Markets Edge Higher as Trump's 'Power Plant Day' Deadline Looms Over Iran
MarketDash
U.S. stock futures ticked up Tuesday amid geopolitical tensions, with UnitedHealth surging on Medicare news and Silo Pharma rocketing on a patent update.
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U.S. stocks were looking to extend Monday's gains on Tuesday, with futures for the major indices ticking higher in premarket trading. The modest optimism came as investors kept one eye on a looming geopolitical deadline: President Donald Trump's ultimatum to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its energy and civilian infrastructure.
It's the kind of market backdrop where you get a little bit of everything—geopolitical drama, earnings anticipation, and some wild individual stock moves. Over the weekend, Trump had set the stage on Truth Social, declaring, "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Strait, you crazy **, or you'll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!" So, you know, a typical Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Iran has reportedly submitted a 10-point response to U.S. peace proposals, which a U.S. official described as "maximalist," according to the Iranian state news agency IRNA. So the diplomatic wires are buzzing, even if the market's initial reaction was relatively muted.
In the bond market, the 10-year Treasury yield was at 4.33%, with the two-year at 3.85%. Traders are overwhelmingly betting the Federal Reserve will stand pat at its April meeting, with the CME's FedWatch tool showing a 99.5% probability of rates staying unchanged. Here's how the major indices were shaping up early Tuesday:
Index
Performance (+/-)
Dow Jones
0.17%
S&P 500
0.08%
Nasdaq 100
0.04%
Russell 2000
0.05%
The ETFs tracking the broad market were mixed in premarket action. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) was down a hair, 0.053%, at $659.28, while the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ), which follows the Nasdaq 100, advanced 0.041% to $588.74.
Stocks Making Moves
UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) was a standout, jumping 6.86% after the Trump administration finalized a Medicare Advantage payment rate that came in better than feared, at an increase of 2.48%. That was a clear boost for the health insurance giant.
Market data indicates that UNH maintains a weak price trend across the short, medium, and long terms, with a poor growth score.
Silo Pharma
Silo Pharma Inc. (SILO) absolutely rocketed, surging 45.31% after a key intellectual property update. The company said the European Patent Office signaled its intent to grant a patent covering a novel preventative therapy targeting the serotonin 4 (5-HT4) receptor pathway, which is tied to its PTSD treatment pipeline.
Market data indicates that SILO maintains a weak trend in the long, short, and medium terms.
Phillips 66
Phillips 66 (PSX) was down 0.75%. The move came after a Reuters report indicated the refiner faces a potential $900 million loss amid the Iran conflict, which has been lifting oil prices.
Market data indicates that PSX maintains a strong price trend in the long, short, and medium terms, with a solid value score.
Levi Strauss
Levi Strauss & Co. (LEVI) edged up 0.25% ahead of its quarterly earnings report after the closing bell. Wall Street expects the denim maker to report earnings of 37 cents per share on revenue of $1.65 billion.
Market data indicates that LEVI maintains a weak price trend over the long, short, and medium terms, with a good quality score.
Mach Natural Resources
Mach Natural Resources LP (MNR) fell 1.41% after pricing its secondary public offering of 9 million common units at $13.05 per unit.
Market data indicates that MNR maintains a strong price trend in the short, medium, and long terms, with a solid value score.
Monday's Market Recap
Looking back at Monday's session, consumer discretionary, energy, and consumer staples stocks led the gains as most S&P 500 sectors finished in positive territory. On the flip side, health care and utilities shares bucked the broader rally, ending the day in the red.
Index
Performance (+/-)
Value
Dow Jones
0.36%
46,669.88
S&P 500
0.44%
6,611.83
Nasdaq Composite
0.54%
21,996.34
Russell 2000
0.42%
2,540.64
What the Analysts Are Saying
Despite the geopolitical noise, LPL Financial is maintaining a generally optimistic outlook for both the U.S. stock market and the economy. The firm points out that recent market pullbacks are normal and emphasizes that "history shows stocks often recover quickly from wars and other military engagements."
Because of that, LPL Financial is sticking with its view that the broad equity market will finish 2026 higher. They're currently projecting a year-end fair value target range for the S&P 500 between 7,300 and 7,400.
A big part of that optimism is rooted in corporate profits. The firm notes that "fundamentals support double-digit growth in S&P 500 EPS in 2026," which should help cushion the economic impact of higher oil prices and rising interest rates.
On the energy front, LPL expects oil prices to fall if the Strait of Hormuz reopens, though they warn "the price floor is likely higher than February levels in the $50s."
For now, the advice is to stay measured. LPL Financial suggests that "the best course of action for investors is to be patient and wait for a better entry point to add equity risk."
Economic Calendar for Tuesday
Here's what's on the docket for investors to watch today:
February's durable-goods orders and durable-goods minus transportation data will be out by 8:30 a.m. ET.
Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee will speak at 12:35 p.m., February's consumer credit data will be released by 3:00 p.m., and Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson will speak at 5:50 p.m. ET.
Commodities, Crypto, and Global Markets
Crude oil futures were trading lower in early New York action, down 0.91% to hover around $113.43 per barrel.
Gold was on the rise, with the spot price in U.S. dollars up 0.68% to around $4,682.01 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $5,595.46 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was 0.09% lower at the 99.8940 level.
In crypto, Bitcoin was trading 0.62% lower at $68,772.64 per coin over the last 24 hours.
Asian markets closed mixed on Tuesday. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell, China's CSI 300 was flat, while Australia's ASX 200, India's Nifty 50, South Korea's Kospi, and Japan's Nikkei 225 all rose. European markets were mostly higher in early trade.
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