U.S. President Donald Trump announced after market close on Thursday that the deadline for imposing strikes on Iranian energy facilities has been postponed by another 10 days to April 6, quickly drawing global market attention. Trump stated that negotiations with Iran are "progressing very well," prompting the decision to extend the previously suspended attack deadline. This marks the second recent extension, offering temporary relief to the tense energy markets. However, market participants widely view the move as an effort to buy time for diplomatic efforts rather than a substantive reduction in conflict risks.
Previously, due to uncertain negotiation prospects and escalating conflict expectations, international oil prices experienced significant fluctuations, with Brent crude briefly surpassing $108 per barrel, putting pressure on global equity and bond markets. Following the announcement of the extension, some market declines eased, but overall risk sentiment remains tight.
Meanwhile, financial market volatility has notably intensified. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell approximately 2.4% on Thursday, bringing its cumulative decline from last October's historical high to nearly 11%, confirming its entry into a technical correction zone. This represents the most severe decline since April 2025, when Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff policies triggered global market turbulence. Analysts point out that this round of declines highlights the vulnerability of technology stocks amid rising macroeconomic uncertainties. Leading companies such as Microsoft (MSFT.US), Alphabet (GOOG.US, GOOGL.US), and NVIDIA (NVDA.US), which previously rose on the AI boom, are now facing valuation pressure and corrections.
On an individual stock basis, Meta Platforms (META.US) fell 7.96% on Thursday, becoming one of the key factors dragging down the Nasdaq. Market concerns over its legal liabilities regarding teenage users may force significant adjustments to its advertising business model. Overall, the Nasdaq has declined about 8% year-to-date and fallen to its lowest level since September 2025. Investors are reassessing whether the current market downturn is a temporary correction similar to that in 2025 or a longer-term risk repricing triggered by geopolitical conflicts.
On the geopolitical front, Iran has rejected the U.S.'s previously proposed ceasefire conditions and put forward its own demands, including war compensation, cessation of attacks, and control over the Strait of Hormuz. This strait handles approximately one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, and its transit conditions directly impact global energy supply. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to intensify military deployments. The White House has ordered additional troops to the Middle East, indicating that the situation still carries escalation risks. Trump also stated that current military operations are "ahead of schedule," and the overall campaign may last for several weeks.
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