U.S. stocks opened lower Thursday as renewed Middle East tensions pushed oil prices and Treasury yields higher, reviving concerns about inflation, borrowing costs and corporate profit margins ahead of high-level U.S.-China talks.
At the opening bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 95.8 points, or 0.19%, to 51,415.75. The S&P 500 declined 39.0 points, or 0.51%, to 7,666.99, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 201.5 points, or 0.75%, to 26,734.51.
In trading shortly after 10 a.m. ET, the Dow was down approximately 161 points, or 0.31%, at 51,350. The S&P 500 was down about 27 points, or 0.36%, at 7,679, and the Nasdaq was lower by roughly 150 points, or 0.56%, at 26,786. The figures show that the Dow weakened further after the opening, while the technology-heavy indexes recovered part of their initial losses.
The market’s immediate concern was energy. Brent crude rose about 2.4% to $105.52 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate gained approximately 2.3% to $94.32. The increase reflected renewed uncertainty surrounding Iran, regional shipping and the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil and liquefied-natural-gas supplies.
Higher oil affects businesses well beyond the energy industry. It raises fuel expenses for airlines, trucking companies and delivery services while increasing manufacturing and agricultural costs. If the increase persists, those expenses can eventually reach consumers through higher prices.
Treasury yields added another source of pressure. The benchmark 10-year yield traded near 5.09%, while the 30-year yield reached approximately 5.40%, around its highest level since 2004. Those rates raise the cost of mortgages, corporate loans and government financing while making highly valued technology shares less attractive relative to bonds.
Major Market Movers
Technology shares were mixed after their recent artificial-intelligence rally. Nvidia fell about 1.4% and Marvell Technology declined approximately 1.8%, reflecting profit-taking and concern that elevated interest rates could limit the valuations investors are willing to assign to future AI earnings.
Meta Platforms rose roughly 2.3%, bucking the broader weakness as investors continued assessing the potential revenue opportunity from the company’s Muse artificial-intelligence assistant and newly introduced Meta Charm handheld device. Wall Street’s optimism toward Muse has increased following strong early adoption, although longer-term revenue projections remain analysts’ estimates rather than confirmed company results. reuters.com
Oracle dropped about 4.5% after a developing report said the company issued a force-majeure notice involving a New Mexico data-center project. Oracle had not publicly confirmed every reported detail at filing time, making this a developing corporate story rather than a fully established operational disclosure.
MGM Resorts International plunged approximately 10.4% after Barry Diller’s People Inc. withdrew an acquisition proposal, removing a potential takeover premium from the casino operator’s shares.
Darden Restaurants fell about 2.8% after the Olive Garden parent reported fiscal first-quarter sales and profit below market expectations. The decline reflects concern about restaurant demand and operating costs as households face higher fuel and financing expenses.
Amazon, Tesla and Apple also traded modestly lower, adding pressure to the major indexes.
Morning Economic Recap
The morning’s reports presented a mixed picture: layoffs remained limited, but the United States’ international financing gap widened.
Initial applications for unemployment benefits decreased by 1,000 to a seasonally adjusted 197,000 during the week ended Sept. 19. The prior week was revised to 198,000. The four-week average fell to 202,250, while continuing claims increased by 2,000 to 1.719 million. The figures indicate that employers are still avoiding widespread layoffs despite high interest rates. dol.gov
Separately, the U.S. current-account deficit widened by $33.4 billion, or 15.7%, to $246.0 billion in the second quarter. The revised first-quarter deficit was $212.6 billion. The shortfall increased to 3.0% of gross domestic product from 2.7%, showing that the country’s combined trade and international-income gap expanded during the quarter. bea.gov
The labor figures were firm enough to reinforce expectations that the Federal Reserve can keep interest rates elevated. Markets were assigning an increased probability to another quarter-point rate increase in October, particularly as oil threatens to add to inflation.
Key Business and Policy News
Investors are awaiting talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trade, tariffs, artificial-intelligence regulation, Taiwan and Middle East security are expected to figure in the discussions. Any confirmed extension of the U.S.-China trade truce could help semiconductor companies, automakers, retailers and other businesses dependent on Chinese supply chains.
Federal Reserve commentary also remains important. New York Fed President John Williams indicated that another rate increase could be appropriate this year if inflation does not continue moving toward the central bank’s objective.
What to Watch
Oil is the clearest intraday risk. A sustained Brent move above $105 would increase pressure on transportation, consumer and manufacturing companies. Confirmed diplomatic progress involving Iran or the Strait of Hormuz could reverse part of the increase.
Treasury yields are the second test. If the 10-year yield holds above 5%, homebuilders, banks, commercial real estate and richly valued technology shares could remain under pressure.
Investors should also watch for confirmed announcements from the Trump-Xi talks, additional information from Oracle about its reported data-center disruption and whether Meta’s strength can help stabilize the broader AI sector. The market’s ability to recover from the opening decline will depend heavily on whether oil and yields stop climbing.
Verification: Index levels and changes were rechecked shortly after 10 a.m. ET on Sept. 24, 2026. Economic figures were verified against the U.S. Department of Labor and Bureau of Economic Analysis; market and corporate developments were cross-checked against Reuters reporting and live market data.
JBizNews Desk | Trenton, N.J.
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