On Thursday the U.S. exchanges gave mixed results. By the close in New York the Dow Jones Industrial Average settled at 46,505 points, a decline of 0.1 % from the previous trading day. A few minutes earlier, the broader S&P 500 was around 6,583 points, up 0.1 %, while the technology‑heavy Nasdaq was at about 24,046 points, also up 0.1 %.
The continuing tension in the Iran‑War and the ongoing impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz remain key themes on Wall Street. After President Trump’s speech warning of war in Iran, the markets opened to sharp losses that quickly eased. Iran announced that it is collaborating with Oman on a protocol for “monitoring vessel traffic” through the strait, and that a toll will be levied on ships passing the strait in both war and peacetime. On Thursday, representatives from roughly 40 countries met at the invitation of the British prime minister to discuss opening the strait, while France had already ruled out a forceful opening.
At night the euro slipped against the dollar. One euro traded for 1.1538 U.S. dollars, meaning one dollar was worth 0.8667 euros. Gold prices fell noticeably; the price of a fine troy ounce dropped to $4,665, down 2.0 %. That works out to €129.99 per gram. Meanwhile, oil prices rallied strongly. Brent crude was trading at about $108.70 per barrel at 22:00 German time-an increase of 7.4 % from the previous day’s close.
