Stocks edge up ahead of US-China meeting; oil rallies on US-Iran stalemate
Market Overview and Key Drivers
By Sinéad Carew and Amanda Cooper
NEW YORK/LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) - U.S. equity indexes inched ahead to record closing highs while the dollar edged higher on Monday, as investors awaited a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Oil Prices Surge Amid US-Iran Tensions
Oil prices rallied as Trump said the U.S. ceasefire with Iran was "on life support," after dismissing Tehran's response to a U.S. peace proposal as "stupid." His remarks stoked worries that the 10-week-old conflict will drag on, paralyzing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Response and Demands
Iran's response had focused on ending the war on all fronts and Tehran demanded compensation for war damage, emphasized its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and called on the U.S. to end its naval blockade, guarantee no further attacks, lift sanctions and remove a ban on Iranian oil sales.
Investor Sentiment and Middle East Focus
But, with the Middle East expected to be a key part of the agenda this week at Trump and Xi's first face-to-face talks in more than six months, Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, said that investors were cautiously hopeful for some progress toward peace.
"It's all about the strait and when it's going to open," said Wren. "There's some optimism that China will have some influence in resolving the strait issue."
Stock Market Performance
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 13.91 points, or 0.19%, to 7,412.84 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 27.05 points, or 0.10%, to 26,274.13, record closing highs for both. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 95.31 points, or 0.19%, to 49,704.47, still shy of its February 10 record close.
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe rose 2.38 points, or 0.22%, to 1,108.01. Earlier the pan-European STOXX 600 index closed up 0.11%.
Currency Movements
In currencies, the dollar retreated from session highs after Trump's rebuff of Iran's response kept concerns about an extended war intact.
Dollar Index and Major Currencies
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies including the yen and the euro, fell 0.05% to 97.96, with the euro down 0.06% at $1.1777.
Against the Japanese yen, the dollar strengthened 0.37% to 157.23.
Sterling and Political Developments
Sterling weakened 0.16% to $1.361 as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attempted to quell a rebellion within his ruling Labour party following a mauling in last week's local elections.
Commodities and Bond Yields
Oil Market Reaction
In energy markets, oil prices settled up nearly 3% after Trump's comments fueled supply fears as the Strait of Hormuz stayed largely closed with no clear end in sight for the war.
U.S. crude settled up 2.78%, or $2.65 at $98.07 a barrel. Brent rose to $104.21 per barrel, up 2.88%, or $2.92 for the day.
US Treasury Yields
U.S. Treasury yields rose as rising oil prices stoked inflation worries.
The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes rose 4.6 basis points to 4.41%, from 4.364% late on Friday. The 30-year bond yield rose 3.6 basis points to 4.9835%.
The 2-year note yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations for the Federal Reserve, rose 5.9 basis points to 3.952%.
Gold Prices and Investor Caution
Gold prices reversed course to rise in volatile trading on Monday, as investors assessed developments in U.S.-Iran diplomacy and waited for key U.S. inflation data due later this week.
Spot gold rose 0.44% to $4,735.39 an ounce. U.S. gold futures rose 0.15% to $4,727.70 an ounce.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Sinéad Carew, Amanda Cooper, Editing by Stephen Coates, Gareth Jones, Mark Potter, Nia Williams and David Gregorio)
