【US Stock Pre-Market】Trump May Deploy Military, Take Over Iran's "Harku Island" Dow Futures Down 134 Points (Continuous Update)

Oil price fluctuations. Axios cites four insiders stating that the Trump administration is considering occupying or blockading Iran’s Kharg Island to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The island handles 90% of Iran’s oil exports. Taking control of the island could expose U.S. troops directly to fire.

If the operation succeeds, it could ease oil price pressures; if it fails, it may escalate conflicts. Markets are betting on Trump’s stance, with Brent crude rising 2% before fluctuating.

U.S. stock futures remain weak, with Dow futures down 135 points at 46,206; S&P 500 futures down 0.4% at 6,634; Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.5% at 24,448.

Gold prices rose 0.2% to $4,660, while silver fell 1.1% to $72.

Hong Kong stocks and ADR markets are continuously updating. For details, see: Next Page

Market Trends:

【15:14】Dow futures down 12 points at 46,329; S&P futures down 8 points at 6,652; Nasdaq futures down 60 points or 0.2% at 24,519.

【15:04】NY crude oil drops 1% to $94.6; Brent crude drops 0.3% to $108.3. Gold in New York up 1.6% at $4,681; spot gold up 0.7% at $4,681.

【15:04】【SMCI】Supermicro plunged 20% in after-hours trading; co-founder indicted for conspiracy to illegally export AI technology to China.

【12:54】【Gold Analysis】Gold once tested $4,500—the weakest weekly performance in six years. Analysis: The safe-haven effect is not clearly evident; short-term weakness is expected.

【12:41】【AI + OpenAI】OpenAI plans to integrate ChatGPT, Codex, and launch a super app to simplify user experience and compete with Anthropic.

【11:19】【AI + NVIDIA】Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang: Tech leaders should be cautious to avoid causing AI panic. “Warnings are good, but scare tactics are not.”

【10:19】【Gold Trend】Gold faces its largest weekly decline in six years. How much is the two-ounce gold now worth?

【08:20】【Iran Crisis】Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu: No more strikes on Iran’s oil and gas facilities.

【07:58】【Iran Crisis】Bicent: Removing Iran’s oil sanctions could allow oil to flow outside China, affecting market prices (updating).

【07:29】【Pearl Harbor Event】Trump meets Sanae Takami; Japanese reporter: Why was the war not announced beforehand? Trump: You didn’t tell me about Pearl Harbor either.

$1 and below for March 19 U.S. stock market overview====

Thursday: Trump halts Israel’s attack on oil fields; crude oil futures retreat most gains; gold continues to fall

Following attacks on Middle Eastern oil facilities, the U.S. responded by increasing oil supply, including possibly releasing strategic reserves, considering lifting long-standing sanctions on Iran’s oil, and approving purchases of certain Russian crude. Brent crude hit a high of $119.13, up 10.9%, ending the day up 0.4% at $107.83. NY crude rose 5.4% to $101.48 at peak, then fell 0.2% to $96.14.

▲【US Stock Futures】Dow futures down 12 points, Nasdaq futures down 0.2%; oil prices retreat; NY crude down 1% (updating).

Watch US market close:

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Trump wrote that “Israel will no longer attack this extremely important and valuable gas field,” and called on Iran to exercise restraint. Later at the White House, Trump said he told them not to do so.

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen recently stated that the U.S. will not interfere in oil-related financial markets but may further release oil reserves to lower prices. She admitted that the U.S. might unilaterally release strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) to reduce oil prices.

She also clarified that rumors about U.S. Treasury intervention in oil futures markets are false; the U.S. will not do so or interfere in financial markets.

Global interest rate pressures have caused gold to fall, with a 3.5% decline to $4,650.02; silver dropped 3.4% to $72.8251.

U.S. stocks declined, with the Dow down 203 points at 46,021; the S&P 500 down 0.3% at 6,606; Nasdaq down 0.3% at 22,090.

After meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takami, Trump is expected to announce the launch of a nuclear power project in the southern U.S. on Thursday (19th), a recent initiative driven by the investment fund established under the trade agreement. Sources say GE Vernova (GEV) and Hitachi will build BWRX-300 small modular reactors in Tennessee and Alabama, costing up to $40 billion.

Japanese investment benefits U.S. AI industry; tech stocks narrowed losses or rose. Nvidia (NVDA) down 1%, AMD up 2.9%. Alphabet (GOOGL) down 0.2%. Micron (MU) down 3.8% after earnings; Tesla (TSLA) down 3.2%.

Earlier, Reuters cited sources saying Saudi Defense Ministry intercepted a ballistic missile over Yanbu, causing a temporary halt in oil loading at Yanbu port, which then resumed operations. The Ministry also reported a drone crash at the SAMREF refinery (a key Yanbu oil facility), assessing damages.

