{"id":59460,"date":"2026-03-05T18:38:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T22:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/oil-surges-and-stocks-retreat-as-us-iran-conflict-escalates-hegseth-warns-of-decisive-phase\/59460\/"},"modified":"2026-03-05T18:38:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T22:38:17","slug":"oil-surges-and-stocks-retreat-as-us-iran-conflict-escalates-hegseth-warns-of-decisive-phase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/oil-surges-and-stocks-retreat-as-us-iran-conflict-escalates-hegseth-warns-of-decisive-phase\/59460\/","title":{"rendered":"Oil Surges and Stocks Retreat as US-Iran Conflict Escalates; Hegseth Warns of &#8216;Decisive&#8217; Phase"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Global markets reacted sharply to the widening US-Iran conflict, with Brent crude surging toward $85 and WTI climbing above $80 as military operations enter a more aggressive phase.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>U.S. CENTCOM confirmed the destruction of over 30 Iranian assets and a 90% reduction in Iranian ballistic missile capacity following strikes on space and missile production facilities.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly rejected a resolution to halt strikes (219-212), providing legislative backing for Secretary of War Hegseth\u2019s &quot;decisive&quot; military timeline.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>In the tech sector, Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) ally CoreWeave is reportedly in talks to raise $1 billion at a $7.5 billion valuation, signaling resilient demand for AI infrastructure despite broader market volatility.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>U.S. Treasury yields neared 4.14% as inflation fears intensified, pressuring technology shares and broader equity indices.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Military Escalation and Political Resolve<\/h2>\n<p>The conflict between the United States and Iran reached a new flashpoint on Thursday as <strong>U.S. Secretary of War Hegseth<\/strong> declared that the military has &quot;only just begun to fight&quot; and will do so &quot;decisively.&quot; Hegseth emphasized that the timeline for the conflict is determined solely by the U.S. and reassured markets that <strong>U.S. munitions stockpiles remain full<\/strong>, dismissing any notion that the military cannot sustain a prolonged engagement.<\/p>\n<p>On the ground, <strong>U.S. CENTCOM<\/strong> reported significant tactical successes, including the sinking of over 30 Iranian vessels and a successful strike against an Iranian &quot;space command&quot; facility. <em>Military officials noted that Iranian ballistic missile attacks have plummeted by approximately 90% since the onset of operations.<\/em> Despite <strong>Donald <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a>\u2019s<\/strong> recent comments regarding a voice in selecting Iran\u2019s next leader, Hegseth clarified that the U.S. is not currently expanding its military goals toward regime change.<\/p>\n<p>Domestically, the Biden administration received a critical boost as the <strong>House of Representatives voted 219 to 212<\/strong> to reject a resolution that would have forced a halt to strikes on Iran. This political alignment comes as <strong>Iran\u2019s IRGC<\/strong> reportedly launched a new round of <strong>Khaibar missile<\/strong> and drone attacks targeting Tel Aviv, further destabilizing the region.<\/p>\n<h2>Market Turmoil: Oil Spikes and Equities Slump<\/h2>\n<p>Financial markets are reeling from the geopolitical instability, with <strong>energy prices surging<\/strong> as traders price in potential supply disruptions. <strong>Brent crude<\/strong> is currently trading near <strong>$85 per barrel<\/strong>, while <strong>WTI<\/strong> has cleared the <strong>$80<\/strong> threshold. <em>The spike in energy costs has reignited inflation concerns, contributing to a sell-off in the bond market.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>U.S. Treasury yields<\/strong> climbed toward <strong>4.14%<\/strong>, a move that historically pressures high-growth sectors. Consequently, major stock indices fell, with <strong>technology shares<\/strong> bearing the brunt of the decline. Investors are increasingly moving toward defensive postures as the risk of a broader regional war involving Israel and Iran looms over global trade routes.<\/p>\n<h2>Trade Policy and Tech Sector Resilience<\/h2>\n<p>Amidst the conflict, there are signs of shifting trade dynamics. The <strong>EU Commissioner for Trade<\/strong> expressed optimism that the U.S. will lower new import surcharges for the European Union, citing recent reassurances from American officials. Simultaneously, <strong>Canada and the EU<\/strong> have agreed to modernize their existing economic and trade agreements to strengthen Western economic ties.<\/p>\n<p>In the technology sector, <strong>CoreWeave<\/strong>, a key partner of <strong>Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>)<\/strong>, is reportedly in discussions to raise <strong>$1 billion<\/strong> in new funding. The deal would value the cloud provider at <strong>$7.5 billion<\/strong>, according to <em>The Information<\/em>. This underscores a bifurcated market where AI-related infrastructure continues to attract massive capital even as <strong>Chinese auto imports<\/strong> are labeled &quot;high risk&quot; by the <strong>U.S. China Panel<\/strong>, led by Chair Moolenaar.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, <strong>OpenAI<\/strong> announced the launch of a new adoption information channel. This move is intended to streamline resources and news for its growing user base, even as the tech industry navigates a complex macro environment defined by war and shifting trade barriers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Global markets reacted sharply to the widening US-Iran conflict, with Brent crude surging toward $85 and WTI climbing 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