US Stocks Under Pressure, Brent Soars Amid Iran Uncertainty
Changing market expectations about how long the Iran war will last have sparked a fresh round of volatility in stocks, bonds, and oil, with equity pressure increasing after US President Donald Trump refused to commit to a deal to end the conflict. The S&P 500 briefly pared losses when Iran reaffirmed its ceasefire terms, but then retreated, dropping about 1%.
Oil has been volatile again amid conflicting signals. Brent rose about 6% to $108, while Bitcoin weakened and gold extended its monthly decline. Trump warned that US military action could escalate after Iran rejected Washington's push for a peace deal, saying the US would "keep pounding" until Iran agrees to end the conflict.
Iran, through intermediaries, has reportedly responded to the ceasefire proposal and is now awaiting a response, with one of the key conditions being a guarantee that the US and Israel will not resume attacks. Trump also reportedly set a weekend deadline for negotiations, but the impasse has raised market doubts about the chances of a deal anytime soon.
In the US stock market, as of 12:32 p.m. New York time, the S&P 500 was down 1.1%, the Nasdaq 100 was down 1.5%, and the Dow was down 0.8%, reflecting weakening risk appetite as the diplomatic path remains unclear and energy risk premiums rise again.
Source: Newsmaker.id
