The Charging Bull or Wall Street Bull is pictured in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 16, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
(Wall Street, New York) – Markets are moving higher in pre-market trading Monday after President Donald Trump announced a temporary pause on planned U.S. strikes against Iran, easing immediate fears of escalation in the Middle East.
U.S. stock futures surged ahead of the opening bell, reflecting a shift back into risk assets after days of volatility tied to the conflict. Early momentum is also being reflected in major holdings and ETFs:
- Apple Inc. (AAPL): $250.76, +1.12%
- SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY): $656.26, +1.19%
- NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA): $175.57, +1.66%
- Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI): $323.99, +1.14%
- Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ): $577.67, -0.63%
Meanwhile, commodities and safe-haven plays are showing mixed reactions. Silver continues to lag despite geopolitical tensions:
- iShares Silver Trust (SLV): $60.60, -1.50%
Crypto is also seeing strength in the risk-on environment:
- Bitcoin (BTC): $69,849.65, +2.60%
The U.S. dollar weakened in early trading, while the euro gained, signaling reduced demand for safe-haven assets as tensions temporarily cool.
Trump said the U.S. would delay any military action targeting Iranian energy infrastructure for five days following what he described as “productive” talks with Tehran. The pause is conditional on continued progress in negotiations expected throughout the week.
Oil prices, which had been climbing on fears of supply disruptions, ticked lower pre-market—particularly as concerns ease around key routes like the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the early optimism, uncertainty remains high. Analysts warn that markets could reverse quickly if talks break down or tensions escalate again, with investors closely watching developments between Washington and Tehran as trading gets underway.
