U.S. stock futures lost their footing early Monday after a report suggested Iran might be making a move to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. That’s the critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, and any sign of de-escalation could shake up markets in a big way.
Contracts on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were mostly flat, coming off record highs last week. But Dow futures dipped about 0.2% as investors took a cautious stance.
According to Axios, Iran put forward a proposal to lift its blockade of the waterway and end the war — but with a catch. The country wants to push nuclear negotiations down the road for later. That leaves plenty of uncertainty still on the table.
Oil prices didn’t wait around. Brent crude jumped back above $100 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate topped $96, both up more than 2%.
Now all eyes turn to what’s shaping up as a pivotal week. Big Tech takes center stage with earnings from the so-called Magnificent Seven. These results will be a real test of how much punishment stocks can take, given the ongoing tensions with Iran.
And don’t forget the Federal Reserve. The central bank meets this week in what’s expected to be Jerome Powell’s second-to-last rate decision before Kevin Warsh takes over. Investors are watching every word.
In short: geopolitics, Big Tech earnings, and a Fed changing of the guard. Buckle up.
Two brokers to trade
-
Pepperstone – No minimum deposit. Spreads from 0 pips. Leverage 1:30. Used by 750,000+ traders. Supports own platform, cTrader, MT4, and MT5. Deposit methods include crypto payments, Apple Pay, bank transfer, and credit/debit cards. Regulated by the EU, FCA, DFSA, CySEC, and ASIC.