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US stocks rose on Wednesday as fresh US data signaled steady growth and easing price pressure in services. Investors also tracked fast-moving headlines from the Iran war. Oil slipped below $75 a barrel, which reduced inflation fears. Meanwhile, Bitcoin climbed above $72,000 as risk appetite improved across assets.
The S&P 500 rose 0.6% in late-morning New York trading. The NASDAQ 100 gained 1.2%, and the Dow added 0.4%. European stocks also advanced, led by a 1.5% rise in the Stoxx Europe 600. A weaker dollar supported the move, with the euro near $1.1632 and the yen around 157.26 per dollar.
Investors focused on the Institute for Supply Management’s February services report. The Services PMI rose to 56.1, the highest reading since July 2022. The Business Activity Index increased to 59.9, and the New Orders Index climbed to 58.6. The Employment Index rose to 51.8, which kept it in expansion for a third month.
The same report showed cooling price momentum in services. ISM’s Prices Index fell to 63.0 from 66.6 in January. ISM said the February reading marked the lowest level since March 2025. This detail mattered because services inflation often drives broader inflation expectations.
ADP reported that private employers added 63,000 jobs in February. ADP also said annual pay rose 4.5% year over year. Investors treated the report as another sign of underlying labor-market stability ahead of the official jobs report due Friday.
Treasury yields rose modestly as traders priced the data. The 10-year yield increased to about 4.08%. In Europe, Germany’s 10-year yield moved to about 2.76%, while Britain’s 10-year yield dipped to about 4.45%. Those moves suggested investors still expected policy support if growth slows, but they also reduced the chance of rapid cuts.
The ISM survey offered context on demand pockets. One respondent cited strong data center-related activity, while noting weaker conditions in parts of upstream oil and gas. Comments like these reinforced the view that growth remains uneven across sectors.
West Texas Intermediate crude fell 0.5% to about $74.18 a barrel. Traders weighed the risk of wider disruption against signs that oil had already priced in a large risk premium. Markets also reacted to shifting signals on diplomacy and military plans, which kept energy trading volatile.
Gold rose as investors sought hedges against geopolitical risk. Spot gold gained about 1% and traded near $5,140 an ounce. Peter Grant of Zaner Metals said geopolitical tensions continued to support gold demand, while the softer dollar added support.
Cryptocurrencies outperformed during the session. Bitcoin rose 7.2% to about $72,905, while Ether gained 8.3% to about $2,133. Traders often treat crypto as a high-beta risk asset, so the jump aligned with the broader rebound in equities as oil eased.
Also Read: How to Analyze Stock Price Moves Following the US-Israel Strike on Iran?
