US stocks approach their all-time high as oil prices tumble
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose toward their all-time high on Tuesday after oil prices eased further on hopes that Israel’s war with Iran will not damage the global flow of crude.
The S&P 500 climbed 1.1%, following up on big gains for stocks across Europe and Asia, after President Donald Trump said late Monday that Israel and Iran had agreed to a “complete and total ceasefire.” The main measure of Wall Street’s health is back within 0.8% of its record set in February after falling roughly 20% below during the spring.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 507 points, or 1.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 1.4%.
The strongest action was again in the oil market, where a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude fell 6% to settle at $64.37. Brent crude, the international standard, had a similar drop.
The fear throughout the Israel-Iran conflict has been that it could squeeze the world’s supply of oil, which would pump up prices for gasoline and hurt the global economy. Iran is a major producer of crude, and it could also try to block the Strait of Hormuz off its coast, through which 20% of the world’s daily oil needs passes on ships.
Oil prices began falling sharply on Monday after Iran launched what appeared to be a limited retaliatory strike to the United States’ entry into the war, one that did not target the production or movement of oil. They kept falling even after attacks continued past a deadline to stop hostilities early Tuesday. Trump later said that the ceasefire was “in effect.”
Oil prices have dropped so much in the last two days that they’re below where they were before the fighting began nearly two weeks ago.