Iran previously indicated that after attacks on its natural gas fields, the Yanbu-based Samref refinery was among the energy facilities targeted.

Additionally, Qatar’s largest LNG export facility and the UAE’s gas fields have been attacked. Kuwait’s energy facilities also targeted, escalating Middle East tensions.

Market trends:

【23:05】U.S. and Japan to jointly build a nuclear project in the southern U.S., with a $40 billion investment; Micron’s decline narrows to 2%.

【21:30】No intervention in oil markets but possible release of reserves; May Brent crude up 5%, gold plunges 6%, Dow down 302 points.

【20:55】Yellen: No intervention in oil markets but may unilaterally release reserves.

【17:55】Iran bombs Saudi oil plant; Brent crude surges 10% to nearly $120; Dow futures down 42 points.

【14:11】Dow futures down 10 points at 46,525; S&P futures down 4 points at 6,672; Nasdaq futures down 43 points or 0.2% at 24,608.

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Iran’s conflict escalated, with Iran’s natural gas fields targeted for the first time. Iran retaliated by attacking a refinery in Riyadh, causing a large fire.

Iran’s state TV reported that the U.S. and Israel attacked the South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf. Markets are concerned about ongoing attacks on Iran’s oil fields. Brent crude once surged 6.3% to $109.95; gold fell 3.4% to $4,834.51.

Iran’s National Gas Company announced that the fire at South Pars was extinguished, and prices stabilized. Trump previously stated, “The only thing we haven’t destroyed is their oil, because destroying it would take years to rebuild.”

Iran reports that it retaliated with airstrikes, successfully hitting U.S. assets near Riyadh, causing fires. Iran also attacked oil and gas facilities in the UAE and Qatar.

NYMEX crude oil fell from a high of 4.4%, then rebounded 3.33%, ending at $96.32, up 0.11%. Brent crude closed at $107.38, up 3.8%.

Fed Chair Powell, after the FOMC meeting, said that if Congress does not confirm a new Fed Chair by the end of his term in May, he will serve as interim chair.

Economic data: February PPI rose 3.4% YoY, above expectations of 3% and previous 2.9%; MoM up 0.7%. Core PPI rose 3.9% YoY, above expectations of 3.7%; MoM up 0.5%.

Nuveen notes that recent geopolitical shocks have led markets to reassess the risk of tightening monetary policy but considers such adjustments premature. They highlight that inflation remains a focus, but rising energy prices tend to slow growth. With inflation near target in many developed markets and economic momentum slowing, policymakers may adopt a wait-and-see approach rather than further rate hikes.

They believe current inflation conditions differ from the post-pandemic environment when aggressive tightening was necessary. While commodity prices may temporarily boost inflation, the net effect is complex: higher energy costs suppress real income and demand. Oil shocks are more likely to delay deflation rather than reignite inflation.

Hong Kong stocks and ADR markets are continuously updating. See: Next Page

Market trends:

【17:55】Before the Fed’s rate decision, Dow futures up 257 points, Nasdaq futures up 0.7%. Micron (MU) earnings after close.

【16:45】【AI + SpaceX】Elon Musk: SpaceX will become an AI leader in a few years, surpassing all others combined.

【16:25】【AI + NVIDIA】Huang Renxun: OpenClaw is the next ChatGPT, greatly expanding personal AI capabilities.

【14:03】Dow futures up 217 points at 47,565; S&P futures up 31 points at 6,804; Nasdaq futures up 151 points or 0.6% at 25,166.

【13:53】【Iran Crisis】S&P warns: Continued conflict could cause Gulf banks to face over $2 trillion in deposit outflows.

【13:15】【AI + Meta】Reports say China penalized Meta for acquiring Manus, possibly restricting Manus executives from leaving China.

【13:05】【Iran Crisis】Citi forecasts Brent crude to rise to $110–120 short-term; how to end the sustained rally?

【12:34】【US IPO】Swarmer, supported by AI drone and defense concepts, surges 5.2x on debut; after-hours up 44%.

【12:26】【AI + MU】Micron pre-earnings up 4%, market cap over $500 billion; analysts see growth similar to Nvidia’s past, with $1,000 target not far off.

【11:28】【AI + Risks】Howard Marks: AI makes the world less predictable; investors underestimate AI’s impact.

【11:09】【AMD】AMD’s Su Zifeng reportedly visiting Samsung’s Pyeongtaek chip plant to expand wafer manufacturing, dining with Lee Jae-yong.

【10:42】【Iran Crisis】UAE Central Bank to strengthen banking stability; forex reserves over $270 billion, ready with policy tools.

