Today’s stock market update: When will the Dow, S&P and Wall Street stabilize amid the US-Iran war? Experts weigh the pros and cons

follow: Iran vs. US war live: Amid nuclear weapons fears, White House says ‘only president knows’ US’s next move against Iran

Market volatility remains volatile and unpredictable. In the first hour of trading alone, the Dow Jones fluctuated between a gain of 74 points and a loss of 425 points, highlighting the fragility of investor sentiment.

Read more: ‘Civilization does not die by bombing’: Iranian embassy responds to Trump’s threats

Six of the 11 sectors were in the red, led by consumer-facing stocks, while volatility remained elevated, with the CBOE Volatility Index hovering around 26.

U.S. crude rose 1.3% to $113.82 a barrel, while Brent climbed above $110, well above pre-war levels of nearly $70.

The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the crisis, with about a fifth of the world’s oil supplies passing through the waterway.

U.S. stocks remained volatile on Tuesday as investors faced uncertainty over the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran and President Donald Trump set new deadlines related to the Strait of Hormuz.

Read more: White House rules out Iran acquiring nuclear weapons amid uncertainty over peace talks

Paul Christopher, global head of investment strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, said, “Investors are likely to remain uneasy, with markets unsure of a trend, until a clear outcome later tonight: a deal, intensified U.S./Israeli strikes, or escalating rather than proportional Iranian retaliation.”

Retailers sensitive to consumer spending also struggled, with Dollar Tree down 4.7% and Dollar General down 1.8% as U.S. gasoline prices jumped to $4.14 a gallon.

Cryptocurrency-related stocks weakened along with Bitcoin, with Coinbase Global down 1% and Strategy down 2.7%.

However, gains in health care stocks helped limit broader losses. Insurer shares rose after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved a 2.48% rate hike in 2027. UnitedHealth shares soared 10.5% and Humana shares rose 9.2%.

Meanwhile, Universal Music Group shares rose 11.4% after billionaire Bill Ackman proposed acquiring the company.

According to Reuters, Jim Wyckoff, senior analyst at Kitco Metals, said, “The gold market is at a standstill ahead of the deadline at 8pm ET tonight. The gold market is at a standstill as traders wait and see what will happen as the event may have an impact.”

Spot silver fell 1% to $72.03 an ounce, platinum fell 2% to $1,939.15 an ounce and palladium fell 2% to $1,455.63 an ounce.

“Even if tensions ease, normalization will lag, leading to the risk of higher prices and potential product shortages,” wrote Salih Yilmaz, senior industry analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.