US stock indexes on Tuesday closed out their best quarter since 2020, as strong corporate fundamentals outweighed lingering geopolitical risk.
“The lesson of the first half of 2026 is that earnings matter more than just about anything, except for maybe interest rates,” an investor said.
Chip stocks in particular soared thanks to a global memory shortage stemming from the AI boom. “The markets have proven to be the ultimate grinder,” one strategist noted, pointing to the rally having endured “deep selloffs, the Iran war and a number of other outside influences.”
Upbeat US economic indicators also drove Tuesday’s gains, as consumer confidence rose and job openings ticked up in a sign of a stable labor market.
