Major Averages Close Lower as Investors Track Middle East Tensions
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 21 2026
0mins
Should l Buy META?
The major averages closed lower as investors continue to track Middle East tensions ahead of a ceasefire deadline. Oil advanced, though the price remains below $100 per barrel. Of note, the Foreign Minister of Iran stated in a: "Blockading Iranian ports is an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire. Striking a commercial vessel and taking its crew hostage is an even greater violation."Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Applesaid that John Ternus willof the company, with Tim Cook transitioning to executive chairmanAmazonannounced an additionalUnitedHealthprovided areport for Q1GE Aerospacereportedand reiterated its FY26 guidance3Mreportedand reiterated its FY26 outlook2. WALL STREET CALLS:HSBCIntelto Buy on server CPU shipment growthKeyBancCrowdStriketo Overweight on AI tailwindsExxon Mobilto Peer Perform at Wolfe ResearchGraphic Packagingto Underperform at Raymond JamesNorthcoastCava Groupat Sell on "lofty' valuation3. AROUND THE WEB:Metais installing new tracking software on U.S.-based workers' computers to capture mouse movements, clicks, and keystrokes for use in training its AI models, Reuters reportsDeutsche Telekomis weighing a full combination with T-Mobile, Bloomberg saysMagnum Ice Cream'sshort interest in Europe has increased to 19% of shares available for trading, Bloomberg reportsA U.S. jury has found Uberliable for a sexual assault by a driver in 2019, handing Uber a second consecutive defeat in its first trials of more than 3,000 pending lawsuits, NY Times saysSalesforceCEO Marc Benioff dismissed the idea of vibe coded CRM replacing SaaS companies, saying data security and compliance make Salesforce indispensable, WSJ reports4. MOVERS:Velo3Dwas higher after announcing it willas an official sponsor and additive manufacturing technology provider for two 2026 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge eventsVaalco Energyincreased afterfrom its Gabon drilling program and well results from its Etame 14H wellLucidgained after Uberdisclosed aHycroft Miningfell after engaging with an engineering firm toAXT Inc.was lower after announcing an5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:Genuine Partsand reaffirmed its guidance for FY26RTX, with CEO Chris Calio commenting, "RTX delivered a very strong start to 2026"Quest Diagnosticsand raised its guidance for FY26D.R. Hortonand narrowed its guidance for FY26, with CEO David Auld commenting, "The D.R. Horton team delivered a solid second quarter"Synchrony, with EPS beating consensusINDEXES:The Dow fell 293.18, or 0.59%, to 49,149.38, the Nasdaq lost 144.43, or 0.59%, to 24,259.97, and the S&P 500 declined 45.13, or 0.63%, to 7,064.01.
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Analyst Views on META
Wall Street analysts forecast META stock price to rise
44 Analyst Rating
37 Buy
6 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 609.630
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
Current: 609.630
Low
655.15
Averages
824.71
High
1117
About META
Meta Platforms, Inc. is building human connections, powered by artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. The Company's products enable people to connect and share with friends and family through mobile devices, personal computers, virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets, augmented reality (AR), and wearables. It also helps people discover and learn about what is going on in the world around them, enabling people to share their experiences, ideas, photos, videos, and other content with audiences ranging from their closest family members and friends to the public at large. The Company's segments include Family of Apps (FoA) and Reality Labs (RL). FoA segment includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads. RL segment includes its virtual, augmented, and mixed reality related consumer hardware, software and content. Its product offerings in VR include its Meta Quest devices, as well as software and content available through the Meta Horizon Store.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Stablecoin Usage Surge: The total circulation of USD Coin has reached $77 billion, a 28% increase year-over-year, with transaction volumes nearly quadrupling, demonstrating a rapid rise in real-world demand for stablecoins and solidifying Circle's market position.
- Future Outlook: CEO Jeremy Allaire emphasized that we are experiencing the largest platform shift in internet history, where the convergence of new operating systems for intelligence and economic activity will reshape the global economic system, capturing investor interest in long-term growth despite the short-term revenue miss.
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- Market Demand Boost: By holding cash and U.S. Treasuries to back USD Coin issuance, Circle can mint more stablecoins as demand increases, thereby enhancing its reserve interest income and profitability.
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