-- US equity indexes fell while crude oil futures jumped amid reports of strikes in the Strait of Hormuz and the United Arab Emirates on Monday, fueling concern that the Iran ceasefire could fall apart.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.1% to 48,941.90, with the S&P 500 down 0.4% to 7,200.75 and the Nasdaq Composite lower by 0.2% to 25,067.80 at the close. All sectors except energy retreated, with materials and industrials leading the decliners.
The US and Iran exchanged fire in the Persian Gulf in a flareup of violence on Monday that also drew in the UAE, prompting calls for renewed strikes on Iranian targets, Bloomberg reported. The US military fought off attacks from Iranian drones, missiles, and armed small boats as it facilitated the passage of two US-flagged vessels through the Hormuz, US Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper was cited as telling reporters in a briefing on Monday.
President Donald Trump warned Iran will be "blown off the face of the earth" if it targets US ships that are protecting commercial vessels transiting the crucial waterway, CNBC cited Trump's interview on Fox News.
US envoy to the United Nations Mike Waltz told reporters Monday that the US will co-draft a Security Council resolution with Bahrain and its Gulf allies that would "hold Iran to account" for its months-long chokehold over crude oil transit in Hormuz, according to a report from Associated Press.
West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures jumped 2.9% to $104.89, and Brent crude futures surged 5% to $113.60.
Most US Treasury yields rose, with the 10-year up 5.4 basis points to 4.43%, the highest in more than a month on an intraday basis. Two-year yield jumped six basis points to 3.95%.
In precious metals, gold futures dropped 2.6% to $4,525.1, and silver futures slumped 4.3% to $73.13.
In economic news, new orders for US factory goods rose by 1.5% in March, above expectations for a 0.6% gain in a Bloomberg-compiled survey, following a revised 0.3% increase in February. Excluding a 0.8% rebound in transportation orders, new orders would have been up 1.6%, above a 1.3% gain expected and the same as in February.
In company news, Video game retailer GameStop (GME) proposed acquiring eBay (EBAY) in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $55.5 billion. Shares of eBay jumped 5.1%, among the top gainers on the S&P 500.
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) lowered its full-year earnings outlook amid higher fuel costs and weak consumer demand due to the war in the Middle East. The cruise operator's first-quarter revenue also fell short of market expectations. Its shares slumped 8.6%, among the steepest decliners in the S&P 500.
United Parcel Service (UPS) maintained its 2026 sales outlook while flagging a potential demand impact from the Middle East conflict. Shares of the package delivery giant sank 10%, the worst performer on the S&P 500.