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Exchange-Traded Funds Edge Lower as US Equities Fall After Midday

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-- Broad Market Indicators

Broad-market exchange-traded fund IWM and IVV edged lower. Actively traded Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) eased 0.1%.

US equity indexes declined in midday trading Monday as deadlocked negotiations to end the Iran war and a resulting move higher in crude oil futures hit investor confidence.

Energy

IShares US Energy ETF (IYE) and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) each shed about 0.3%.

Technology

The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) was down 0.3%; iShares US Technology ETF (IYW) rose 0.1% and iShares Expanded Tech Sector ETF (IGM) lost about 0.3%.

The State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor (XSD) declined 3.7%, and iShares Semiconductor (SOXX) was down 1.9%.

Financial

The State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) added 0.7%. Direxion Daily Financial Bull 3X Shares (FAS) climbed 2%, and its bearish counterpart, Direxion Daily Financial Bear 3X Shares (FAZ), declined 2.1%.

Commodities

Crude oil rose 1.9%, and the United States Oil Fund (USO) gained 1.9%. Natural gas was up 2.7%, and the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) added 3.2%.

Gold on Comex slipped 1.1%, and the State Street SPDR Gold Shares (GLD) fell 0.9%. Silver declined 1.7%, and iShares Silver Trust (SLV) was down 1.1%.

Consumer

The State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) fell 0.7%. The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) shed 0.7%, and iShares Dow Jones US Consumer Goods (IYK) was 0.5% lower.

The State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) dipped 0.5%. VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) fell 0.4%, while the State Street SPDR S&P Retail (XRT) eased 0.2%.

Health Care

The State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) fell fractionally, iShares US Healthcare (IYH) shed 0.1%, and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) was marginally lower. IShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) fell 0.1%.

Industrial

The State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) slipped 0.2%. Vanguard Industrials Index Fund (VIS) and iShares US Industrials (IYJ) also dropped.

Cryptocurrency

In midday activity, bitcoin (BTC-USD) fell 2.1%. Among cryptocurrency ETFs, ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) dipped 1.4%, ProShares Ether ETF (EETH) lost 1.9%, and ProShares Bitcoin & Ether Market Cap Weight ETF (BETH) was down 1.5%.

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Booking (BKNG) is offering a compelling entry point for patient investors as focus shifts back to fundamentals amid geopolitical tensions, Oppenheimer said, with analysts highlighting attractive valuation and resilient travel demand supporting the outlook.The brokerage said in a Sunday note that shares have underperformed peers since the Iran conflict, reflecting higher Middle East exposure and Asia/Europe sensitivity to oil supply.Oppenheimer said airline commentary and third-party traffic checks suggest solid underlying demand, pointing to upside versus Q1 nights guidance of more than 7%. However, geopolitical tensions could still weigh on the outlook relative to underlying trends.Booking has also outperformed the S&P since OpenAI paused retail instant checkout, supporting the view that large travel platforms remain central in the evolving AI-driven travel ecosystem, according to the note.The company is scheduled to report its Q1 results Tuesday after market close.Oppenheimer maintained its outperform rating on the stock with a price target of $240.Price: $179.23, Change: $-1.05, Percent Change: -0.58%

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US Oil Update: Crude Gains 2% on Stalled US-Iran Talks, Hormuz Blockade

Crude oil futures climbed in midday trading on Monday as efforts to resume US-Iran peace talks appear to have stalled, with escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz keeping prices elevated.Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 2.31% to $96.58 per barrel, while Brent futures were up 3.28% to $108.85/bbl.Saxo Bank strategists said crude is set to grind higher as Hormuz remains effectively closed, extending disruptions across the Middle East and tightening the availability of critical commodities.On Monday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi reportedly said that Tehran was reviewing President Trump's request for negotiations. Araghchi also met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday to discuss the conflict as negotiations between the sides appear to have stalled.His visit follows a weekend of talks in Pakistan and Oman, which have both acted as mediators in the negotiations between Tehran and Washington.Putin reportedly told Araghchi that Russia would "do everything that serves your interests, the interests of all the people of the region, so that peace can be achieved as soon as possible"."Brent crude trades at a three-week high as efforts to revive peace talks have stalled, with an Iranian proposal reportedly calling for nuclear negotiations to be postponed to a later stage," Saxo Bank analysts said.Meanwhile, Trump canceled a planned trip by US peace envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Pakistan as the Iranian leadership reiterates that Tehran won't negotiate if it's being threatened. President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country won't enter "imposed negotiations under threats or blockade," according to media reports.ING strategists said the lack of progress means the market is tightening every day, requiring oil prices to reprice at higher levels, as there is little alternative to fill about 13 million b/d of the shortfall.The US-Israeli alliance and Iran have mostly observed a ceasefire since early April, but the double blockade of the Hormuz has ground vessel traffic through the strategic waterway to near zero."With US sanctions tightening and military interceptions continuing, markets remain highly sensitive to any signs of diplomatic progress or further escalation," Soojin Kim, research analyst at MUFG, said.Over the weekend, the US Central Command said its forces were continuing to implement the blockade, preventing vessels from entering or leaving Iranian waters. "American forces have directed 38 ships to turn around, or return to port," Centcom said in a post on X Sunday.