U.S. stocks fell on Thursday, weighed by higher oil prices, as traders followed the latest developments out of the Middle East.
Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 220 points, or 0.47%. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 shed 0.8% and 1.1%, respectively.
Crude prices rose on Thursday, putting pressure on equities. Brent futures jumped 3.8% to $106.07 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate futures climbed 3.5% to $93.45.
President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that Iran “better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty.” Trump also labeled Iranian negotiators as “very different” and “strange,” claiming they were “begging” the U.S. to make a deal to end the now four-week war.
This comes after Iran’s foreign minister reportedly told state media on Wednesday that top authorities in the Middle Eastern nation are reviewing an American proposal to end the war, but Tehran has no intention of having talks with the U.S.
Meanwhile, Gulf countries issued a joint statement Thursday condemning Iran’s “criminal” strikes on their energy infrastructure. They added that they are ready to defend themselves going forward.
“While we value our fraternal relations with the Republic of Iraq, we call on the Iraqi government to take the necessary measures to immediately halt the attacks ... toward neighboring countries,” the joint statement said.
