Significant developments concerning the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict have emerged, with former President Donald Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio making public statements, leading to renewed fluctuations in capital markets.
U.S. stock markets opened higher on the evening of March 30, but gains narrowed considerably by the time of reporting, with the NASDAQ Composite Index even turning negative intraday.
The NASDAQ Golden Dragon China Index, which tracks Chinese companies listed in the U.S., rose approximately 0.2%. Among individual stocks, iQiyi saw an increase of over 11%, while WeRide gained more than 4%.
Gold and silver prices reversed sharp early declines and surged. Spot gold was up more than 0.8%, and spot silver had risen over 0.7% at the time of writing.
In the oil market, WTI crude climbed above $102 per barrel, while Brent crude advanced nearly 3%.
The primary driver of market movements remains the latest news regarding the U.S.-Israel-Iran tensions. Former President Donald Trump stated via a social media platform that the U.S. is engaged in serious negotiations with Iran to conclude military operations in the country. Trump claimed, "We have made significant progress, but if a deal cannot be reached shortly for any reason—though one is very likely—and if navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately restored, we will bomb and completely destroy all of Iran's power stations, oil wells, and Kharg Island, potentially including all desalination plants."
Additionally, on March 30, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the U.S. will never allow Iran to permanently control the Strait of Hormuz or establish a toll system. In a media interview, Rubio said the U.S. aims to achieve its military objectives regarding Iran "within weeks, not months." He noted, "The President prefers a diplomatic path. These efforts are just beginning. Some negotiations are underway, including through intermediaries." Rubio added, "But we must also be prepared for the possibility that these efforts may fail," emphasizing that Iran "is threatening to permanently control the Strait of Hormuz and set up a toll system, among other actions. This will not be permitted."
In a related development, Israel's National Cyber Directorate disclosed that since the outbreak of hostilities, hackers linked to Iran have infiltrated at least 50 Israeli security cameras and executed data-wiping attacks on 60 Israeli companies. Israeli authorities believe the camera breaches were likely intended to assess missile strike effectiveness and track troop movements. The targeted companies are mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, with some data permanently destroyed.
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