Bloomberg Television

Stocks Slide as Oil Spikes on US–Iran Tension | Closing Bell

The closing bell showed U.S. equities slipping as oil prices spiked on renewed U.S.–Iran tensions. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq each fell roughly 0.3%, while the Russell 2000 managed a modest gain, underscoring the market’s mixed reaction to geopolitical risk. Energy‑related concerns lifted oil and energy stocks, but financials dropped about 0.9% and technology and consumer‑discretionary shares led the broader declines. Utilities and industrials posted modest gains, and investors remain focused on upcoming Q4 GDP data and the Federal Reserve’s next policy meeting. Among the standout moves, Omnicom surged 15% after beating fourth‑quarter estimates and announcing a $5 billion share‑buyback, while Deere climbed nearly 12% on an upgraded profit outlook for agriculture equipment. Conversely, Blue Owl Capital tumbled 6% after restricting quarterly withdrawals from a private‑credit fund, highlighting liquidity concerns in that niche. A new partnership between Tradeweb and Calshee to bring prediction‑market contracts to fixed‑income platforms also drew attention. The episode illustrates how geopolitical shocks can quickly translate into equity volatility, especially in sectors sensitive to energy prices. With key macro data and Fed decisions on the horizon, investors will be weighing inflationary pressures against growth prospects, while monitoring credit‑market stress signals from firms like Blue Owl.