Dow Jones plunges! Market concerns over US-Iran deal nearing deadline; oil prices surge, gold weakens, dollar strengthens.
Global stock markets fell on Tuesday amid uncertainty surrounding negotiations between the U.S. and Iran ahead of a ceasefire deadline. Investors became more cautious about geopolitical risks, leading to sell-offs in risky assets. Oil prices surged, while gold weakened and the dollar strengthened.
U.S. stock markets fell amid concerns over tensions in the Middle East.
U.S. stock markets closed lower on Tuesday (April 21, 2569). Following concerns that negotiations between the US and Iran might not reach an agreement before the deadline, the market faced widespread selling pressure.
- Dow Jones Industrial Average Closed at 49,149.38 points, down 293.18 points (-0.59%)
- S&P 500 Index Closed at 7,064.01 points, down 45.13 points (-0.63%)
- Nasdaq Composite Index Closed at 24,259.964 points, down 144.429 points (-0.59%)
The market was pressured by uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East, despite earlier hopes for peace negotiations. While strong US economic data, such as retail sales, supported economic sentiment, it also made the prospect of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut unclear.
European stock markets closed lower, pressured by the ceasefire deadline.
European stock markets closed lower on the same day. Investors are assessing the situation ahead of the ceasefire deadline between the US and Iran.
- STOXX 600 Index Closed at 616.03 points, down 5.43 points (-0.87%)
- DAX German stock market index Closed at 24,270.87 points, down 146.93 points (-0.60%)
- CAC 40 Index of the French stock market Closed at 8,235.72 points, down 95.33 points (-1.14%)
Selling pressure was felt across several industry sectors as investors watched for the possibility of an escalation of the conflict if negotiations failed to progress, while some stocks moved based on company-specific factors.
UK stock markets fell in line with other European markets due to geopolitical concerns.
The London stock market closed lower, pressured by a fragile global investment climate.
- FTSE 100 Index UK Stock Market Closed at 10,498.09 points, down 110.99 points (-1.05%)
Although some UK economic figures came in better than expected, they were unable to boost the market as investors remained concerned about global uncertainty.
Oil prices surge amid concerns of supply disruptions.
World oil prices have risen sharply. Following the risk that peace negotiations might fail, the market is concerned about a potential disruption to oil supply from the Middle East.
- WTI crude oil price (May delivery) It closed at $92.13 per barrel, up nearly 3%.
- Brent crude oil price (June delivery) It closed at $98.48 per barrel, up approximately 3%.
Analysts point out that oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz remain low, and production from the Gulf Arab countries is likely to decline significantly.
Gold prices weakened as the stronger dollar pressured prices.
Gold prices fell. As the dollar strengthened, investors slowed their holdings of safe-haven assets while awaiting clarity on the situation.
- Spot gold price Closed at $4,777.77/ounce, down 0.9%.
- Gold price on the COMEX market (June delivery). Closed at $4,797.90/ounce, down 0.7%.
Analysts believe gold prices are likely to remain within a limited range, primarily dependent on developments in the Middle East.
The dollar strengthened in response to positive US economic data.
The dollar strengthened. Driven by strong economic data and expectations that the Federal Reserve may slow down interest rate cuts,
- Euro/Dollar It stood at $1.1768, down 0.16%.
- Dollar/Yen It stood at 159.09 yen, an increase of 0.19%.
The market continues to monitor the direction of US monetary policy, as well as the progress of negotiations between the US and Iran, which will be key factors influencing the direction of financial markets in the coming period.
Read news related to All stock situations around the world can be found here.
