(Updates with index/price moves and geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)
US equity indexes rose as all sectors advanced in Friday's midday trading amid declining crude oil and government bond yields.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.7% to 52,083.5, the S&P 500 rose 0.6% to 7,450.1, and the Nasdaq Composite edged up 0.2% to 25,179.5. Real estate, consumer staples, and materials topped the gainers.
The front-month US West Texas Intermediate dropped 3.9% to $88.62 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent slumped 4.5% to $96.20 a barrel. The retreat came as a relief from a surge on Thursday when the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels attacked two Saudi Arabian tankers in the Red Sea chokepoint. Separately, President Donald Trump threatened a "massive attack" on Iran to continue to degrade its ability to attack maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest jump in oil prices is likely to be short-lived, a Dow Jones news report cited a Julius Baer note. Despite fresh attacks on tankers in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, the renewed fighting appears to reflect efforts by the parties to strengthen their bargaining positions ahead of another round of negotiations, the news report cited the note.
Most US Treasury yields fell in midday trading, aiding investor sentiment. The 10-year fell 4.6 basis points to 4.66%, retreating from its highest seen in a year on Thursday. The two-year declined 4.7 basis points to 4.31%, after yields hit fresh 52-week highs twice this week.
In company news, Digital Realty Trust (DLR) reported Q2 core funds from operations and operating revenue above market expectations late Thursday, and the company also raised its 2026 core FFO and sales guidance. Shares of the firm surged nearly 15%, the top gainer on the S&P 500.
Comments