ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Escalates and Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
Australian Business Conditions Hold Steady as Easing Cost Pressures Face New Oil Price Risks 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Gold Prices Fall as US-Iran Conflict, Rising Oil Prices Fuel Fed Rate Concerns 
Gold Price Holds Near $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Rate Hike Bets Grow 
Asian Currencies Weaken as Stronger Dollar Weighs, Yen Supported by GPIF Repatriation Hopes 
South Korea’s KOSPI Triggers Trading Curb as AI Chip Stock Selloff Deepens 
Asia Stocks Slip as Iran-Hormuz Tensions Lift Oil Prices, Dollar and Bond Yields 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
U.S. stock index futures pulled back Sunday night as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East intensified, pushing oil prices sharply higher after President Donald Trump issued a military ultimatum to Iran over access to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route.
By 8:31 p.m. ET, S&P 500 futures were down 0.3% at 6,603.0 points, Nasdaq 100 futures declined 0.2% to 24,175.75 points, and Dow Jones futures dropped 0.4% to 46,535.0 points, reflecting growing unease among investors heading into the new trading week.
The after-hours losses stood in contrast to a strong prior week on Wall Street. All three major indexes posted their first weekly gains in six weeks, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 3%, the S&P 500 climbing 3.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite leading the charge with a 4.44% advance. Investors had rushed to snap up undervalued stocks amid a brief easing of geopolitical concerns.
That optimism faded quickly after Trump took to Truth Social with an aggressive post warning Iran of imminent strikes on key infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened by 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday. The blunt ultimatum reignited fears of an expanded regional conflict with serious consequences for global energy markets and supply chains.
Oil prices responded swiftly, jumping over 2% during Asian trading Monday as energy markets began pricing in the possibility of prolonged disruptions to one of the world's most vital petroleum shipping corridors.
Adding another layer to market analysis, Friday's U.S. jobs report — published while stock markets were closed for the Good Friday holiday — showed nonfarm payrolls rebounded by 178,000 in March, reversing a revised 133,000 decline in February. The unemployment rate also improved, falling to 4.3% from 4.4%. ING analysts described the data as encouraging, suggesting the U.S. economy carries enough momentum to absorb geopolitical shocks, though they cautioned that persistent uncertainty could discourage employers from ramping up hiring in the months ahead.
