【US Stock Market Opening】Brent Crude Oil Once Fell 5% Below $100 Mark, Dow Jones Up 580 Points (Continuously Updated)

Iran reiterates that non-hostile ships can pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz after coordination. Marine Traffic data shows that from Monday (23rd) to now, nine ships have passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The news caused oil prices to retreat, with NYMEX May crude falling 4.8% to $87.92, and Brent May crude dropping 5.1% to $99.14.

Iran’s war negotiations are “warming up,” and U.S. stocks rose at the open on Wednesday, with the Dow up 580 points, at 46,704; the S&P 500 up 70 points, at 6,627; and the Nasdaq up 271 points, or 1.3%, at 220,333. NY gold rose 3.5% to $4,588, and spot gold increased 1.8% to $4,556.

In focus stocks, Tesla released an official video of Optimus and revealed details about the robot, including the development environment, reduction gearboxes, and dexterous hands. Tesla Optimus states that Optimus will fundamentally change the labor force and manufacturing economy. Elon Musk said production of Optimus 3 is expected to start this summer, with mass production possibly in 2027. Tesla (US: TSLA) pre-market rose over 1%, currently at $389.14.

Memory stocks tumbled against the trend, with Micron (US: MU) opening down 6%, and Sandisk (US: SNDK) dropping more than 7%. The decline was mainly due to South Korea’s SK Hynix (KOR: 000660) planning to list in the U.S.

Foreign media reports that SK Hynix has submitted confidential filings to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), planning to issue American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) within the year. SK Hynix’s spokesperson said that measures to enhance shareholder value, including issuing ADRs, are under review, but no final decision has been made.

Hong Kong stocks and ADR markets are continuously updated. Details on the next page.

Market Trends:

【17:55】Iran war negotiations “warming up” Dow futures up 365 points, Nasdaq futures up 1%, Brent crude down 4%, falling below $100.

【14:54】Dow futures up 339 points, at 46,754; S&P futures up 42 points, at 6,648; Nasdaq futures up 160 points, or 0.7%, at 24,374.

【14:54】NYMEX crude down 3.4% to $89.2; Brent crude down 4% to $100.3. Spot gold up 3.3% to $4,578; spot gold increased 1.7% to $4,549.

【13:57】【AI+Sora】OpenAI suddenly halts Sora AI video generation, shocking the market. Disney finished a project meeting and was suddenly informed 30 minutes later, while OpenAI continued promoting Sora the day before.

【13:52】【AI+IPO】SK Hynix plans to go public in the U.S. within the year, has filed with the SEC, and is rumored to raise up to $10 billion.

【13:32】【US Stock Analysis】US proposes ceasefire with Iran, Dow futures up over 300 points. Analysis: Trump TACO, two major issues to watch in the future.

【11:01】【Iran Situation】JPMorgan’s Dimon: Long-term conflict could lead to lasting peace in the Middle East, as regional powers’ interests align.

【10:48】【US-China Relations】Chinese investment firms are reportedly reconsidering allocations to US asset managers.

【10:26】【AI+AAPL】Is Siri no longer just a voice assistant? Apple upgrades Siri to a chat robot with new “Ask Siri” feature, expected to debut at WWDC in June.

【10:00】【Yen Trend】Yen to HKD at 4.93. Bank of Japan minutes: some members suggest raising interest rates promptly to combat inflation.

【09:58】【US Rate Cuts】Fed Governor Barr: Rates may need to stay unchanged “for a while,” as Middle East tensions add “additional risks.”

【09:39】【Gold Price Trend】Gold ends nine consecutive declines! Spot gold back above $4,500, with a daily increase of HKD 1,800 per tael.

【08:54】【ARM+Chips】Arm rises 8% after hours, plans to sell its own chips for the first time, expected to generate about $15 billion annually in five years. Meta is its first major customer.

【08:26】【IPO】SpaceX reportedly plans to file for an IPO as early as this week, potentially raising over $75 billion.

【08:23】【Iran Crisis】Trump: Iran will send a big gift today; Rubio and Vance involved in negotiations, on the premise that “they must not have nuclear weapons” (updating).

【08:01】【AI+Amazon】Software stocks hit hard again; Amazon reportedly developing new AI agents to replace some departmental functions.

$1 and below for March 24 US stock market overview====

Tuesday: US seeks talks with Iran on Thursday, Brent stabilizes, Dow narrows losses

Multiple US media report that the US is engaging with Iran on a ceasefire plan. Axios reports that the US and mediators are discussing the possibility of high-level talks on Thursday, but are still waiting for a response from Tehran.

Market close updates:

[Images and detailed charts omitted for brevity]

Iranian officials deny Trump’s claims of behind-the-scenes negotiations but confirm that the US has sent messages and proposals.

Oil prices are cautious; Brent up 0.2% to $100.17, NYMEX crude up 4.8% to $92.35.

Gold rebounds, spot gold up 1.6% to $4,475.51; spot silver little changed at $71.2194.

