(Updates with index/price moves, macroeconomic data and company/geopolitical news from the first paragraph.)
US equity indexes were mixed as a retreat in crude oil and government bond yields accompanied an all-sector rally midday Friday.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.5% to 51,970.5, and the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 7,434.8. The Nasdaq Composite was 0.1% lower at 25,112.3. Real estate, materials, and communication services topped the gainers.
The front-month US West Texas Intermediate dropped 3.6% to $88.89 a barrel, and global benchmark North Sea Brent slumped 4.3% to $96.34 a barrel.
The retreat has come as a relief from a surge Thursday when the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels attacked two Saudi Arabian tankers in the Red Sea chokepoint. Separately, President Donald Trump warned of a "massive attack" to continue degrading Iran's ability to attack maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. The US Central Command said it completed the 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran Thursday evening, in line with that strategic goal as well as returning Iran to negotiations in a meaningful way.
The latest jump in oil prices is likely to be short-lived, a Dow Jones news report cited a Julius Baer note, referring to Brent crude surpassing the $100 mark Thursday for the first time since the US-Iran ceasefire agreement in June. Despite fresh attacks on tankers in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, the renewed fighting appears to reflect efforts by the parties to strengthen their bargaining positions ahead of another round of negotiations, the news report cited the note.
Recent data showed China's oil imports during H1 slumped 11% year-on-year to 9.9 million barrels per day, according to a report from the Middle East Economic Survey. Imports from the Middle East sank by 37% to 3 million bpd, the lowest level since 2007, MEES said.
Most US Treasury yields fell as a decline in crude oil helped keep a lid on inflation worries. The 10-year declined 3.8 basis points to 4.67%, retreating from its highest seen in a year on Thursday. The two-year declined 4.2 basis points to 4.32%, after yields hit fresh 52-week highs twice this week.
In precious metal markets, gold futures edged up 0.5% to $4,069.2, and silver futures jumped 1.5% to $58.92.
In company news, Digital Realty Trust (DLR) reported Q2 core funds from operations and operating revenue above market expectations late Thursday, and the company also raised its 2026 core FFO and sales guidance. Shares of the firm climbed nearly 14%, the top gainer on the S&P 500.
American Express (AXP) Q2 earnings topped market estimates, while revenue missed expectations. Shares dropped 5.3%, the steepest decliner on the Dow.
In economic news, the July flash reading of manufacturing conditions from S&P Global slipped to 53.8 from 53.9 in June, compared with the 54.4 print expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.
New-home sales rose to a 628,000 annual rate in June from an upwardly revised 618,000 rate in May, compared with the 607,000 rate expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. Home sales were still down 5.6% from a year ago.