Oil Prices Drop Amid U.S. Blockade on Iran and Ceasefire Uncertainty 
Food prices are already high in Canada. Will the Iran war make them worse? 
Oil Prices Surge as U.S. Imposes Blockade on Iranian Shipping Amid Ongoing Middle East Tensions 
U.S. Natural Gas Market Faces Short-Term Pressure but Long-Term Demand Surge 
U.S. Blockades Strait of Hormuz as Oil Prices Surge Past $100 
Colombia Softens 100% Tariff on Ecuador With Smart Subsidies 
Italy's Bond Market Under Pressure as Middle East Conflict Exposes Economic Fragility 
BCA Research Warns U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Could Collapse, Maintains Cautious Equity Outlook 
U.S.-Iran Tensions Rattle Asian Markets as Oil Surges Past $100 
Gold Prices Slip as Dollar Strengthens Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions and Rising Inflation 
Trump Claims Oil Tankers Heading to U.S. Amid Iran War and Strait of Hormuz Crisis 
Singapore Tightens Monetary Policy Amid Middle East War Inflation Risks 
Spain's Sanchez Visits China to Deepen Trade Ties Amid U.S. Tensions 
Bank of Korea Nominee Shin Hyun-song Signals Possible Rate Hike Amid Middle East Inflation Fears 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ease Middle East Tensions 
RBA's Hauser Flags Uncertainty on Rate Settings Amid Iran War Economic Risks 
China's Trade Surplus Shrinks Sharply in March Amid AI Import Surge and Export Slowdown 
U.S. stock index futures were relatively flat Tuesday evening following a strong regular session that pushed the S&P 500 close to its all-time closing high. By late evening, S&P 500 Futures hovered near 7,007.75, Nasdaq 100 Futures nudged 0.1% higher to 26,012.75, and Dow Jones Futures remained steady at 48,752.0 points.
During the day's trading session, major indexes posted solid gains. The S&P 500 climbed 1.2%, the Nasdaq Composite surged nearly 2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced approximately 0.7%. The rally was largely fueled by strength in technology stocks and a pullback in oil prices, both of which responded positively to emerging signs of a potential diplomatic resolution in the Middle East.
President Donald Trump indicated that Iranian officials had reached out expressing interest in negotiations, raising investor hopes that the ongoing geopolitical conflict could ease. Despite the optimism, the situation remains tense, with the U.S. enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian shipping lanes while Iran has issued warnings targeting Gulf state ports after weekend peace talks broke down.
Adding to the bullish sentiment, U.S. producer price index data came in softer than anticipated. Annual PPI rose around 4.0% against forecasts of 4.6%, signaling that inflationary pressures in the supply chain may be gradually easing — a welcome development for Federal Reserve policy watchers.
On the corporate earnings front, results were mixed. JPMorgan Chase topped profit expectations on robust trading activity, while Wells Fargo fell short on revenue despite reporting higher earnings. Johnson & Johnson exceeded estimates and lifted its full-year guidance, boosted by strong pharmaceutical demand.
Investor attention now shifts to Wednesday, when Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and semiconductor equipment giant ASML are scheduled to report results — outcomes that could set the tone for broader market momentum heading into the rest of earnings season.
