【US Stock Market Update】Brent Crude Oil Fell 5% and Lost the $100 Mark　Dow Jones Rose 371 Points (Continuous Updates)

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 futures down 4.8% at $87.92, and Brent May crude futures down 5.1% at $99.14.

Iran’s war negotiations are “warming up,” and U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday morning, with the Dow up 371 points to 46,495, the S&P 500 up 52 points to 6,609, and the Nasdaq up 280 points or 1.4% to 22,040. NY gold rose 3.5% to $4,588, and spot gold increased 2% to $4,566.

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 claims 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 by 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 go public in the U.S.

Foreign media reports that SK Hynix has submitted confidential filings to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and plans 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 updating. For details, see: Next page

Market Trends:

【22:40】Dow up 371 points

【21:30】Brent crude down 5%, falling below $100; Dow up 580 points; Nasdaq up 1.2%; Micron down 6%

【17:55】Iran war negotiations “warming up”; Dow futures up 365 points; Nasdaq futures up 1%; Brent crude down 4%, 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】NY crude down 3.4% at $89.2; Brent crude down 4% at $100.3; spot gold up 3.3% at $4,578; spot silver stable at $71.2194

【13:57】【AI+Sora】OpenAI suddenly halts Sora AI video generation, shocking the market. Disney finished a project meeting 30 minutes before being suddenly informed; OpenAI had promoted Sora the day before.

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

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

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

【10:48】【US-China Relations】Chinese investment firms are reportedly reconsidering reallocating assets to U.S. 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 show some members favor timely rate hikes to combat inflation.

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

【09:39】【Gold Price Trend】Gold ends nine consecutive declines! Spot gold back above $4,500; local gold price per two grams up HKD 1,800, retreating from recent highs.

【08:54】【ARM+Chips】Arm shares up 8% after hours; plans to sell its own chips for the first time, expected to generate about $15 billion annually within 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 “nuclear weapons must not be possessed” (updating).

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

$1 or less for March 24 U.S. 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 Tehran’s response.

Market close summary:

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Iranian officials deny Trump’s claims of back-channel 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.

US dollar index up 0.3% at 99.23; 10-year US Treasury yield at 4.36%.

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

Trump has delayed the final ultimatum by 5 days, but sporadic attacks continue between Israel and Iran. Pakistan’s Prime Minister says he is willing to host US-Iran talks to resolve ongoing conflicts.

Market sources say 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 and currency are unclear.

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

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 late April.

If the conflict ends around April 9 as planned, Trump plans to visit Israel around May 14, the day before or after Israel’s Independence Day. Pakistan and other countries are actively mediating, trying to arrange indirect US-Iran talks, possibly in Pakistan this week, but no official confirmation from either side.

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 continue 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 updating. For details, see: Next page

Market Trends:

【22:50】Iran charges tolls to 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】Hope for US-Iran war? Trump reportedly demands huge protection fee: $2.5 trillion to end the conflict

【16:00】【Iran Crisis】US sets April 9 as “End of War” date; Iran denies ongoing negotiations

【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; NY crude at $91.6, up nearly 4%; Brent at $103.4, up 3.4%. Gold continues to weaken; NY gold down 0.9% at $4,400; spot gold at $4,357.

【14:00】【Iran Crisis】DBS: Short-term gold prices likely to fluctuate with Middle East conflict; maintains 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 dies of cancer at 43.

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

【12:15】【Switch 2】Nintendo plans to cut Switch 2 production by about 33% this quarter; reduction may continue into April.

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

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

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

【08:37】【AI+OpenAI】OpenAI states dependence on Microsoft poses risks; what other risks exist?

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

【07:48】【AI+Apple】Apple’s annual WWDC to be held June 8; expected to unveil new AI features.

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

$1 or less for March 23 U.S. stock market overview====

Monday: Trump’s remarks still questioned; Dow halves gains to 631 points; oil down 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 to 46,712; S&P 500 hit 6,651; Nasdaq reached 22,189. But gains narrowed at close: Dow up 631 points at 46,208; S&P up 1.1% at 6,581; Nasdaq up 1.4% at 21,946.

Market close summary:

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Oil once fell 14.1%, closing down 10% at $88.13; Brent crude at $100.5. Gold dropped 7% to a low of $4,099.18, but closed down 1.9% at $4,407.18.

Macquarie’s FX and rates strategist Thierry Wizman said, “We are cautious about early reports of breakthroughs and tweets,” believing the war is unlikely to last beyond April, as Iran’s threat may weaken. But large-scale military action this week is also unlikely.

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 ongoing meetings and discussions.

He later said that the two sides reached multiple agreements and discussed Iran’s leadership candidates, claiming Iran agreed to abandon nuclear weapons. But he also warned that if negotiations break down, bombing will continue.

Iran’s Tasnim News Agency later quoted sources saying the US and Iran have not engaged in negotiations and that US attacks continue; the Strait of Hormuz will not return to pre-conflict status. Mehr News Agency also cited Iran’s Foreign Ministry, stating Trump’s comments aim to lower energy prices and buy time for military plans.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded that some initiatives to ease tensions exist, 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 Sunday night (22nd), emphasizing Iran’s eagerness to reach an agreement, and admitted he does not understand 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 remains influenced by macro and geopolitical factors. In the short term, real yields and central bank policies are key, along with energy prices and the dollar. The firm still views gold as a strategic asset rather than a short-term trading tool. Structural demand from central banks and policy uncertainty support gold prices, even if short-term volatility persists.

Hong Kong stocks and ADR markets are continuously updating. For details, see: 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 ultimatum by 5 days, says US-Iran talks 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, delays final ultimatum 5 days; Dow futures up 1,207 points; Nasdaq futures up 2.2%; oil drops 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; NY crude at $98.97, up 0.8%; Brent at $112.85, up 0.6%. Gold continues to weaken; NY gold down 0.9% at $4,300; spot gold at $4,357.

【14:13】【Iran Crisis】DBS: Short-term gold likely to fluctuate with Middle East conflict; maintains year-end target of $6,250.

【13:25】【Oil Price】Goldman warns of “largest supply shock in history”; raises 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 again “export tactics”: ready to take all necessary measures to respond to exchange rate fluctuations.

【11:21】【Iran Crisis】Korean and Japanese markets “Black Monday”; Korean stocks fall 5%; sixth “Sidecar” mechanism activated 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 ultimatum countdown: Trump and Iran threaten to attack civilian infrastructure; oil volatile (updating).

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

【07:30】Iran conflict intensifies; Trump says “I don’t want a ceasefire”; energy prices volatile; Dow drops over 600 points at one point; US 10-year yield hits six-month 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 summary:

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U.S. stocks last week, details at: Stock Market Close | Trump says he doesn’t want a ceasefire; Dow down 443 points; US 10-year yield hits six-month high; 40% chance of September rate hike.