Stan Choe
Updated ,first published
The US stock market’s record-breaking rally slowed after uncertainty rose over the weekend about what will happen next in the Iran war, while oil prices rose.
The S&P 500 inched 0.1 per cent higher to its latest all-time high, a downshift following weeks of big gains driven by strong corporate profit reports and hopes that the economy can avoid a worst-case scenario because of the war. The Dow Jones dipped 62 points, or 0.1 per cent, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.2 per cent to its own record.
The Australian sharemarket is set to retreat, with futures at 6.23am AEST pointing to a fall of 56 points, or 0.6 per cent, at the open. The ASX lost 0.2 per cent on Monday. The Australian dollar is 0.5 per cent higher at US71.48¢.
The moves were stronger in the oil market, where prices climbed more than 2.5 per cent as tankers find the Strait of Hormuz still effectively closed. That’s keeping crude stuck in the Middle East and away from customers worldwide, including oil produced by Iran that’s being blockaded by the US Navy.
Iran has offered to reopen the strait if the United States ends its blockade, while proposing that discussions on the larger question of its nuclear program would come in a later phase. But US President Donald Trump seems unlikely to accept the offer, which was passed to the Americans by Pakistan.
Over the weekend, Trump told US envoys not to go to Pakistan, which has been playing a crucial mediating role. By saying the Iranians could call Washington with any proposal, Trump appeared to signal he’s content to try to continue to squeeze Iran with the blockade.
The price for a barrel of Brent crude to be delivered in June climbed 2.8 per cent to settle at $US108.23. Brent to be delivered in July, which is where more of the trading is happening in the oil market, rose 2.6 per cent to $US101.69 per barrel.
Brent prices were at only about $US70 per barrel before the war and have briefly shot to nearly $US120 a couple times when fears about the war have hit their heights.
Even with more expensive fuel bills, most big US companies have nevertheless been reporting profit growth for the start of 2026 that’s even stronger than analysts expected. That in turn has helped the S&P 500 jump 13 per cent since hitting a low in late March.
This upcoming week could be a blockbuster for the market, with several of Wall Street’s most influential stocks scheduled to deliver their profit reports. Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms and Microsoft are all scheduled to report on Wednesday alone. Apple will report on Thursday.
Overnight, it was announced Microsoft is losing exclusive access to OpenAI’s technology, clearing the way for the ChatGPT creator to sell its products across rival cloud platforms in a sweeping change to one of the artificial intelligence era’s most consequential alliances. The reworked tie-up, announced jointly by the companies on Monday, retains Microsoft as OpenAI’s primary cloud partner with a license to the startup’s intellectual property through 2032. It also paves the way for OpenAI to take its models to Amazon.com’s cloud unit, without any technical workarounds.
Verizon Communications joined the list of companies topping analysts’ expectations on Monday, and its stock rose 1.5 per cent after the company said it added more postpaid phone customers than it lost during a first quarter for the first time since 2013. It also raised its forecast for profit growth this year, even though its revenue for the first quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations.
Domino’s Pizza helped drag on the market and fell 8.8 per cent after it reported weaker profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected.
All told, the S&P 500 rose 8.83 points to 7,137.91. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 62.92 to 49,167.79, and the Nasdaq composite rose 50.50 to 24,887.10.
In the bond market, Treasury yields ticked higher following the rise in oil prices. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 4.33 per cent from 4.31 per cent late Friday.
The Federal Reserve will announce its latest move on short-term interest rates Wednesday, and the consensus expectation among traders is that it will hold the federal funds rate steady. Lower rates would give the economy a boost, but they would also threaten to worsen inflation when oil is more expensive and tariffs are threatening to raise prices for all kinds of other products.
Wednesday will likely be the final meeting where Chair Jerome Powell will lead the Fed. His term as chair is scheduled to expire next month, and Trump has already named a nominee to replace him, Kevin Warsh.
The European Central Bank, Bank of Japan and Bank of England will also be announcing their own interest-rate decisions this week.
In stock markets abroad, indexes slipped in Europe following a stronger finish in Asia. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.2 per cent, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.4 per cent for two of the world’s bigger moves.
AP with Reuters
The Market Recap newsletter is a wrap of the day’s trading. Get it each weekday afternoon.
