CNBC Business News Update - Market Close: Stocks Rally, Investors Hope End Of Iran War Is Near, US Crude Oil Still Above $100 Per Barrel 3/31/26

Episode Date: March 31, 2026

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I'm Jessica Eddinger, CNBC, a rally on Wall Street on Tuesday. On high hopes for an end to the Iran War, the Dow popped 1,125 points. It was up 2.5% led higher by shares of Caterpillar, which were up 6%. The S&P 500 index added 184 points. That was almost 3%. The NASDAQ, up 795 points. That was almost 4%. Shares of InVidia, we're up 5.5% on Tuesday.

Potentially, we have passed the peak uncertainty and oil disruption. If that's true, I think you respect it, but you still say the market has plenty to prove. That's CNBC's Mike Santoli. The Dow is coming off back-to-back daily gains for the first time since March 17th. Stocks popped on an unconfirmed report that Iran is open to ending the conflict.

Stocks had a great Tuesday, but they're coming off not only a losing month of March. The major averages had a negative start to the year for the first quarter, which is now in the books. The Dow lost 3.5%. The S&P 500 index down 4.5%. The NASDAQ is down 7% so far for the year. Gold had its worst month since 2013, silver. Its worst, since 2011. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett had this to say about the war, with Iran, a somber note on Iran having a nuclear weapon. He spoke with CNBC's Becky Quick.

So if you were the president today or if you were advising the president today, what would you say about going after the enriched uranium in Iran? One way or another in the next 100 years, maybe it's 200 years. Who knows? But one way or another, something will happen that cause it to be used. U.S. crude oil closed Tuesday at more than $100 a barrel. prices at the pump officially topped $4.A. says the national average for a gallon of regular is sitting at $4.2. Inflation-weary consumers are eyeing that Easter chocolate this week. Hershey's CEO told CNBC, it hasn't raised chocolate and snack prices as high as it could.

We took a huge impact in 25 and 24 with the price of cocoa. We were very patient with the pricing that we passed on to consumers. In fact, we didn't pass all that pricing on. Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner on CNBC. Netflix just raised streaming prices again for all of its plans, and now it wants to add more NFL games. Netflix is looking to expand from its current package of two Christmas Day games. That package ends this Christmas to a package which includes a new Thanksgiving Eve game,

along with an international game likely in the first week of the season. CNBC's Julia Borsden. On Wednesday's watch list, we start April trading, Earnings are coming from the nation's biggest egg producer, CalMaine Foods, plus meat processor ConAgra. We get February retail sales numbers. We find out the latest on the job market from payroll company ADP. Also Wednesday, after years of delays and more than $44 billion spent, NASA's Artemis II mission has a flight window Wednesday evening. Jessica Eddinger, CNBC.

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