The US dollar index rises 0.3% to 99.23; 10-year US Treasury yield at 4.36%.

US stocks are slightly weaker; Dow once fell 438 points to a low of 45,769, closing down 84 points at 46,124; S&P down 0.4% to 6,556; Nasdaq down 0.8% to 21,761.

Trump delayed the final deadline by 5 days, but Israel and Iran continue sporadic attacks. Pakistan’s prime minister said he is willing to host US-Iran talks to resolve ongoing conflicts.

Market reports indicate Iran has started collecting tolls from some ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, charged on a per-ship basis, with a maximum of $2 million per voyage, effectively establishing an informal “toll” in this waterway. Some ships have paid, but the payment mechanism, including currency used, remains unclear.

Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported that after close coordination with authorities, a Thai-flagged ship successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday.

According to Israeli media Ynet, US has set April 9 as the target date to end the Iran conflict, meaning over half a month is allocated for fighting and negotiations. Washington is trying to end hostilities by the end of April.

Reports suggest that if the conflict ends around April 9, Trump plans to visit Israel around May 14, the date of Israeli Independence. Pakistan and other countries are actively mediating, attempting to arrange indirect US-Iran communication, possibly initial contacts this week in Pakistan, though no official confirmation.

Additionally, Russian media cited by CCTV reports that Omani journalist and international relations researcher Salem Al-Jahuri confirmed on BBC Arabic that the US is pressuring Gulf countries to pay huge costs for US involvement in Iran conflicts.

The report states Trump is demanding large “protection fees” from Arab allies—either $5 trillion (about HKD 39 trillion) to prolong the conflict or $2.5 trillion (about HKD 19.5 trillion) to end it, claiming this as compensation for “achieved results.”

Hong Kong stocks and ADR markets are continuously updated. Details on the next page.

Market Trends:

【22:50】Iran collecting “tolls” from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, Dow down 88 points, Nasdaq down 0.6%, oil rebounds 3%.

【21:30】Pakistan ready to host US-Iran talks, Dow down 338 points, Nasdaq down 0.6%, oil rebounds 4%.

【18:00】【Iran Crisis】Is there a glimmer of hope for US-Iran war? Rumors of Trump demanding a huge protection fee: $2.5 trillion to end the war.

【16:00】【Iran Crisis】US sets April 9 as “End of War” date, Iran continues to deny.

【14:00】Dow futures down 258 points, at 46,264; S&P futures down 38 points, at 6,596; Nasdaq futures down 150 points, or 0.6%, at 24,258.

【14:00】Oil prices rebound; NYMEX crude at $91.6, up nearly 4%; Brent crude at $103.4, up 3.4%. Gold continues to weaken; NY spot gold down 0.9% to $4,400; spot gold down 1.1% to $4,357.

【14:00】【Iran Crisis】DBS: Short-term gold prices likely to fluctuate with Middle East conflict, maintaining a year-end target of $6,250.

【13:23】【AI+OpenAI】OpenAI reportedly offers generous terms to private equity firms, with a 17.5% minimum return, competing for enterprise AI market.

【13:08】【OnlyFans】Billionaire owner Leonid Radvinsky of OnlyFans dies of cancer at age 43.

【12:34】【Gold Price Trend】Gold continues to decline after nine straight drops; HKD per two-tael gold falls below HKD 40,000.

【12:15】【Switch 2】Nintendo plans to cut Switch 2 production by about 33% this quarter, with cuts possibly continuing into April.

【11:51】【Gold Price Trend】Gold plunges over 20% from high, entering a bear market; Morgan Stanley: funds are flowing from safe-haven assets into stocks, a positive signal for US equities.

【11:19】【Iran Crisis】Prime Minister Suga orders assessment of oil-related supply chains to respond to the crisis; Ministry of Finance reportedly consulting on possible intervention in crude oil futures.

【10:36】【AI+Investing】BlackRock CEO: AI wave may exacerbate wealth inequality; investors should hedge impacts through stock holdings.

【08:37】【AI+OpenAI】OpenAI states reliance on Microsoft in investor documents poses risks; what other risks exist?

【08:08】【Iran Crisis】Federal Reserve official Daly: US economy faces at least two scenarios; the Fed needs to stay flexible to manage risks.

【07:48】【AI+Apple】Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference WWDC26 scheduled for June 8, expected to unveil a series of AI features.

【06:32】【Iran Crisis】Iranian Parliament Speaker denies negotiations with Trump; UK destroyer “HMS Dragon” arrives in the Mediterranean (updating).

$1 and below for March 23 US stock market overview====

Monday: Trump’s remarks still questioned, Dow gains halved to 631 points, oil down another 10%

US President Trump claims negotiations with Iran have paused attacks on power plants, causing oil prices to fall and stocks to rebound. The Dow once rose 1,134 points, reaching 46,712; the S&P 500 rose 2.2%, hitting 6,651; and the Nasdaq rose 2.5%, reaching 22,189. The gains narrowed at close, with the Dow up 631 points at 46,208; the S&P up 1.1% at 6,581; and the Nasdaq up 1.4% at 21,946.

