Stock Markets - Azzet - Business news, investments companies & executives

Sign inJoin Now

Stock Markets

Stock Markets
US futures in retreat as oil rallies beyond US$100
United States stock futures tumbled on Sunday night (Monday AEDT) as crude oil prices surged above US$100 a barrel amid escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. By 10:45 am AEDT (11:45 pm GMT), futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average had fallen 1.9%, while S&P 500 futures dropped 1.7% and Nasdaq 100 futures declined 1.8%. The sell-off followed a dramatic surge in oil prices as traders reacted to deepening supply disruptions across the Middle East. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped 18% to above $108 a barrel, marking the first time the U.S. benchmark has traded above the $100 level since July 2022, when markets were reacting to the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. International benchmark Brent crude climbed 16% to above $107 a barrel. Oil futures spiked late Sunday after several major Middle Eastern producers cut output as the crucial Strait of Hormuz shipping route remained effectively closed due to the conflict. Kuwait confirmed that it had reduced oil production, although it did not specify the scale of the cuts. Iraq has reportedly experienced an even steeper disruption, with production said to have fallen by about 70% as the war continues to affect operations and transport
Stock Markets
US stocks fall amid oil surge; jobs data disappoints
United States stocks extended their losses on Friday (Saturday AEDT) as oil prices surged above US$90 per barrel and investors reacted to unexpectedly weak labour market data, capping a volatile week on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 453.2 points, or 1%, to close at 47,501.6. The S&P 500 declined 90.7 points, or 1.3%, to 6,740.0, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 361.3 points, or 1.6%, to finish at 22,387.68. Energy markets were a major focus for investors as West Texas Intermediate crude climbed above $90 per barrel. The benchmark oil contract ended the week with a 35.6% gain — the largest weekly increase since oil futures trading began in 1983, while Brent crude futures also surged 27.2%. Oil prices accelerated higher after United States President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that there would be no agreement to end the conflict without an “unconditional surrender” from Iran. Rising fuel costs weighed on several cyclical companies. Shares of cruise operator Royal Caribbean fell 1.8%, bringing weekly declines to 10.6% for the week amid concerns over higher fuel expenses. Asset manager BlackRock was among the session’s biggest losers, falling 7.7% after deciding to limit withdrawal
Stock Markets
US futures steady after Wall St resumes sell-off
United States stock futures were little changed on Thursday night (Friday AEDT) after Wall Street extended its losses during the regular session as rising oil prices and escalating conflict between the United States and Iran weighed on investor sentiment. By 10:35 am AEDT (11:35 pm GMT), Dow futures, S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures were each trading within a range of ±0.1%. In extended trading, Costco Wholesale slipped 0.2% in after-hours trading, despite the retailer reporting results that slightly exceeded market expectations. Costco posted earnings per share (EPS) of $4.58 on revenue of $69.6 billion for its fiscal second quarter. Analysts had forecast EPS of $4.55 on revenue of $69.29 billion. Marvell Technology shares surged 14.2% following quarterly results. The company reported adjusted EPS of $0.80 on revenue of $2.22 billion versus expected EPS of $0.79 and revenue of $2.21 billion. In contrast, shares of apparel retailer Gap fell nearly 7.5% after the company reported quarterly results that narrowly missed expectations. Gap posted fourth-quarter EPS of $0.45, slightly below expectations of $0.46, while revenue came in at $4.24 billion, in line with market estimates. Telematics software company Samsa
Stock Markets
US markets retreat as oil surge raises fears
United States benchmark averages resumed their decline on Thursday (Friday AEDT) after a brief rebound the previous session, as a sharp surge in oil prices renewed investor concerns that the escalating conflict with Iran could disrupt global energy supplies and fuel inflation. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 784.7 points, or 1.6%, to close at 47,954.7. The S&P 500 dropped 38.8 points, or 0.6%, to 6,830.7, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 58.5 points, or 0.3%, to finish at 22,749.0. Energy markets were at the centre of investor concerns after oil prices spiked following unconfirmed reports that Iran had struck an oil tanker with a missile. International benchmark Brent crude climbed sharply, finishing settling 5% higher at US$85.41 per barrel, the highest since 18 July 2024. West Texas Intermediate crude futures also surged 6.2% to $79.31 per barrel, trading at the highest level since 15 January 2025. The gains came after a brief period of stabilisation the previous day, when calmer oil markets helped lift the Dow by more than 200 points on Wednesday. Geopolitical tensions remained elevated as Iranian officials signalled no immediate interest in negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Te
Stock Markets
US futures steady after Wall St closes higher
United States stock futures were little changed on Wednesday night (Thursday AEDT) after major averages rebounded in the regular session. By 10:40 am AEDT (11:40 pm GMT), futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were flat, while S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq 100 futures edged 0.1% higher. In extended trading, Okta rose 1.8% after surpassing fourth-quarter expectations, posting adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.90 on revenue of $761 million, ahead of forecasts for $0.85 per share on $749.52 million in revenue. Broadcom advanced 4.4% after reporting revenue growth of 29% year on year. The chipmaker delivered adjusted earnings per share of $2.05 on revenue of $19.31 billion, exceeding consensus estimates of $2.03 and $19.26 billion, respectively. Veeva Systems surged 12.4% after the cloud solutions provider posted stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results. The company reported earnings per share of $2.06, beating expectations of $1.94, while revenue of $835.95 million topped the $810.67 million consensus forecast. By contrast, American Eagle slipped 2.6% despite delivering earnings and revenue ahead of estimates, supported by growth in its Aerie brand, but flagged an underwhelming full-year outlook, tari

