New Delhi, April 1 -- US equity benchmarks extended gains on Wednesday, following previous day's rally after President Donald Trump's comment that suggested a potential end to the Middle East conflict.

As of 10 a.m. Eastern Time, the S&P 500 rose 0.6% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.6%. The Nasdaq Composite was 1% higher.

At the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 54.6 points, or 0.12% to 46,396.12. The S&P 500 rose 28.0 points, or 0.43% to 6,556.56, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 152.2 points, or 0.70%, to 21,742.795.

Crude oil prices slipped after President Trump said shortly before the opening of the Wall Street that Iran "has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE!"

"We will consider...