The New York stock exchange closed lower today, with the S&P 500 falling 0.33% to 7,686.14 points, the Dow Jones retreating 0.70% to 53,185.90 points and the Nasdaq Composite slowing 0.12% to 26,370.89 points. Investors yielded to the return of US attacks on Iran, the rise in interest rates and oil prices.
Crude oil rose sharply, driven by the renewal of tensions in the Strait of Ormuz. The WTI advanced about 2.5% to 3%, to the zone of 85.5-86 dollars per barrel, while Brent gained about 2.5% to 3.5%, approaching or exceeding 90-91 dollars.
The sell-off in Treasuries continued to pressure yields, with the 10-year Treasury yield rising to the zone of 4.75%-4.76%, levels that correspond to highs of about 19 months. The rise reflects concerns about inflation, the more hawkish monetary policy of the Fed and the debt supply.
The euro rose today against the dollar, returning to the level of 1.16 dollars, at a time when an interest rate rise is expected in the United States and tensions in the Middle East are increasing.
