U.S. stocks rose on Monday, following a truncated week after Good Friday. Futures of the major benchmark indices were higher amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel war with Iran.
President Donald Trump, on Sunday, threatened to destroy Iran’s energy and civilian infrastructure if it failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his deadline of Tuesday, warning of severe consequences in a Truth Social post. “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Strait, you crazy **, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!,” he said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump will also be holding a press conference alongside military officials later on Monday.
Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.36%, and the two-year bond was at 3.86%. The CME Group's FedWatch tool‘s projections show markets pricing a 99.5% likelihood of the Federal Reserve leaving the current interest rates unchanged in its April meeting.
| Index | Performance (+/-) |
| Dow Jones | 0.13% |
| S&P 500 | 0.37% |
| Nasdaq 100 | 0.70% |
| Russell 2000 | 0.26% |
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ), which track the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100, respectively, were higher in premarket on Monday. The SPY was up 0.35% at $658.14, while the QQQ advanced 0.64% to $588.71.
Real estate, information technology, and consumer staples stocks recorded the biggest gains on Thursday, leading most S&P 500 sectors to close higher. However, health care and consumer discretionary stocks bucked the trend.
| Index | Performance (+/-) | Value |
| Dow Jones | -0.13% | 46,504.67 |
| S&P 500 | 0.11% | 6,582.69 |
| Nasdaq Composite | 0.18% | 21,879.18 |
| Russell 2000 | 0.70% | 2,530.04 |
Mohamed El-Erian paints a picture of a resilient but increasingly vulnerable U.S. economy, currently caught between robust activity and escalating geopolitical pressures.
While he notes the U.S. has been “better positioned” than Europe or Asia, he warns that inflationary pressures are mounting. He highlights a stark divergence in policy sentiment, critiquing the Federal Reserve’s “well-positioned” mantra as lacking the “analytical and intellectual agility” shown by other central banks.
Regarding the markets, El-Erian observes that after the worst quarter since 2022, U.S. stocks saw a recent bounce, even as they decoupled from rising oil prices.
However, he remains wary of the “broader economic damage” caused by the Middle East War, noting that while the U.S. has largely been limited to the initial phases of financial impact, it is not immune to the looming supply-side shocks.
He underscores the gravity of the current global shift, quoting the IMF's warning that "all roads lead to higher prices and lower growth."
As the U.S. faces a heavy week of data, including a projected jump in headline CPI to over 3%, El-Erian suggests the economy is at a crossroads where "increasing inflationary pressures are being accompanied by resilient activity," creating a complex backdrop for investors.
Here's what investors will be keeping an eye on this week.
Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 1.74% to hover around $109.60 per barrel.
Gold Spot US Dollar rose 0.30% to hover around $4,690.48 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $5,595.46 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was 0.17% lower at the 99.8550 level.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) was trading 3.55% higher at $69,242.10 per coin, as per the last 24 hours.
Asian markets closed lower on Monday, as Hong Kong's Hang Seng, Australia's ASX 200, and China’s CSI 300 indices fell. Whereas, India’s Nifty 50, South Korea's Kospi, and Japan's Nikkei 225 indices rose. European markets were also lower in early trade.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
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