Escalating Geopolitical Tensions in the Middle East Increase Market Volatility

Escalating geopolitical tension in the Middle East, with Iran claiming that two missiles have struck a U.S. naval ship and President Trump refusing to acknowledge that a ceasefire is holding, has re-introduced heightened volatility in risk assets to start the week.   All major indices were down in Monday's trade with Energy being the only S&P 500 sector to end the day in positive territory as WTI Crude Oil jumping above $107 a barrel.   Materials and Industrials were the worst-performing sectors, with investors also having sold U.S. Treasuries amid ongoing concerns of higher energy costs feeding into elevated inflation - the yield on the 10-year was above 4.4% and that of the 30-year exceeded the 5% mark.Unlike last week, where strong results and constructive earnings call commentary from mega-cap tech revived positive sentiment afterhours, Monday's evening session is more subdued, with S&P E-Mini's flat and Nasdaq 100 contract down a decimal. In precious metals, the second consecutive session of gains in the US Dollar has pressured gold and silver below $4,530 and $74 per ounce respectively.  WTI Oil is off the highs but still above $105 per barrel.Check out this evening's top movers from around Wall Street, compiled by The Fly.HIGHER AFTER EARNINGS -Backblazeup 45.3%Sterling Infrastructureup 21.3%EverQuoteup 17.0%Pinterestup 15.2%V2X, Inc.up 12.6%Sonosup 5.5%Grab Holdingsup 2.2%Paramount Skydanceup 1.8%ALSO HIGHER -Fidelity National Informationup 6.0% after announcing  Agentic AI partnership with AnthropicDOWN AFTER EARNINGS -GeneDx Holdingsdown 38.6%Ichor Holdingsdown 13.8%Duolingodown 12.7%Fabrinetdown 10.8%Advanced Energy Industriesdown 8.5%On Semidown 4.2%Palantirdown 3.0%Vertex Pharmaceuticalsdown 1.1%ALSO LOWER -Viatrisdown 4.6% after disclosing CFO transition