French President Macron: This multinational task force, by its very nature, will be independent of the belligerent parties.

- Stock futures rose on Wednesday following a report that the U.S. and Iran were nearing an agreement to end the war. - Axios reported, citing sources, that the U.S. and Iran were getting close to a deal that would bring a resolution to the conflict. According to the report, the agreement would include a moratorium on nuclear enrichment. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson also said that Iran was evaluating a U.S. proposal toward a resolution. - President Donald Trump signaled later Wednesday that a deal was not certain, however, saying it was a “perhaps, a big assumption” Iran would agree to the U.S. proposal. - “If they don’t agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," the president wrote in a post on Truth Social. - Trump also said late Tuesday that he is pausing “Project Freedom,” the U.S.’s plan to guide ships out of the Strait of Hormuz. - In a Truth Social post, Trump cited “the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran,” as a driver behind the decision. - Oil prices plunged as traders pared exposure on hopes the war would end soon. West Texas Intermediate futures dropped 10%, trading above $91 per barrel. International Brent lost 9% to trade near $100. - Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices added to the gains, soaring 18% after the company issued a rosy outlook for the second quarter - US private-sector payrolls rose 109,000 in April, the largest monthly gain in over a year, signaling labor-market stabilization. - European markets roared into the green on Wednesday, with the pan-European Stoxx 600 surging 2.1% following reports that U.S. and Iran could be nearing a deal to end the two-month-long conflict in the Middle East. - South Korea’s Kospi closed at another record Wednesday as Asia-Pacific markets saw a broad rally

US STOCKS OPEN HIGHER: DOW +1%, S&P 500 +0.62%, NASDAQ +0.63%