The main Wall Street indices jumped in early trade on Wednesday, as the US stock market reacted positively to President Donald Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire with Iran.

S&P 500 rose 0.7%, or 49 points, to 7,112.2 minutes after the opening bell, whereas the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.72%, or 175.18 points, to 24,435.15.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 436.44 points to 49,585.82 at 9:40 am EST.

(This is a developing story)

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The statement by US President Donald Trump read:

“Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal.”

“I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other.”

STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP: pic.twitter.com/ATdRyY1qqK

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 21, 2026

The government has notified rules under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, with implementation set to begin from May 1, marking the operational rollout of a formal regulatory framework for the sector.

A key feature of the rules is that registration for online social games has been made voluntary. Such games can operate without prior determination or registration with the proposed regulator, the Online Gaming Authority of India (OGAI). However, the authority will have powers to step in and review any game on its own.

OGAI, which will become functional from May 1, will now have six members, with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) included as a full-time member. The validity of certificates issued to games has also been extended from five to ten years, reducing compliance frequency for operators.

The authority will be chaired by additional secretary of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), and its members will include the joint secretaries of MHA, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the Department of Legal Affairs.

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The rules allow the government to mandate registration for specific categories of social games based on factors such as addiction risk, scale of participation, financial implications and country of origin. Parameters such as the distinction between registration fees, prizes and wagers will also be used to determine the nature of games.

The framework has been refined after receiving over 2,500 stakeholder submissions. It introduces greater clarity on data retention norms, fair play requirements, cybersecurity standards, and the grounds for suspension or cancellation of registrations.

Officials said the rules aim to strike a balance between ease of doing business and user protection, while retaining regulatory oversight for high-risk segments of the online gaming ecosystem.

Notably, the key changes in the rules include removal of complex elements around the promotion on e-sports. The I&B Ministry and Sports Ministry are free to develop separate policies related to it.

ALSO READ: Government Blocks 300 Betting And Gambling Website Links

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