As the conflict between the United States and Iran shows signs of a full-scale war, the three major U.S. stock indexes opened mixed.
At 9:53 a.m. on the 22nd (local time) at the New York Stock Exchange, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.33% (170.48 points) to 52,395.12. The Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 fell 0.06% (4.71 points) to 7,504.49, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.39% (101.26 points) to 25,735.94.
This is seen as stemming from the escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if Iran attacks ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the United States would bomb Iran's power plants or bridges in a corresponding move. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) called it "legitimate retaliation" and claimed it attacked a U.S. base in Jordan with missiles and drones, leaving many of the U.S. troops stationed there dead or injured.
As a result, international oil prices are rising. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) September delivery futures are up 2.85% from the previous session at $86.74 a barrel.
European stocks are rising. The Euro Stoxx 50 rose 0.57% from the previous trading day to 6,321.3. The United Kingdom's FTSE 100 gained 1.35%, Germany's DAX rose 0.53%, and France's CAC 40 added 0.98%.