US stock edged lower on Thursday, trimming part of the previous session’s sharp rally, as investors assessed the fragility of the US-Iran ceasefire and a renewed rise in oil prices.
The S&P 500 dropped 0.2% shortly after the opening bell, while the Nasdaq Composite hovered around the flatline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 204 points, or 0.4%.
On the previous Wednesday session, the S&P 500 jumped 2.5%, the Nasdaq surged 2.8%, and the Dow gained over 1,300 points for its best session since April 2025.
However, uncertainty around the deal has resurfaced. Iran has reportedly halted tanker traffic again, citing continued strikes by US ally Israel, raising fresh concerns over the stability of the agreement and the flow of global oil supplies.
Oil prices moved higher, adding pressure on equities. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed around 5% to trade above $99 per barrel, while Brent crude rose nearly 4% to hover above $98, reversing part of their sharp declines in the previous session.
On the macro front, data showed inflation pressures remained sticky. The US personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index rose 0.4% in February, with the annual rate at 2.8%, while core PCE, the Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge, increased 0.4% month-on-month and eased slightly to 3% on a yearly basis.
Investors are now awaiting further cues from incoming economic data, including weekly jobless claims, even as geopolitical risks continue to drive market direction.
