U.S. stock markets fell again on Tuesday amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, posting significant losses in the opening session before largely recovering through the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 48,501 points, down 0.8 %; the Nasdaq‑100 ended at 24,720 points, down 1.1 %; and the broader S&P 500 finished at 6,817 points, down 0.9 %.
Oil prices rose sharply on the day due to concerns about supply disruptions, with West Coast crude (Brent) reaching $81.26 a barrel by 10 p.m. German time (22:00). That represented a 4.5 % increase from the previous day’s close.
Gold slipped noticeably, with a fine ounce selling at $5,101 on the evening trade-down 4.2 % from the prior close-equivalent to €141.17 per gram.
On the currency market, the euro weakened against the dollar. One euro traded at $1.1617, meaning one dollar was worth €0.8608.