Stock Markets
US benchmarks gain amid positive data; oil rally fades
United States benchmark indices advanced on Wednesday (Thursday AEDT), as a pullback in oil prices and resilient economic data helped investors look beyond the escalating conflict involving Iran. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 238.1 points, or 0.5%, to close at 48,739.4. The S&P 500 gained 52.9 points, or 0.8%, to finish at 6,869.5, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed 290.8 points, or 1.3%, to settle at 22,807.5. Technology shares led the advance, particularly semiconductor stocks. Micron Technology and Advanced Micro Devices each surged more than 5%, while Broadcom and Nvidia added more than 1% apiece. Investor sentiment was also supported by upbeat economic data. Payroll processor ADP reported that U.S. private-sector employers added 63,000 jobs in February, beating market expectations of 50,000. In addition, the U.S. ISM services PIM report recorded stronger-than-anticipated growth last month, with inflation pressures easing. Analysts at ANZ said: "data is still important, and in the U.S. this week it has been indicative of solid growth at the start of 2026 and declining inflation pressures. February ADP private-sector jobs rose 63k, although jobs growth was again narrowly based, with the education and heal
Stock Markets
US futures tick lower as Iran tensions linger
United States stock futures were little changed on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEDT) following a turbulent session on Wall Street, as investors continued to track developments in the U.S.-Iran conflict and its potential economic fallout. By 10:55 am AEDT (11:55 pm GMT), futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 were each down 0.2%. The muted moves came after major benchmarks closed firmly in negative territory, though well above their intraday lows. The Dow shed roughly 0.8%, S&P 500 fell about 0.9%, while the Nasdaq Composite finished down 1%. Investors spent much of the session assessing how surging oil prices might feed into inflation and influence future monetary policy decisions. President Donald Trump said the United States would provide risk insurance for maritime trade moving through the Persian Gulf in a bid to restore tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The vital shipping route — which handles a significant share of global crude flows — had effectively stalled after a commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatened to set fire to vessels attempting to pass. Looking ahead, traders will focus on the upcoming ADP private payrolls report, a key gauge of labour market
Stock Markets
US benchmarks decline; Iran tensions roil markets
United States benchmark averages endured another volatile session on Tuesday (Wednesday AEDT) as escalating tensions in the U.S.-Iran conflict rattled investors, sending oil prices sharply higher and fuelling concerns about inflation and interest rates. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 403.5 points, or 0.8%, to close at 48,501.3. The S&P 500 declined 65.0 points, or 0.9%, to 6,816.6, while the Nasdaq Composite shed 232.2 points, or 1%, to settle at 22,516.7. Markets swung throughout the session as investors weighed the prospect of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East, with the CBOE Volatility Index — often referred to as Wall Street’s fear gauge — climbing to its highest level since November. Comments from President Donald Trump later in the day provided some reassurance, tempering earlier losses. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the U.S. Navy would escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if required, seeking to calm fears over potential disruptions to global energy supplies. "Effective IMMEDIATELY, I have ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide, at a very reasonable price, political risk insurance and guarantees for the Financial Security of ALL Maritime Trade, es
Stock Markets
US futures tick lower; traders monitor Iran war
United States equity futures were trading slightly lower on Monday night (Tuesday AEDT) as investors assessed escalating geopolitical tensions between Washington and Tehran alongside a fresh batch of corporate earnings. By 10:20 am AEDT (11:20 pm GMT), futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 were both down 0.1%, while Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.2%. In extended trading, software company MongoDB plunged 24.5% after issuing first-quarter guidance that fell short of market expectations. The company forecast adjusted earnings per share of between $1.15 and $1.19 on revenue of $659 million to $664 million, versus anticipated earnings of $1.21 per share and revenue of $662 million. Shares in Asana added 5.2% after the enterprise work management platform beat fourth-quarter estimates on both revenue and earnings. Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share (EPS) were reported at $0.08 versus $0.07 expected, while revenues came in at $205.57 million versus $205.14 million expected. By contrast, hydrogen fuel cell company Plug Power rose 8.8% after reporting adjusted losses per share of $0.06 versus expected losses of $0.10, while revenue was reported at $225.2 million, above expectations of $217.38 mill