hold from three major central banks. The European Central Bank and Bank of England both kept rates unchanged, following the Federal Reserve's hold on Wednesday. The ECB issued a warning that risks to eurozone growth and inflation have "intensified" due to the war's impact on global energy supplies, while the Bank of England cut its UK growth forecast. Eurozone GDP data released Thursday showed the bloc's economy grew just 0.1% in Q1 2026 -- a near-stagnation reading that underscores the divergence between the resilient US economy and a Europe absorbing a more direct energy shock. Crypto Market Implications For Bitcoin and crypto markets, Thursday's session delivered a mixed but broadly constructive signal. S&P 500 and Nasdaq all-time highs reduce the risk of a broader equity-driven risk-off move that could drag crypto lower, while the oil price reversal from $126 to $114 eases -- at least temporarily -- one of the key inflationary pressures that has been capping Bitcoin's ability to clear $79,000. Apple's after-hours beat and Alphabet's 10% surge suggest the tech earnings season is broadly supportive of risk appetite heading into Friday's session.