Oil Surges

• U.S. stock futures fell 0.46% Monday morning as Iran declined to engage in peace talks with the Trump administration, escalating geopolitical tensions. • Oil prices climbed to $95 per barrel, up from $86 three days prior, reflecting market concerns over potential supply disruptions from the Iran conflict. • Despite the geopolitical headwinds, markets have shown resilience with strong corporate earnings growth at 17% annually offsetting valuation pressures.

• Brent crude oil settled 4.7% higher at $99.39 per barrel on April 16 amid caution over Iran war. • Prices have risen from $70 pre-war to peaks near $119 due to Strait of Hormuz disruptions. • The climb tempers market optimism, highlighting persistent energy supply risks.

US equity futures fell sharply on March 13, 2026, extending a market slide amid Brent oil prices surpassing $100 a barrel due to escalating tensions from the US-Israel war with Iran. Chevron shares rose 30% year-to-date while ConocoPhillips dipped slightly in premarket trading, reflecting energy sector volatility. The rally in oil prices deepened fears of a global inflation spike, with experts warning it poses the biggest risk to macro sentiment. Markets anticipate further volatility as the Trump administration advances second-round tariff investigations on 60 economies.