US stock markets experienced a slight decline on Monday. By the close of trading in New York, the Dow stood at 53,975 points, marking a loss of 0.1 percent compared to the previous trading day. Shortly before that, the broader S&P 500 was down 0.1 percent with approximately 7,755 points, while the technology-focused Nasdaq 100 registered a drop of 0.3 percent, closing near 29,620 points.
The lingering uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz continues to affect energy prices and preoccupy investors. Iran announced that it is close to reaching a final agreement with Oman concerning new shipping routes, yet it maintains that the United States must meet several preconditions before this strategically vital waterway can be reopened. Furthermore, Iran is considering levying fees for passage through the strait. Separately, U.S. President Donald Trump demanded that Iran provide compensation for victims of the war involving the U.S. and Israel, as well as past conflicts.
In financial markets, the European common currency weakened somewhat on Monday evening; the Euro traded at $1.1543 against the US Dollar, meaning the Dollar fetched 0.8663 Euros. Meanwhile, the price of gold saw a notable increase, rising 1.1 percent to reach $4,390 per fine ounce in the evening, which corresponds to 122.27 Euros per gram. Oil prices, however, climbed sharply. A barrel of Brent crude from the North Sea was priced at $87.57 late Monday evening (Central European Time), representing a strong increase of 4.8 percent from the close of the preceding trading session.