【10:27】【AI + Amazon】Amazon CEO: Cloud revenue (AWS) could reach $600 billion in 10 years, double previous estimates.

【10:26】【Xi-Trump Meeting】Trump: “Possibly delaying” meeting with Xi Jinping by about 5–6 weeks; “Both sides are rescheduling.”

【10:16】【Gold Trend】Gold holds near $5,000 amid Fed rate decision; focus on Fed’s view on energy prices and labor market.

【09:50】【New IPO】OpenAI reportedly to go public as early as Q4.

【08:40】【AI + NVIDIA】Nvidia preparing to launch Groq AI chips in China; Huang Renxun: Restarting H200 production.

【07:26】【TME Earnings】Tencent Music’s stock plunges 25%, after earnings beat, with increased dividends.

【07:17】【Iran Crisis】Iran’s second-in-command, Laijani, killed by Israel; highest-level assassination since Khomeini (updating).

【07:00】【Parent-Child Market】Hong Kong Baby Kingdom’s parent company withdraws US IPO application; likely to trigger tech park rent subsidy swap deal.

$1 and below for March 16 U.S. stock market overview====

Monday: Oil drops over 2%; Dow rises 387 points; Trump delays China visit by a month

U.S. dollar index and oil prices decline. NY crude drops 5.3% to $93.5; Brent crude down 2.4% to $100.66. USD index down 0.6% at 99.8; 10-year Treasury yield down 0.06% to 4.216%.

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As G7 major countries begin releasing strategic oil reserves, short-term supply is ample, but the ongoing Iran crisis continues to trouble markets. Trump announced postponing his China trip by about a month, citing the importance of managing the Iran conflict from Washington. The delay reflects Trump’s expectations about the duration of the Iran war.

The Dow rose 387 points, closing at 46,946; S&P increased 1% to 6,699; Nasdaq rose 1.2% to 22,374.

Foreign media PBS reports Trump said Iran is not ready for a deal, and once the war ends, oil prices will drop sharply like a rolling stone. He believes the war won’t last long. He also said Iran has extensive infrastructure in Tehran that could be destroyed in an hour, but doing so would require years of rebuilding and cause trauma, so he prefers to avoid it. He also mentioned not wanting to damage pipelines on Kharg Island, as destruction would take years to reconnect.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the U.S. does not mind some Iranian, Indian, and Chinese ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, considering Iran’s open attitude as natural, and hopes global oil supply remains ample. Any measures to ease oil prices depend on how long the Iran conflict continues.

Key stocks: Nvidia (NVDA) up 2.6%, closing at $184.93, with Huang Huang speaking at GTC. Data center company Nebius (NBIS) up 15.4%, announcing it will provide $12 billion of dedicated computing capacity for Meta (META) starting early 2027, with Meta also planning to buy up to $15 billion more. Meta up 1.9%.

This week, the U.S. releases February PPI on Tuesday, and the Fed’s rate decision is due Thursday early morning. Major central banks like ECB, BoE, and BoJ will also hold meetings. Micron (MU) reports earnings Wednesday after market close.

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Market trends:

【22:55】Trump: Once the war ends, oil prices will fall sharply; Dow up 393 points, oil down 1%.

【21:30】Yellen: U.S. does not oppose Chinese ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz; Dow up 369 points, oil down 1%.

【18:50】Middle East war enters third week; Dow futures up 152, Nasdaq futures up 0.7%. This week is a “super rate decision week.”

【13:47】Dow futures up 226 at 47,112; S&P futures up 39 at 6,724; Nasdaq futures up 147 or 0.6% at 24,753.

【12:59】【AI + Chips】Tesla to develop its own chips? Elon Musk announces launch of giant AI chip factory “Terafab.”

【12:06】【AI + Gemini】Gemini now available in Hong Kong! Google to expand Gemini to all Hong Kong users, starting with web version, mobile app later.

【11:07】【Xi-Trump Meeting】Trump: “Possibly delaying” meeting with Xi Jinping by about 5–6 weeks; “Both sides are rescheduling.”

【10:14】【Iran Crisis】IEA: Over 400 million barrels of emergency oil reserves soon to be released, prioritizing Asia; Europe and US wait until late March.

【19:28】【Gold Trend】Gold falls below $5,000 amid third week of Middle East war, oil prices continue rising.

【11:36】【Iran Crisis】U.S. Energy Secretary: Cannot guarantee oil prices will fall in weeks; after military strikes, will control the Strait.

【07:30】【Global Outlook】This week is a “super rate decision week”: Fed likely to keep rates unchanged Thursday.

【07:30】Middle East tensions intensify; US stocks declined last Friday, Dow rose slightly then fell 183 points, closing at 46,558; down 119 points overall, S&P down 0.61%, Nasdaq down 0.93%.

Watch US market close:

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