U.S. Stocks Rise as Salesforce Acquires Braze

U.S. stock markets rose on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing 1.3% and the S&P 500 climbing 0.6%. Gains were driven by strong summer profit reports from Equifax and Hasbro, as well as a decline in oil prices. Brent crude fell 2.5% to $106.78 after nearly hitting $112, a peak driven by the ongoing war with Iran. This price drop provided a boost to airlines including American Airlines and United Airlines.

Salesforce announced it will acquire the customer engagement platform Braze for $47.50 per share in cash, causing Braze stock to soar 50.8%. In contrast, General Motors shares fell 4.9% after the company provided a 2026 profit forecast that missed analyst expectations, despite the announcement of a $20 billion stock buyback program.

Global markets remained cautious. European indexes slipped following violent protests that raised concerns over government spending and bond stability. In Asia, markets in Japan and Australia declined, and the South Korean AI firm Elice Inc. saw its stock drop 32% on its first day of trading in Seoul. AI stocks generally remained volatile due to these losses and concerns regarding high interest rates affecting chip borrowing.