[New York Stock Market] Rises at Open After Trump’s SNS Post Before Market; Brent Crude Surpasses $115

Posted on Truth Social: "Serious Negotiations Underway"
Threatens to Destroy Iran if No Agreement is Reached
Markets Open Lower... Brent Crude Surpasses $115

New York Stock Exchange. Photo by Yoonju Hwang, New York Correspondent

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his social media (SNS) before the market opened that negotiations with Iran were underway and posted that if no agreement is reached soon, he would order the destruction of Kharg Island and other targets. This fueled hopes of an end to the conflict, causing all three major U.S. stock indexes to start the session on an upward trend on March 30 (local time). Although the Nasdaq saw its initial buying momentum weaken and briefly turned slightly negative, it resumed its climb afterward.

According to the home trading system (HTS), as of 10 a.m., the Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow) on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) was up 163.39 points (0.36%) from the previous trading day, standing at 45,330.03. The S&P 500 Index, which tracks large-cap stocks, was up 10.35 points (0.16%) at 6,379.20.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq index, which initially turned downward, saw renewed buying interest. As of 10:22 a.m., it was trading at 20,960.32, down 11.96 points (0.06%).

U.S. stock markets are moving in response to President Trump's remarks regarding the Iran war. On Truth Social, President Trump stated, "The United States is engaged in serious discussions with a new and more reasonable regime in Iran to end military operations," but also warned, "If an agreement is not reached soon and the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened promptly, I will order the destruction of all of Iran's power plants, oil fields, and Kharg Island (including all desalination facilities)."

This follows President Trump's announcement the previous day that Iran had accepted most of the 15 U.S. conditions for ending the conflict and agreed to allow an additional 20 oil tankers to pass through the Strait.

However, at this hour, international oil prices are rising. The May delivery of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is trading at $102.55 per barrel, up 2.92% from the previous session. Brent crude for May delivery, the benchmark for international oil prices, is also up 2.46% at $115.34 per barrel.

Oil stocks are also rising. ExxonMobil is up 2.10% and Chevron is up 1.30%. Energy stocks are broadly higher as well, with Occidental Petroleum up 1.84%, Diamondback Energy up 0.25%, and APA up 0.86%.

Mohamed El-Erian, Chief Economic Advisor at Allianz, told CNBC, "We still believe this is a temporary phenomenon. There may be short-term effects, but they must be overcome."

He added, "It is very uncertain what actions the Federal Reserve will take going forward. The fiscal deficit already stands at 6%," and pointed out, "If this situation continues, the market has not yet fully grasped that the policy offset effect will be much lower than before."

Tech stocks are mixed. Nvidia is down 0.01%, Apple is down 0.31%, Microsoft is up 1.00%, Amazon is up 1.04%, Alphabet is up 0.20%, Tesla is up 0.87%, and Meta is up 1.45%—showing pronounced fluctuations in their respective movements.

Chris Senyek of Wolfe Research commented, "As the Trump administration continues to send out various messages about de-escalation and reopening with Iran, the market remains highly sensitive to headlines. As a result, we are maintaining a defensive investment stance."

Goldman Sachs strategists analyzed that after investors reduced their allocations to U.S. equities last week, the distribution of short-term market outcomes has improved. They also added that the first quarter earnings season, set to be announced in mid-April, will play a crucial role in providing clarity about future prospects and the impact of the Middle East conflict.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.