Dow Surges 215 Points Amid AI Optimism and US-Iran Tensions

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 215 points as investors tried to balance geopolitical risks and macroeconomic concerns against expectations of continued growth in artificial intelligence spending.

Renewed US-Iran tensions have pushed geopolitical risks back into focus, with oil prices near $90 a barrel adding to inflation worries and complicating the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decisions.

The mixed performance reflected investor efforts to weigh the impact of elevated oil prices on inflation and the Fed's policy outlook against continued optimism around AI infrastructure.

Dell shares rose 6.65% after the company raised its annual profit and revenue forecasts, while Nvidia shares gained 1.01% and Apple and Tesla each fell by around 0.8%.