{"id":61430,"date":"2026-04-29T23:38:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T03:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/oil-prices-spike-as-u-s-weighs-military-action-in-iran-tech-ratings-diverge\/61430\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T23:38:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T03:38:16","slug":"oil-prices-spike-as-u-s-weighs-military-action-in-iran-tech-ratings-diverge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/oil-prices-spike-as-u-s-weighs-military-action-in-iran-tech-ratings-diverge\/61430\/","title":{"rendered":"Oil Prices Spike as U.S. Weighs Military Action in Iran; Tech Ratings Diverge"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Brent crude surged over $3 to $121.64<\/strong> following reports that the U.S. military is considering intervention in the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> amid the outbreak of war with Iran.<\/li>\n<li><strong>U.S. Crude Futures jumped to $109.64<\/strong>, hitting highs not seen since early April, as geopolitical instability threatens global energy supplies.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scotiabank adjusted major tech targets<\/strong>, lifting Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>) to <strong>$325<\/strong> while lowering Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>) to <strong>$550<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The U.S. Dollar Index rose to 98.990<\/strong>, gaining <strong>0.13%<\/strong> as investors sought safe-haven assets amid escalating Middle East tensions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China\u2019s State Planner allocated 91.5 billion yuan<\/strong> in special treasury bonds specifically for industrial equipment upgrades.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Geopolitical Tensions Drive Energy Markets<\/h2>\n<p>Global energy markets are in a state of high volatility following the outbreak of war in Iran. <strong>Brent crude<\/strong> rose significantly to <strong>$121.64<\/strong>, while <strong>U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI)<\/strong> futures climbed over <strong>$2<\/strong> to reach <strong>$109.64<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Reports indicate that the <strong>U.S. Army<\/strong> is considering taking control of sections of the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>. This move aims to restore safe passage for global shipping as military options are presented to the Trump administration.<\/p>\n<p>In a shift in global trade, the <strong>United States<\/strong> has become the largest exporter of naphtha to <strong>South Korea<\/strong>. This transition follows the disruption of traditional supply lines due to the conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<h2>Analyst Adjustments in the Tech Sector<\/h2>\n<p>Wall Street analysts are recalibrating expectations for major technology firms. <strong>Scotiabank<\/strong> raised its price target for Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>) from <strong>$275 to $325<\/strong>, signaling confidence in the e-commerce giant\u2019s growth trajectory.<\/p>\n<p>Conversely, <strong>Scotiabank<\/strong> lowered its outlook for Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>), cutting the price target from <strong>$600 down to $550<\/strong>. In the semiconductor space, <strong>Susquehanna<\/strong> showed optimism for KLA Corp (<a href=\"\/stock\/KLAC\">KLAC<\/a>), lifting its target price to <strong>$1,700<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Financial services also saw revisions, with <strong>JPMorgan<\/strong> lowering its target for FICO (<a href=\"\/stock\/FICO\">FICO<\/a>) to <strong>$1,225<\/strong>. Despite these mixed signals, <strong>Seoul shares<\/strong> traded higher late Thursday morning, supported by robust regional tech earnings.<\/p>\n<h2>Currency and Macroeconomic Developments<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>U.S. Dollar Index<\/strong> climbed <strong>0.13%<\/strong> to <strong>98.990<\/strong>, reflecting a flight to quality. The <strong>Euro (EUR)<\/strong> felt the pressure of the strengthening greenback, dropping <strong>0.1%<\/strong> to trade at <strong>$1.1663<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In the U.S., the <strong>House of Representatives<\/strong> is advancing a Republican-led plan to enable a <strong>$70 billion bill<\/strong>. These funds are earmarked for <strong>ICE<\/strong> and other border security agencies as domestic policy remains a high priority.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, <strong>China<\/strong> continues its fiscal stimulus efforts to support domestic industry. The state planner announced the second batch of special treasury bonds, worth <strong>91.5 billion yuan<\/strong>, dedicated to large-scale equipment upgrades.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Brent crude surged over $3 to $121.64 following reports that the U.S. military is considering intervention in the 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