US open: Stocks lower after US seizes Iranian vessel
20th Apr 2026 14:25
(Sharecast News) - Major indices were in the red early on Monday after tensions with Tehran escalated over the weekend following the seizure of an Iranian‑flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Oman.
As of 1445 BST, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.03% at 49,431.11, while the S&P 500 shed 0.26% to 7,107.52 and the Nasdaq Composite came out of the gate 0.46% weaker at 24,356.76.
The Dow opened 16.32 points lower on Monday, taking only a modest bite out of 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 4.75% at $87.83 a barrel, while benchmark Brent crude was up 3.98% at $93.98 a barrel.
In the corporate space, Alaska Air will report earnings after the close.
No major data points were scheduled for release on Monday.
Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com
Dow Jones - Risers
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $86.25 4.86%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $68.50 4.13%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $349.40 3.63%
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $119.07 3.13%
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $925.95 2.88%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $794.65 2.85%
Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $146.93 2.67%
3M Co. (MMM) $154.55 2.66%
Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $324.63 2.60%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $106.29 2.28%
Dow Jones - Fallers
Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $35.60 -10.82%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $183.99 -2.19%
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $46.55 -0.49%
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $234.18 -0.15%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $310.29 0.11%
Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $182.14 0.51%
Visa Inc. (V) $317.02 0.61%
S&P 500 - Risers
Alaska Air Group Inc. (ALK) $45.40 10.33%
Leggett & Platt Inc. (LEG) $12.03 7.80%
Flowserve Corp. (FLS) $83.82 7.70%
Bath & Body Works, Inc. (BBWI) $19.41 7.59%
CH Robinson Worldwide Inc (CHRW) $182.24 7.48%
Royal Caribbean Cr (RCL) $285.48 7.34%
Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $236.62 7.29%
Bread Financial Holdings, Inc. (BFH) $90.58 7.17%
Carnival Corp. (CCL) $29.22 6.99%
United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) $101.80 6.99%
S&P 500 - Fallers
LyondellBasell Industries (LYB) $66.27 -11.98%
Netflix Inc. (NFLX) $97.31 -9.80%
CF Industries Holdings Inc. (CF) $112.68 -9.65%
Celanese Corp. (CE) $62.03 -9.23%
Albemarle Corp. (ALB) $197.75 -8.29%
Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) $223.65 -7.48%
Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) $213.69 -5.55%
Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY) $53.79 -5.42%
HF Sinclair Corporation (DINO) $57.15 -4.92%
ConocoPhillips (COP) $116.04 -4.55%
Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR) $236.62 7.29%
Seagate Technology Plc (STX) $547.75 6.98%
Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) $371.45 6.83%
Microchip Technology Inc. (MCHP) $78.76 6.00%
Texas Instruments Inc (TXN) $229.82 5.74%
Sirius XM Holdings Inc (SIRI) $25.48 5.03%
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $86.25 4.86%
KLA-Tencor Corp. (KLAC) $1,791.44 4.67%
DENTSPLY Sirona Inc. (XRAY) $12.51 4.42%
eBay Inc. (EBAY) $104.65 4.37%
Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
Qvc Group Inc Series A (QVCGA) $0.64 -35.07%
Netflix Inc. (NFLX) $97.31 -9.80%
Workday, Inc. (WDAY) $123.83 -3.78%
Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) $244.45 -2.93%
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) $212.04 -1.69%
Intuit Inc. (INTU) $393.25 -1.55%
Biogen Inc (BIIB) $177.35 -1.12%
Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) $54.64 -1.09%
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (CHKP) $136.43 -1.03%
Mercadolibre Inc. (MELI) $1,855.83 -0.87%