US open: Stocks edge up despite Trump's escalating rhetoric on Iran

(Sharecast News) - Major indices opened higher on Monday as investors kept a close eye on Middle East developments. As of 1500 BST, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.42% at 45,355.42, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.29% to 6,387.50 and the Nasdaq Composite came out of the gate 0.19% firmer at 20,987.84.

The Dow opened 188.78 points higher on Monday, taking a modest bite out of heavy losses recorded in the previous session.

Stocks traded higher early on Monday after Donald Trump told the Financial Times over the weekend that he could "take the oil in Iran" and seize the country's export hub on Kharg Island, as regional tensions continued to escalate. Trump also claimed that Tehran had accepted most of his 15-point plan to end the war and that it had agreed to allow a further 20 oil ships cross the Strait.

He later said the White House was now "in serious discussions with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran". However, while Trump added that "great progress has been made", he also said that if they could not reach a deal "shortly" and that the Strait of Hormuz does note "immediately" reopen, the US would "conclude" its "lovely 'stay' in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)".

Separately, Yemen's Houthi movement said it had fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at what it described as sensitive Israeli military sites, marking its first direct involvement in the US‑ and Israeli‑led conflict against Iran. Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saree said the strikes were carried out in support of Iran and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

The developments added to concerns over a widening conflict, which was now entering its fifth week after begining with US and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets on 28 February. Oil prices were higher in pre-market action, with West Texas Intermediate up 2.62% at $102.25 a barrel and Brent crude was 2.24% higher at $115.09 a barrel.

On the macro front, the Dallas Federal Reserve's March manufacturing business index was scheduled for 1530 BST, as was a speech by Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell.

No major corporate earnings were slated for release on Monday.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com

Dow Jones - Risers

Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $42.06 2.77% Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $182.46 1.60% American Express Co. (AXP) $295.49 1.33% Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $241.82 1.31% Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $809.89 1.26% International Business Machines Corporation (CDI) (IBM) $237.99 1.23% Home Depot Inc. (HD) $325.58 1.09% JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $286.25 1.05% Chevron Corp. (CVX) $214.38 1.01% Visa Inc. (V) $298.96 0.96%

Dow Jones - Fallers

Apple Inc. (AAPL) $247.64 -1.04% Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $79.53 -0.75% Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $350.91 -0.60% Dowdupont Inc. (DWDP) $0.00 0.00% Walmart Inc. (WMT) $0.00 0.00% Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (WBA) $0.00 0.00% Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $360.09 0.23% Intel Corp. (INTC) $43.33 0.23% Coca-Cola Co. (KO) $75.83 0.24% Nike Inc. (NKE) $51.45 0.37%

S&P 500 - Risers

Apache Corp. (APA) $45.60 4.43% Albemarle Corp. (ALB) $182.99 4.03% Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $277.86 3.51% Celanese Corp. (CE) $65.85 3.50% Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $388.26 3.31% Macerich Co (MAC) $18.78 3.22% Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) $206.12 3.06% Newmont Corporation (NEM) $104.93 3.04% Mosaic Company (MOS) $25.44 2.92% Bath & Body Works, Inc. (BBWI) $17.76 2.92%

S&P 500 - Fallers

Sysco Corp. (SYY) $72.18 -9.27% Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX) $65.11 -5.15% Alaska Air Group Inc. (ALK) $34.24 -4.69% United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) $87.82 -4.23% Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX) $435.82 -3.48% Skyworks Solutions Inc. (SWKS) $53.72 -3.42% Align Technology Inc. (ALGN) $167.94 -3.29% Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) $87.01 -3.20% American Airlines Group (AAL) $10.25 -3.17% Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) $69.95 -2.30%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers

Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $277.86 3.51% Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $388.26 3.31% Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (CHKP) $141.30 2.96% Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $108.16 2.13% Workday, Inc. (WDAY) $126.35 1.95% Kraft Heinz Co. (KHC) $22.06 1.89% CSX Corp. (CSX) $39.73 1.65% Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) $338.81 1.62% Mondelez International Inc. (MDLZ) $58.40 1.56% Lam Research Corp. (LRCX) $211.41 1.45%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX) $435.82 -3.48% Skyworks Solutions Inc. (SWKS) $53.72 -3.42% Align Technology Inc. (ALGN) $167.94 -3.29% Starbucks Corp. (SBUX) $87.01 -3.20% American Airlines Group (AAL) $10.25 -3.17% Qvc Group Inc Series A (QVCGA) $1.95 -2.99% Trip.com Group Limited (TCOM) $48.99 -2.36% Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) $54.28 -2.25% Synopsys Inc. (SNPS) $384.63 -2.23% Biogen Inc (BIIB) $187.31 -2.22%