Traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) saw a subtle retreat in futures on Monday night, March 16, 2026, with S&P 500 futures dipping 0.1%. The Nasdaq 100 futures fell nearly 0.2%, while those linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 47 points, or 0.1%. These movements followed a light uptick in major averages during the regular trading session, buoyed by the easing of oil prices.
The S&P 500 rallied by 1% on Monday, recovering from its lowest close of the year recorded last week amid rising tensions surrounding the U.S.-Iran war. The Dow gained approximately 388 points, translating to a 0.8% rise, while the technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite saw an increase of 1.2%. Notably, every sector of the S&P finished higher, with technology stocks leading the charge. Shares of Nvidia surged about 1.7% after CEO Jensen Huang highlighted his expectation of $1 trillion in orders for Nvidia’s forthcoming Blackwell and Vera Rubin systems at the company’s annual GTC conference.
The decline in oil prices was a significant contributor to positive sentiment in U.S. equities. Brent crude fell approximately 2.8% to settle at $100.21 a barrel, with West Texas Intermediate crude dropping around 5.3% to $93.50 per barrel. This decrease followed a significant rise in oil prices since the onset of conflicts in the region, driven by concerns over potential disruptions in energy supplies due to a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz. While Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the U.S. is permitting Iranian oil tankers to navigate the key waterway, President Donald Trump mentioned on Monday that plans for a coalition to escort tankers through the strait are not yet finalized. Investors remain vigilant for further updates regarding the ongoing conflict.
Despite the recent market upswing, experts caution that risks to economic growth are increasing. Holly Mazzocca, president of Bartlett Wealth Management, underscored this sentiment on CNBC’s “Closing Bell,” stating, “We came into this year with a pretty strong foundation, but especially the labor market has weakened pretty significantly. The big question for investors right now is just being realistic that the overall risks to that continued growth story are higher today than they were just a few weeks ago.”
On the earnings front, investors are anticipating results from Lululemon, Docusign, and Oklo, set to be released on Tuesday. Additionally, all eyes are on the upcoming Federal Reserve interest rate decision, slated for Wednesday. Following concerns over inflation stemming from the Iran conflict, expectations for rate cuts appear to be diminishing, as projected by the CME Group’s FedWatch tool.
As the economic landscape evolves, market participants remain focused on navigating the interplay of global events, domestic labor trends, and corporate earnings, all of which will shape investment strategies in the days ahead.
Original Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/16/stock-market-today-live-updates.html
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Publish Date: 2026-03-17 07:19:00
