Today’s Outlook :
• US MARKET : The benchmark S&P 500 fell 0.2% to 6,782.43, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1% to 47,706.51. The NASDAQ Composite closed nearly unchanged at 22,697.10. U.S. stocks ended slightly lower on Tuesday, as gains in communication services stocks were unable to offset investor sentiment clouded by uncertainty over when the conflict with Iran will end. Oil prices declined after a sharp rally in the previous session, briefly easing inflation concerns.
Although U.S. President Donald Trump said the war could end soon, fighting continued with the largest U.S. air strikes on Iran so far. Trump also warned of further attacks if Iran attempts to block oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route that carries about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. He even suggested the possibility of taking control of the strait if the situation worsens. Trump also threatened to target Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei if Iran fails to meet Washington’s demands. Mojtaba Khamenei is the son of Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.–Israeli strike at the start of the conflict in February, and is seen as a figure who could continue Tehran’s hardline stance.
• EUROPEAN MARKET :European Market: European stocks declined on Wednesday as investors monitored developments in the Iran conflict and assessed the latest U.S. inflation data. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 index fell 0.6%. Germany’s DAX dropped 1.6%, France’s CAC 40 fell 0.7%, and the U.K.’s FTSE 100 declined 0.6%.
• ASIAN MARKET : Most Asian stock markets extended moderate gains on Wednesday as oil prices retreated from recent highs. However, investors remained cautious amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and ahead of key U.S. inflation data.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose more than 2% on Wednesday, while the broader TOPIX gained 1.7%. South Korea’s KOSPI surged nearly 4% after climbing more than 5% in the previous session. In China, the Shanghai Composite was flat, while the CSI 300 rose 0.5%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged up 0.3%.
• COMMODITIES : Oil prices surged sharply in early Asian trading on Thursday after reports that two oil tankers were attacked in Iraqi waters, keeping markets on alert for potential supply disruptions stemming from the U.S.–Israel war with Iran.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures jumped 6.5% to USD 91.58 per barrel at 19:29 ET (23:29 GMT). Media reports indicated that two international oil tankers were attacked in the northern Persian Gulf near Iraq and Kuwait. Footage circulating online showed the tankers engulfed in flames, with Iraqi media reporting that the attack originated from Iran.
The incident marks the latest escalation in the Iran conflict, which entered its 13th consecutive day on Thursday with no signs of easing. Attacks on tankers have heightened fears of oil supply disruptions due to the war, especially after Iran warned that no crude oil would pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route handling around 20% of global oil supply. The country reportedly blocked the route earlier this week.
• INDONESIA : The JCI declined again, falling 0.7% to 7,389.4,in line with global market indices. The decline was partly driven by weakness in several commodity sectors, including coal. Investors are advised to remain cautious amid escalating global tensions and highly volatile oil prices, and to adopt faster trading rhythms in response to market movements resembling a “kangaroo market.”
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