Wednesday saw a sharp decline across US stock markets. At the close in New York, the Dow Jones calculated at 49,919 points, marking a 1.9 percent drop compared to the previous trading day. Just before that, the broader S&P 500 had fallen by 1.6 percent, reaching approximately 7,267 points, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq 100 was down 2.0 percent, recorded at around 28,508 points.
This drop was fueled by investor fears regarding a potential escalation in the Middle East. The anxieties were heightened by posts from US President Donald Trump on his personal platform. Trump claimed, “The Iranian military is a unique chaos. A large part of it, such as the Navy and Air Force, no longer exists-they have been completely defeated.” Furthermore, he suggested, “Iran took too long to negotiate an agreement. Now they must pay the price for it.”
In contrast to the volatile stock market, the European currency strengthened slightly on Wednesday evening. The Euro traded at $1.1542, meaning that the dollar was valued at €0.8664.
Commodity prices were mixed. Gold prices experienced a strong pullback, falling 4.4 percent; the price for a fine ounce reached $4,077, equivalent to €113.56 per gram.
Meanwhile, oil prices rose significantly. Brent crude oil from the North Sea cost $93.44 per barrel around 10 PM German time, reflecting a 2.2 percent increase from the close of the previous trading day.
