The American stock markets are cautiously evolving on Thursday, amidst persistent uncertainties surrounding the conflict in the Middle East and its diplomatic implications. Around 4:15 pm, the Dow Jones decreased by 0.12% to 46,374 points while the Nasdaq fell by 0.99% to 21,712 points.
The United States and Iran are sending conflicting signals regarding the possibility of an agreement to end the month-long conflict, keeping investors in a wait-and-see mode. While Donald Trump claims that the Iranians are “begging” Washington to reach an agreement, Tehran has denied any ongoing negotiations since the beginning of the week.
Simultaneously, Iran has formally responded to the fifteen-point peace plan proposed by the American administration, according to the Tasnim agency. A senior Iranian official mentioned that Turkey and Pakistan are trying to facilitate a reconciliation between the two countries. However, Tehran rejected an initial proposal transmitted via Islamabad.
Remaining true to his aggressive style, Donald Trump made multiple statements stating that American military objectives had been achieved quicker than anticipated. He declared, “We estimated it would take us four to six weeks to reach our objectives, and we are ahead of schedule.” The US president also affirmed that over 90% of Iranian missile launch capabilities had been destroyed, along with a significant portion of military infrastructure.
On the ground, clashes continue to be intense on the 27th day of the conflict. The Israeli Defense Minister, Israël Katz, announced the “elimination” of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy chief. Meanwhile, the leader of the pro-Iranian Houthis in Yemen warned that a “military response” could be triggered if the situation demanded it.
Oil Prices Rebounding
Economic repercussions are beginning to be felt. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned of a negative impact on global growth, while oil prices are rising again after a brief pause, sparking inflation fears. By around 4:30 pm, Brent and WTI prices were respectively up by 4.60% and 3.43%.
From a macroeconomic perspective, weekly jobless claims in the United States stood at 210,000, slightly below expectations (211,000), following 205,000 the previous week.
In corporate news, Boeing (-1.72%) benefited from a significant order from Korean Air, planning to acquire 103 aircraft between 2026 and 2039, amounting to an estimated $36.2 billion based on 2025 catalog prices.
On the other hand, Apple (+1.31%) announced the integration of four new partners – Bosch, Cirrus Logic, TDK, and Qnity Electronics – into its American supply chain. The tech giant plans to invest $400 million by 2030 to support local production of strategic components.
Warner Bros (-0.13%) will present its merger project with Paramount Skydance to shareholders on April 23.
