Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
Stock futures are down Friday morning in the wake of escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell roughly 1.24% while S&P 500 futures sank 1.21% and Nasdaq 100 futures shed 1.48%. Brent crude futures and West Texas Intermediate crude futures, meanwhile, both surged more than 8% amid questions about the global oil supply. Treasury yields also rose and the dollar gained. Gold, a typical safe haven for investors, rallied more than 1%. Follow live market updates.
Israel carried out airstrikes against Iran Friday morning local time, killing Iran’s most senior military official as well as the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Iranian state media. Israel said the attacks targeted locations that were related to the country’s nuclear program. Iranian media reported multiple fatalities in the capital city of Tehran. Iran launched 100 drones toward Israel in retaliation, and global markets reeled from the rising conflict.
Air India confirmed that a crash of one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets killed 241 of the 242 people on board. It was the first fatal crash of the popular wide-body planes that are often used on long-haul flights. It could be months before investigators determine a cause of the crash, which could involve any of a variety of factors such as mechanical issues, wildlife or pilot error. “We understand people are eager for information, and please know that we will continue to share accurate and timely information as soon as we can,” Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said.