Market close updates:

[Images and detailed charts omitted for brevity]

Oil prices fell 14.1% intraday, closing down 10%, with NYMEX crude at $88.13 and Brent at $100.5. Spot gold dropped 7% to a low of $4,099.18, closing at $4,407.18, down 1.9%.

Macquarie’s global FX and rates strategist Thierry Wizman said, “We are skeptical about the early ‘breakthrough’ news and tweets,” believing the war is unlikely to last beyond April, as Iran’s threats may weaken. However, large-scale military actions are unlikely to end within this week.

Trump posted on Truth Social that negotiations with Iran went smoothly over the past two days, and he has instructed the US military to suspend all attacks on Iran’s power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, contingent on successful ongoing talks.

Trump later said that multiple agreements had been reached in negotiations and that discussions about Iran’s leadership candidates took place, claiming Iran agreed to abandon nuclear weapons. He also warned that if talks break down, bombing will continue.

However, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency quoted sources denying any negotiations with the US, stating that no talks have taken place. They also indicated that US attacks continue, and the Strait of Hormuz will not return to pre-conflict conditions. Another agency, Mehr, cited Iran’s Foreign Ministry, suggesting Trump’s comments aim to lower energy prices and buy time for military plans.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry responded that there are some initiatives to ease tensions, but Iran’s stance is that the US should be the dialogue partner, as Iran did not initiate the war.

Trump further responded, saying negotiations took place on the evening of Sunday (22nd), emphasizing Iran’s urgent desire for an agreement, and expressing confusion over why Iranian media refutes his statements.

T. Rowe Price noted that after Iran was attacked, gold initially surged as a safe haven, but the rally was short-lived as markets reinterpreted the event as a geopolitical risk. Investors did not see it as a sustained geopolitical shock but as inflation driven by energy prices. This shift pushed real yields higher, strengthened the dollar, and dampened gold’s appeal.

Gold had already gained significantly before the event, limiting further safe-haven inflows. The outlook suggests gold prices will continue to be influenced by macro and geopolitical factors. In the short term, real yields and central bank policies will be key, along with energy prices and the dollar trend. The firm still views gold as a strategic asset rather than a short-term trading tool. Structural demand from central banks and policy uncertainty provide some support, though short-term prices may remain volatile.

Hong Kong stocks and ADR markets are continuously updated. Details on the next page.

Market Trends:

【22:15】Trump: If US-Iran talks break down, bombing will continue; Dow rebounds 890 points, oil down 10%.

【21:30】Trump delays final deadline by 5 days, says negotiations ongoing; Dow up 744 points, oil down 8%.

【20:10】Iran denies negotiations; Dow futures narrow gains, oil down 5%.

【19:10】Trump: Progress in talks, final deadline delayed 5 days; Dow futures up 1,207 points, Nasdaq futures up 2.2%, oil plunges 10%.

【14:13】Dow futures down 200 points, at 45,693; S&P futures down 37 points, at 6,521; Nasdaq futures down 167 points, or 0.7%, at 23,934.

【14:13】Oil rebounds; NYMEX crude at $98.97, up 0.8%; Brent at $112.85, up 0.6%.

【14:13】【Gold Price】Spot gold drops below $4,300, erasing this year’s gains; HKD per two-tael gold drops HKD 1,000, back from high of HKD 41,000.

【13:25】【Oil Outlook】Goldman warns of “largest supply shock in history,” raising Brent forecast to $85 in 2026.

【13:15】【Iran Crisis】IEA chief: Over 40 energy assets in Middle East severely damaged; conflict impact akin to two oil crises in the 1970s plus 2022 Russia-Ukraine crisis.

【11:40】【Yen Trend】Yen to HKD at 4.9; Japanese officials reiterate “export tactics”: ready to take all necessary measures to respond to exchange rate fluctuations.

【11:21】【Iran Crisis】Korean and Japanese stocks suffer “Black Monday”; Korean stocks fall 5%, triggering sixth “Sidecar” mechanism this year; Nikkei drops over 2,600 points.

【10:56】【AI+Chips】Elon Musk: Terafab project to land in Austin, jointly operated by Tesla and SpaceX.

【07:30】【Iran Crisis】Final deadline in 1 day; Trump and Iran threaten to attack civilian infrastructure; oil volatile (updating).

【07:30】【Market Preview】Focus on Middle East conflict, watch Fed officials’ comments; US March manufacturing PMI due Tuesday.

【07:30】Iran conflict escalates; Trump says “I don’t want a ceasefire.” Energy prices fluctuate; Dow drops over 600 points at times; US 6-month bond yield hits high; market expects 40% chance of rate hike in September. Dow closes down 443 points at 45,577; S&P down 1.51%; Nasdaq down 2.01%.

Market close updates:

[Images and detailed charts omitted for brevity]