US close: Stocks lower as Middle East tensions resurface
20th Apr 2026 21:50
(Sharecast News) - Major indices closed lower on Monday after tensions with Tehran escalated over the weekend following the seizure of an Iranian‑flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.01% at 49,442.86, while the S&P 500 shed 0.24% to 7,109.14 and the Nasdaq Composite saw out the session 0.26% weaker at 24,404.39.
The Dow closed just 4.87 points lower on Monday, doing little impact solid gains recorded in the previous session.
Stocks headed south at Monday's open after Donald Trump announced that American forces had fired on and taken control of the Iranian ship after Tehran declined to join another round of peace talks in Pakistan.
He said the vessel was under US Treasury sanctions "because of their prior history of illegal activity" and that authorities were assessing its cargo. Trump also warned that the US would target power plants and bridges in Iran if Tehran did not agree to a deal, with the current ceasefire between the two countries due to expire this week, and reiterated that the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place until Tehran agrees to Washington's demands.
Oil traded higher on the news, with West Texas Intermediate up 5.92% at $88.81 a barrel, while benchmark Brent crude was up 5.17% at $95.05 a barrel.
No major corporate earnings or data points were released on Monday.
Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com
Dow Jones - Risers
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $87.71 3.38%
Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $36.77 3.29%
Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $186.27 2.27%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $316.99 2.16%
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $941.74 1.71%
Apple Inc. (AAPL) $273.05 1.69%
Nike Inc. (NKE) $46.48 0.98%
Boeing Co. (BA) $225.08 0.76%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $798.40 0.47%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $350.99 0.46%
Dow Jones - Fallers
Intel Corp. (INTC) $65.70 -5.04%
3M Co. (MMM) $151.40 -2.04%
Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $144.49 -1.66%
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $117.10 -1.65%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $418.07 -1.54%
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $230.69 -1.49%
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $306.94 -1.42%
Visa Inc. (V) $313.94 -0.97%
Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $350.16 -0.64%
American Express Co. (AXP) $329.87 -0.55%
S&P 500 - Risers
Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) $100.35 15.94%
Bath & Body Works, Inc. (BBWI) $20.90 7.68%
Apache Corp. (APA) $35.97 6.67%
Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) $381.05 5.81%
Stanley Black & Decker Inc. (SWK) $75.12 5.30%
Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $107.25 5.27%
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) $27.81 5.18%
Diamondback Energy Inc. (FANG) $183.45 4.83%
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (JBHT) $251.60 4.83%
Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (ULTA) $572.24 4.52%
S&P 500 - Fallers
United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) $98.91 -6.36%
NRG Energy Inc. (NRG) $157.18 -6.29%
American Airlines Group (AAL) $12.24 -6.13%
Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX) $60.99 -5.04%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $65.70 -5.04%
Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $448.42 -4.42%
Alaska Air Group Inc. (ALK) $43.54 -4.10%
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NCLH) $20.26 -3.48%
McCormick & Co. (MKC) $52.85 -2.72%
Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL) $83.53 -2.66%
Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Sirius XM Holdings Inc (SIRI) $27.22 9.98%
Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) $381.05 5.81%
Dollar Tree Inc (DLTR) $107.25 5.27%
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (JBHT) $251.60 4.83%
Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (ULTA) $572.24 4.52%
eBay Inc. (EBAY) $107.13 4.07%
Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $244.69 3.92%
Biogen Inc (BIIB) $183.34 3.41%
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $87.71 3.38%
Expedia Group Inc. (EXPE) $273.24 3.36%
Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
Qvc Group Inc Series A (QVCGA) $0.53 -17.67%
American Airlines Group (AAL) $12.24 -6.13%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $65.70 -5.04%
Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $448.42 -4.42%
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) $135.87 -2.30%
Amazon.Com Inc. (AMZN) $248.28 -2.19%
Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) $391.62 -1.75%
Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $539.75 -1.67%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $418.07 -1.54%
Lam Research Corp. (LRCX) $263.16 -1.54%