Market Updates Amid Rising Tensions
On February 13, 2026, traders were busy on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City. The mood was tense as they faced a challenging environment influenced by escalating tensions between Iran and the United States. As if that weren’t enough, Wall Street was also bracing for the upcoming announcement of significant corporate earnings and fresh inflation figures.
Stock futures remained relatively steady on Monday night. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dipped by 40 points, a slight decrease of 0.1%. The S&P 500 futures stayed just under the flatline, while the Nasdaq 100 futures exhibited similar behavior.
In regular trading earlier, major U.S. stock indexes experienced a downturn following President Donald Trump’s statement regarding the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian ships traversing the highly strategic Strait of Hormuz. “We are reinstating the Iran blockade, so named because it only blocks Iranian ships and customers from entering and exiting the country,” he wrote on Truth Social.
This announcement led to a sharp rise in oil prices and a notable decline in stock values. The S&P 500 dropped by 0.8%, and the Nasdaq Composite fell by 1.6%. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a decline of over 100 points, approximately 0.3%. Brent crude oil surged by over 9%, marking its largest one-day increase since 2020.
As trading opened in the Asia-Pacific region on Tuesday, stock markets there also dipped. The Nikkei Stock Average in Japan fell by 1.17%, with TOPIX down by 0.51%. In Korea, the Kospi decreased by 2.01%, and the smaller Kosdaq dropped by 1.8%. Meanwhile, Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index traded lower by 0.29%, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index futures lowering to 24,158, down from the previous close of 24,213.72.
Concerns grew as U.S. Treasury yields spiked, with investors anticipating that increasing oil prices could keep inflation elevated.
This market volatility coincides with the market’s focus on upcoming corporate earnings reports. Noteworthy companies such as JPMorgan Chase & Co., Goldman Sachs & Co., and Bank of America are expected to report prior to the market opening on Tuesday.
“Today stood out as somewhat unusual. Everything seemed to be down,” remarked Michael Graham, director of research and investment strategy at Canaccord Genuity, during an interview on CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime.”
Analysts are predicting a 23.6% increase in S&P 500 earnings for the second quarter compared to the previous year, as stated by FactSet.
Further, inflation data for June is slated for release on Tuesday, with the latest consumer price index expected at 8:30 a.m. ET. Additionally, Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh is set to engage with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, as part of a two-day “Humphrey Hawkins” briefing concerning monetary policy. This marks the first time the new Fed chief will present a semi-annual report from the central bank.
