CNBC Business News Update - Market Close: Stocks Higher, Investors Hopeful A Ceasefire Is Possible With Iran, Jury Finds Meta And YouTube Liable In Social Media Addiction Trial 3/25/26

Episode Date: March 25, 2026

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I'm Jessica Eddinger. CNBC, Wall Street opens Thursday morning after an optimistic day for investors. They're hoping some sort of communication is happening to lead to a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. The major averages were all higher. The Dow was up 305 points, led higher by shares of Sherwin Williams, up 2.5%. The S&P 500 index added 35. The NASDAQ was up 167 points. Envidia shares were up just about 2% Wednesday. Iran has rejected a U.S. ceasefire offer, and it's demanding sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. But its foreign minister says President Trump's proposal to end the war is being reviewed. Here's CIBC's Rebecca Babin on CNBC.

We did see nine ships moved through the street yesterday. Iran did issue a letter to the International Maritime Organization, kind of laying out the ground rules potentially, for more flows. So I think that's the thing you watch. That's the key. Not necessarily every headline, every single kind of change in rhetoric, it's the barrels through the straight. And that's what's going to tell you when you can start thinking about fundamentals and trading crude as a commodity and not a headline or rhetoric indicator. Can't say that this is solved. But I do think we can say potentially moving in the right direction. Prices at the pump were up again Wednesday, 12 states at $4 gas on average now, according to AAA. Diesel is way up. It's the transportation

fuel. Here's CNBC's Sarah Eisen. How about diesel? We talk a lot about gas prices going up, but diesel prices, and this is the lifeblood of the supply chain, right? This is in trucks and in agriculture and in equipment, like tractors. And it's beyond $5 a gallon. I think in California, It's gone up past $7 a gallon. And so when we also think about the kind of ripple effects that this could have, as consumers start to get higher tax refunds this spring, Veda Partners Henrietta Trays tells CNBC, lots of Americans don't really have any extra money now.

After $83 a barrel, the one big beautiful bill tax benefits get completely wiped out for the American public. So we're way past that. A jury in Los Angeles is found. Instagram and Facebook parent Meta and YouTube parent Google negligent in a social media addiction trial. The jury determined that Meta and YouTube knew the design or operation of their platforms was dangerous or was likely to be dangerous when used by minors. It's the second jury finding in two days as the state of New Mexico won a similar case against Meta this week and the Attorney General of New Mexico was on CNBC. Prioritizing profits over safety in terms of ignoring safety recommendations from their own internal staff. And it's one of those things that really grabbed the jury's attention.

I think it's noteworthy that this was a six-week trial. The jury came back in less than a day. That's a pretty resounding message. On Thursday's watch list, earnings are coming from shoe carnival and designer brands. We find out how many people applied for unemployment benefits last week. NCAA March Madness Suite 16 begins. It's equal payday for women. And Thursday is opening day for Major League Baseball.

11 games are scheduled. Jessica Eddinger, CNBC. April 15th, financial experts, investors, and policymakers gather in D.C. for conversations on America's economy. CNBC's Invest in America Forum. Request and invite at CNBC Events.com slash invest.