nasdaq today moved higher Monday as US stocks climbed while investors weighed surging oil prices, uncertainty tied to the Strait of Hormuz supply disruption, and the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting this week. The gains came as Wall Street tracked signs of easing around tanker traffic through the waterway while the Middle East conflict entered its third week. Markets also looked ahead to Wednesday’s expected decision, with officials widely anticipated to leave rates unchanged.
Nasdaq Today leads early gains as oil and geopolitics dominate the tape
In Monday trading, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose about 1% and was cited up 1. 1% at the start of the session, outpacing the other major indexes. The S& P 500 advanced about 0. 9%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added roughly 0. 8% after what was described as another shaky week for equities.
Investors kept their focus on the Strait of Hormuz, where several tankers successfully transited over the weekend. That development injected hope into markets that a key conduit for crude supply could reopen, even as the broader conflict remained a central risk factor for sentiment.
Oil prices spike above $100, then pull back, as inflation fears return
Oil’s sharp move set the tone for macro conversations on Monday. Futures for both West Texas Intermediate and Brent topped $100 a barrel in early trading, marking the first time since 2022 for that milestone, before pulling back. At last check Monday, US benchmark WTI traded around $95, down more than 3%, while Brent held above $102.
The market’s immediate concern is how the surge in energy prices could feed into inflation and alter expectations for interest rates. That issue is front and center as Federal Reserve officials gather for a two-day policy meeting this week.
Federal Reserve meeting in focus as traders look for Powell’s war-and-inflation read
With uncertainty around the fallout from the Iran war, investors are watching for any signal on how policymakers interpret the inflation risk from higher oil. Officials are expected to leave rates unchanged on Wednesday, but commentary will be closely scrutinized for how the conflict is shaping the outlook.
Markets are specifically looking for Chair Jerome Powell’s discussion of the war’s impact on inflation, with the broader question being whether elevated energy prices could influence the future path of interest rates.
Cross-asset moves: yields ease, dollar pulls back, stocks gap higher
Beyond equities, several indicators eased at once. Long-term Treasury yields backed off recent highs, and the dollar index pulled back after briefly moving above 100 late Friday for the first time since November. Meanwhile, WTI crude—after trading above $100 Sunday evening—slipped back into the mid-$90s.
Stock index exchange-traded funds tied to the major benchmarks were indicated to open with their biggest gap higher since Feb. 6 as multiple macro pressures eased simultaneously.
What’s next: Hormuz developments and Wednesday’s decision set the next test
Looking ahead, traders will remain fixated on whether shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continues to stabilize and whether there are further signs the supply disruption is easing. At the same time, the week’s central event risk is Wednesday’s Federal Reserve decision and the messaging around inflation, oil, and the conflict’s economic fallout.
For markets, the near-term direction may hinge on whether oil’s retreat holds and how policymakers frame the balance of risks—keeping nasdaq today and broader equities sensitive to every new signal from energy markets and the Fed.
