Wall St ends higher as investors analyze negotiations and threats between the US and

Automated Translation: Indices are rising: Dow 0.36%, S&P 500 0.45%, Nasdaq 0.54% Job creation in March exceeds expectations, unemployment rate drops ISM non-manufacturing PMI index slows down, prices reach highest level in 3 and a half years Soleno Therapeutics jumps following Neurocrine’s $2.9 billion acquisition deal (Updates with closing prices) by Stephen Culp and Purvi Agarwal U.S. stocks advanced on Monday as investors sought signs of progress towards a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran and assessed increasingly strident threats of escalation from President Donald Trump if Iran did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran rejected the U.S. offer of an immediate ceasefire, insisting instead on a permanent end to the war, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). This rejection follows Trump’s increasingly bellicose ultimatums, who has promised to rain “hell” on Iran if the critical chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to tanker traffic. Investors were somewhat reassured by a report indicating that the United States, Iran, and a group of regional mediators were still discussing terms for a potential ceasefire. The three major U.S. indices edged higher, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq on track to mark their fourth consecutive day of gains, their longest winning streak since January. “The reality is that we are getting closer, hopefully, to some sort of resolution,” said Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group in Omaha. “Unfortunately, it won’t be today. But I think investors feel that both parties are talking more.” “Daily volatility and headlines can be quite nauseating,” Detrick added. “But there is a sense of optimism in the air with earnings season starting soon, and U.S. companies will once again show strong and solid performance, likely justifying what we still believe to be a bullish market.” The U.S.-Israel war against Iran has disrupted markets for just over a month. Soaring crude oil prices raised inflation fears and stocks plummeted. While the S&P was set to mark its fourth consecutive session of gains, the benchmark index remains down 3.9% since the start of the conflict. Economic data released on Monday showed that the U.S. service sector grew at a slower pace than expected in March, even as employment shrank in the sector and prices paid, an inflation indicator, hit their highest level since October 2022. The highly anticipated March jobs report, released on Good Friday, showed the U.S. economy added 178,000 jobs last month, nearly triple the 60,000 consensus, an upside surprise tempered by a revision of February job losses, which rose from 92,000 to 133,000. The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 165.21 points, or 0.36%, to 46,669.88, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 29.33 points, or 0.45%, to 6,612.02, and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC rose 117.16 points, or 0.54%, to 21,996.34. Among the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500, communication services .SPLRCL posted the largest percentage gains, while utilities .SPLRCU were at the bottom. Travel/leisure .SPCOMHOTL aerospace and defense .SPCOMAED and homebuilders .SPCOMHOME stocks outperformed markedly. Shares of Soleno Therapeutics SLNO.O surged 32.3% after Neurocrine Biosciences NBIX.O agreed to acquire the rare disease drug maker for $2.9 billion in cash. Rising bitcoin prices allowed U.S.-listed shares of cryptocurrency-related companies Coinbase COIN.O Strategy MSTR.O to rise by 1.9% and 6.6%, respectively. Advancing issues outnumbered declining ones in a ratio of 1.93 to 1 on the NYSE. There were 88 new highs and 54 new lows on the NYSE. On the Nasdaq, 2,918 issues rose and 1,788 fell, with advancers outnumbering decliners by a ratio of 1.63 to 1. The S&P 500 index notched seven new 52-week highs and two new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite index posted 61 new highs and 70 new lows. Trading volume on U.S. exchanges was 14.78 billion shares, compared with the 19.51 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days.