Late Sunday, U.S. stock futures fell while oil prices soared. Meanwhile, a drone strike triggered a fire near the UAE’s Barakah nuclear power plant.
Global Markets Slide As Middle East Tensions Escalate
Dow futures fell 242.00 points, or 0.49%, to 49,375.00, while S&P 500 futures slipped 35.25 points, or 0.47%, to 7,397.00 and Nasdaq 100 futures declined 218.00 points, or 0.75%, to 29,013.75 as of around 8:24 p.m. EDT.
In commodities, WTI crude oil rose 1.20% to $106.69 per barrel. Brent crude added 1.00% to $110.35 per barrel.
Natural gas futures climbed 1.96% to $3.018 per MMBtu.
Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar index stood at 99.358, up 0.09%.
Asian markets were lower, with South Korea’s KOSPI falling 4.08% to 7,187.23 and Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipping 0.70% to 60,982.20.
Meanwhile, renowned economist Mohamed El-Erian said on X that Brent crude opened above $110 in Asia as stalled U.S.-Iran talks and Trump’s renewed warnings fueled oil market tensions.
UAE Nuclear Plant Drone Strike Raises Regional Security Concerns
UAE officials said a drone strike caused a fire near the Barakah nuclear power facility, though authorities confirmed no radiation leak or injuries occurred, Reuters reported.
Saudi Arabia separately said it intercepted three drones entering from Iraqi airspace.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said emergency systems were functioning and called for “maximum military restraint” around nuclear sites.
Trump Pressures Iran As Diplomatic Deadlock Deepens
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social and said that Iran must act “FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them.”
The warning came as U.S.-Iran negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program, regional military activity and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz remain stalled more than five weeks after a fragile ceasefire.
Iran Warns Trump As Energy Market Tensions Rise
A senior Iranian military spokesperson, Abolfazl Shekarchi, warned that if Trump follows through on his threats, the U.S. would face unexpected and intensified consequences, potentially dragging itself into deeper conflict, the report added.
Separately, Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei accused the U.S. and Israel of attempting to deflect responsibility for turmoil in global energy markets after what he described as their “unprovoked military aggression” against Iran.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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