{"id":59904,"date":"2026-03-18T07:38:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T11:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-surge-as-iran-reports-energy-infrastructure-attacks-macys-beats-estimates-while-general-mills-misses\/59904\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T07:38:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T11:38:18","slug":"geopolitical-tensions-surge-as-iran-reports-energy-infrastructure-attacks-macys-beats-estimates-while-general-mills-misses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/geopolitical-tensions-surge-as-iran-reports-energy-infrastructure-attacks-macys-beats-estimates-while-general-mills-misses\/59904\/","title":{"rendered":"Geopolitical Tensions Surge as Iran Reports Energy Infrastructure Attacks; Macy&#8217;s Beats Estimates While General Mills Misses"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Iran reports attacks on the South Pars gas field and Asaluyeh oil facilities<\/strong>, marking a significant escalation in Middle East hostilities as missiles reportedly hit Tel Aviv.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Macy&#39;s (<a href=\"\/stock\/M\">M<\/a>) shares are in focus<\/strong> after the retailer beat Q4 earnings and revenue estimates, though it provided a cautious full-year EPS outlook.<\/li>\n<li><strong>General Mills (<a href=\"\/stock\/GIS\">GIS<\/a>) missed Q3 adjusted EPS expectations<\/strong> (64 cents vs. 74 cents estimated) as organic net sales fell 3%, reflecting a challenging consumer environment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>US Mortgage applications plunged 10.9%<\/strong> for the week ending March 13, as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate climbed to <strong>6.30%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Spot <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/metal\/gold-price.aspx\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"gold price today\">Gold prices<\/a> retreated over 1% to $4,952.01\/oz<\/strong>, pulling back from recent highs despite heightened geopolitical risks and an upcoming FOMC decision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Middle East Conflict Escalates<\/h2>\n<p>Geopolitical risks reached a fever pitch on Wednesday as <strong>Iran&#39;s state television reported attacks on critical energy infrastructure<\/strong>, including the <strong>South Pars gas field<\/strong> and oil facilities in <strong>Asaluyeh<\/strong>. These reports follow news of <strong>Iranian missiles striking Tel Aviv<\/strong> and the Iranian government\u2019s official rejection of ceasefire proposals.<\/p>\n<p>German Foreign Minister <strong>Wadephul<\/strong> commented on the situation, stating that Europe will play an &quot;important role&quot; in both the Iran and Ukraine conflicts. <em>Market participants are closely monitoring the potential for significant disruptions to global energy supplies<\/em>, as the South Pars field is one of the world&#39;s largest natural gas deposits.<\/p>\n<h2>Mixed Results for Retail and Consumer Staples<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Macy&#39;s (<a href=\"\/stock\/M\">M<\/a>)<\/strong> reported a strong end to its fiscal year, posting <strong>Q4 adjusted EPS of $1.67<\/strong>, surpassing the <strong>$1.54<\/strong> analyst estimate. Total revenue reached <strong>$7.92 billion<\/strong>, beating the expected <strong>$7.77 billion<\/strong>. Despite the beat, the retailer issued a conservative forecast for the year ahead, projecting <strong>Adj. EPS between $1.90 and $2.10<\/strong>, which sits below the consensus estimate of <strong>$2.21<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In contrast, <strong>General Mills (<a href=\"\/stock\/GIS\">GIS<\/a>)<\/strong> struggled in its third quarter, reporting <strong>adjusted EPS of 64 cents<\/strong>, missing the <strong>74-cent<\/strong> estimate. The company saw <strong>organic net sales decline by 3%<\/strong>, a steeper drop than the <strong>2.45%<\/strong> contraction anticipated by Wall Street. <em>The results suggest that higher pricing may finally be weighing on consumer volume demand in the packaged food sector.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Macroeconomic Data and Commodities<\/h2>\n<p>The US housing market showed signs of cooling as <strong>MBA Mortgage Applications plummeted 10.9%<\/strong> last week. This decline coincided with the <strong>30-year mortgage rate rising to 6.30%<\/strong> from the previous <strong>6.19%<\/strong>. Investors remain cautious and largely &quot;flat&quot; on the <strong>US Dollar Index (DXY)<\/strong> as they await the latest interest rate decision from the <strong>FOMC<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In the commodities complex, <strong>Spot Gold fell over 1% to $4,952.01\/oz<\/strong>. While gold remains at historically elevated levels, the intraday drop suggests some profit-taking or a shift in liquidity ahead of the Federal Reserve&#39;s policy announcement. Meanwhile, in Asia, <strong>BMW (<a href=\"\/stock\/BMW\">BMW<\/a>)<\/strong> signaled a strategic shift, with its sales chief stating the automaker <strong>will not participate in every price war<\/strong> currently impacting the Chinese electric vehicle market.<\/p>\n<h2>Asian Geopolitical Friction<\/h2>\n<p>Tensions in the South China Sea remain elevated as <strong>China&#39;s military accused a Philippine aircraft<\/strong> of &quot;illegally intruding&quot; into the territorial airspace over the <strong>Scarborough Shoal<\/strong>. Concurrently, Chinese President <strong>Xi Jinping<\/strong> emphasized a desire to expand energy cooperation with <strong>Turkmenistan<\/strong>, specifically focusing on the natural gas sector to bolster China&#39;s energy security amid global instability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Iran reports attacks on the South Pars gas field and Asaluyeh oil facilities, marking a significant escalation in 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