The U.S. equity markets closed higher on Wednesday. At New York’s close the Dow Jones Industrial Average settled at 46,566 points, up 0.5 % from the day before. The broader S&P 500 was around 6,575 points, up 0.7 %, while the technology‑heavy Nasdaq 100 was near 24,020 points, rising 1.2 %.
Later that evening, President Donald Trump scheduled a speech about the current stage of the Iran war. Markets had already reacted to his statement that the conflict would last only two to three weeks. He also said that Iran had requested a cease‑fire – a claim the Iranian regime dismissed as “false and baseless”. When asked whether the Strait of Hormuz, vital for international shipping, must be opened in a cease‑fire or for the war’s end, Trump’s comments were inconsistent.
The euro strengthened versus the dollar. One euro was worth 1.1586 USD, meaning that one dollar equaled 0.8631 euros.
Gold saw strong gains. A fine ounce fetched 4,769 USD, up 2.1 %. This translates to about 132.34 EUR per gram.
Oil prices fell sharply. Brent crude was trading at 101.10 USD per barrel around 22:00 German time – a drop of 290 cents, or 2.8 % lower than the previous day’s close.