US open: Stocks mixed amid lingering geopolitical concerns over Hormuz

11th Aug 2026 14:56

(Sharecast News) - Wall Street trading got off to a mixed start on Tuesday as investors weighed signs of progress toward reopening the Strait of Hormuz against lingering doubts over whether Washington and Tehran can reach a broader settlement.

As of 1510 BST, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.38% at 54,179.94, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.12% to 7,762.31 and the Nasdaq Composite came out of the gate 0.12% softer at 26,574.20.

The Dow opened 203.96 points higher on Tuesday, more than reversing losses recorded in the previous session as optimism over a potential US‑Iran agreement to re-open the Strait of Hormuz faded.

Middle East news was still in focus at the open on Tuesday after Iran said it was close to agreeing a deal with Oman to reopen the key waterway, but has continued to rule out direct talks with the US until several conditions have been met.

Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated at the weekend that there was "no possibility of restarting negotiations" while the US continued to violate the pair's June memorandum of understanding and failed to compensate Iran for those breaches, according to the semi‑official Tasnim News Agency.

On the macro front, the National Federation of Independent Business' small business optimism index rose to 99.8 in July, its strongest reading since last August, up from 97.4 in June and ahead of expectations. Eight of the index's ten components improved, with hiring plans showing the biggest gain. Real sales expectations and reports of inventories being "too low" both slipped by two points. However, the uncertainty index increased two points to 91, remaining well above its long‑run average of 68, driven by more owners expressing doubt over whether it is a good time to expand and uncertainty around capital‑expenditure plans.

Elsewhere, US existing‑home sales dipped in July, with the National Association of Realtors reporting a 1.7% month‑on‑month decline, though activity was 0.7% higher than a year earlier at an annualised 4.06m units. Total inventory stood at 1.54m homes, down 1.9% from June and 0.6% from July 2025, leaving supply unchanged at 4.6 months, while the median existing‑home price rose 2% year‑on‑year to $434,100, marking the 37th consecutive month of annual price gains. The housing affordability index improved to 103.3, up from 98.3 a year earlier, with affordability rising across all regions.

In the corporate space, information technology firm Super Micro Computers and tax services business H&R Block will both report their latest quarterly earnings after the close.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com

Dow Jones - Risers

Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $419.87 3.15%

Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $857.50 2.94%

Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) $31.13 2.19%

Home Depot Inc. (HD) $356.27 1.45%

Boeing Co. (BA) $235.29 1.27%

Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $132.33 1.21%

American Express Co. (AXP) $343.53 1.16%

3M Co. (MMM) $184.04 1.14%

JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $362.61 0.80%

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $1,042.81 0.70%

Dow Jones - Fallers

Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $120.99 -1.94%

Nike Inc. (NKE) $41.32 -1.78%

Intel Corp. (INTC) $96.58 -1.39%

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $501.28 -1.08%

Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) $144.81 -0.91%

Unitedhealth Group Inc. (UNH) $406.82 -0.35%

Salesforce.Com Inc. (CRM) $198.52 -0.28%

McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $273.59 -0.17%

Visa Inc. (V) $362.71 -0.02%

Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $376.51 -0.02%

S&P 500 - Risers

Cardinal Health Inc. (CAH) $248.11 5.62%

Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc. (FBIN) $50.33 5.17%

Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) $399.39 4.72%

Tractor Supply Company (TSCO) $35.56 4.27%

Celanese Corp. (CE) $45.87 4.00%

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $808.48 3.82%

Diamondback Energy Inc. (FANG) $199.08 3.56%

Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM) $118.83 3.50%

Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $436.69 3.49%

Apache Corp. (APA) $40.38 3.49%

S&P 500 - Fallers

Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $45.46 -49.83%

Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) $32.56 -8.62%

Under Armour Inc. Class A (UAA) $5.42 -6.65%

Under Armour, Inc. (UA) $5.30 -5.74%

Cadence Design Systems Inc. (CDNS) $324.06 -3.96%

Ventas Inc. (VTR) $88.43 -3.92%

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) $53.10 -3.42%

Synopsys Inc. (SNPS) $404.73 -3.33%

Oracle Corp. (ORCL) $145.25 -3.28%

DENTSPLY Sirona Inc. (XRAY) $11.82 -3.19%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers

Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) $70.35 9.64%

Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) $399.39 4.72%

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $808.48 3.82%

Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $436.69 3.49%

Hasbro Inc (HAS) $96.59 3.48%

Netflix Inc. (NFLX) $76.73 3.43%

Amgen Inc. (AMGN) $419.51 3.15%

Mercadolibre Inc. (MELI) $1,892.90 3.06%

Intuit Inc. (INTU) $335.27 2.42%

Idexx Laboratories Inc. (IDXX) $596.09 2.39%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers

Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $45.46 -49.83%

Qvc Group Inc Series A (QVCGA) $0.34 -13.49%

Cadence Design Systems Inc. (CDNS) $324.06 -3.96%

JD.com, Inc. (JD) $31.76 -3.73%

Synopsys Inc. (SNPS) $404.73 -3.33%

DENTSPLY Sirona Inc. (XRAY) $11.82 -3.19%

Verisk Analytics Inc. (VRSK) $179.57 -2.91%

eBay Inc. (EBAY) $106.39 -2.87%

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX) $529.39 -2.62%

QUALCOMM Inc. (QCOM) $163.01 -2.62%