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US stocks opened higher on Tuesday, extending gains from the previous session, even as rising oil prices and ongoing tensions in West Asia kept investors cautious.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose around 0.9% at the open, while the S&P 500 gained about 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.6%. The move comes as oil prices remained elevated amid concerns over supply disruptions linked to the Iran conflict. Brent crude traded above the $100 per barrel mark, while US benchmark WTI hovered in the mid-$90s, after gaining earlier in the session.Crude prices have been volatile in recent days on fears that prolonged tensions could disrupt flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route. Fresh comments from US President Donald Trump around efforts to secure shipping in the region also kept oil markets in focus. However, its NATO partners have all rejected Trump's offer to secure the strait. Rising energy prices are seen as a key risk for markets, with investors assessing the potential impact on inflation and the broader economic outlook.Focus is also on the US Federal Reserve, which begins its two-day policy meeting on Tuesday. Markets are largely pricing in no change in interest rates, with commentary from Chair Jerome Powell expected later this week.Overall, while equities are seeing some support from recent momentum, geopolitical risks and oil price volatility continue to influence sentiment.

Europe’s financial markets are at a critical juncture, according to Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund. Speaking at the Euronext Annual Conference in Paris, Tangen urged Europe to “get its act together” on unifying capital markets, warning that global investors naturally gravitate toward regions with deeper liquidity and higher valuations.

His comments reflect a broader shift already underway. Over the past decade, NBIM has significantly increased its exposure to US equities, with American stocks now making up about 55% of its portfolio, up from 37%. In contrast, European equities have dropped sharply from 41% to just 21%.

The fund’s top holdings—including stakes in Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft—highlight where global capital is flowing. The message is clear: unless Europe reforms quickly, it risks falling further behind in the global investment race.

Oil prices edged higher as fresh signals from US President Donald Trump added uncertainty around efforts to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. After initially suggesting a coalition was in the works, Trump later said the US did not need support from NATO or other allies, citing recent military success against Iran. The mixed messaging unsettled markets, with stocks easing from their highs even as crude prices ticked up.

Oil has surged since the US-Israel strikes on Iran, driven by fears that a prolonged disruption in the Strait—through which a fifth of global oil flows—could trigger a supply shock.

Investors are now closely tracking geopolitical developments, including reports of Iran’s security chief being killed in airstrikes. While markets remain supported by strong earnings and resilient growth, experts warn that risks are rising, particularly with signs of weakness emerging in the labour market.

Energy stocks and ETFs hit fresh highs as the US-Iran war continues. APA and BP rose nearly 3%, while ConocoPhillips, Coterra Energy and Devon Energy gained about 1%, with all hitting 52-week highs. 

Energy ETFs, including XOP, FCG, IXC, VDE and XLE were up over 1%, also touching 52-week highs, while IXC, VDE and XLE hit record levels.

CNBC

Bank of America on Tuesday reiterated its buy rating on German software major SAP, citing its “defensive business profile,” according to a note to clients.

The brokerage has set a price target of $308 on the stock, implying a 60.7% upside from Monday’s close.

“We reiterate our Buy rating on SAP into Q1. Although we do expect the current geopolitical uncertainty to modestly impact Q1 bookings, results should illustrate SAP’s defensive business profile, with top line accelerating to 11.5%, driving 15% EBIT growth,” analyst Frederic Boulan said in the note.

He added that concerns around disruption risks from artificial intelligence are “overstated.”

SAP shares have declined nearly 29% over the past year, amid a broader sell-off in software stocks driven by AI-related concerns.

Shares of Nebius fell 10% on Tuesday after the AI infrastructure company said it will raise $3.75 billion through convertible debt, following major deals with Meta and Nvidia.

Nebius said it plans to sell convertible senior notes to institutional investors in two tranches—$2 billion due in 2031 and $1.75 billion due in 2033. The neocloud company, which offers cloud services tailored for artificial intelligence, said the proceeds will be used to fund business expansion, including building data centres and purchasing chips.

US stocks opened higher on Tuesday, extending gains from the previous session, even as rising oil prices and ongoing tensions in West Asia kept investors cautious.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose around 0.9% at the open, while the S&P 500 gained about 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.6%.

The move comes as oil prices remained elevated amid concerns over supply disruptions linked to the Iran conflict. Brent crude traded above the $100 per barrel mark, while US benchmark WTI hovered in the mid-$90s, after gaining earlier in the session.

Crude prices have been volatile in recent days on fears that prolonged tensions could disrupt flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy route. Fresh comments from US President Donald Trump around efforts to secure shipping in the region also kept oil markets in focus. However, its NATO partners have all rejected Trump’s offer to secure the strait.

Rising energy prices are seen as a key risk for markets, with investors assessing the potential impact on inflation and the broader economic outlook.

Focus is also on the US Federal Reserve, which begins its two-day policy meeting on Tuesday. Markets are largely pricing in no change in interest rates, with commentary from Chair Jerome Powell expected later this week.

Overall, while equities are seeing some support from recent momentum, geopolitical risks and oil price volatility continue to influence sentiment.

US airline executives are seeing some of the strongest booking trends in the industry’s history as premium leisure and corporate travellers rush to buy tickets ahead of a likely surge in prices because of fuel costs.

Delta Air Lines Inc. now expects sales to grow in the high single digits through March, after previously guiding for a range of 5% to 7% growth. American Airlines Group Inc., meanwhile, said revenue in the quarter will rise more than 10% — a record for the company — even as more-expensive fuel pushes earnings projections to the more pessimistic end of its range.

Stock futures rose modestly as oil trimmed an advance that was driven by attacks on key energy infrastructure in the Middle East. US diesel topped $5 a gallon for the first time since 2022.

S&P 500 contracts climbed 0.2% after the benchmark’s biggest gain since the start of the war. Brent crude rose as much as 4.8% after Iran struck energy facilities around the Persian Gulf, before paring the move. Treasuries were little changed after ADP Research reported a slowdown in private payroll growth. The dollar held steady.

Lemonade stands to benefit from its improving positioning in autonomous auto insurance, according to Morgan Stanley.

The bank upgraded the insurance stock to an overweight from equal weight. Analyst Bob Jian Huang’s new price target of $85, up from $80, corresponds to a rally ahead of 47% from Monday’s close.

The Trump administration has moved to locate backup sources of fertilisers for American farmers at the start of the planting season after the Iran war shut down a key source of supply.

“We have been all over the fertiliser problem,” White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said on CNBC Tuesday. “I’m not saying that we can eliminate what disruption there is so far, but we can minimise it for sure.”

Hassett said the US has “established licenses for Venezuela to produce more fertiliser,” and has held discussions with Morocco, which he said has the world’s largest reserve of potash. The administration has been engaged “as an insurance policy against disruption,” he said.

Bentley Motors Ltd. is planning to cut 275 jobs as the British luxury-car maker grapples with falling sales in China, tepid electric-vehicle demand and US tariffs.

The reductions — roughly 6% of its workforce — will affect office roles rather than manufacturing, the Volkswagen AG-owned company said Tuesday. The number could fall as vacancies are closed and people choosing to leave aren’t replaced, it said.

US markets inched lower early Tuesday (March 17) with a retreat in oil prices to start the week proving to be short-lived. US benchmark crude climbed 3.5% to $96.80 per barrel after dipping to about $93 on Monday, just its second decline since the Iran war began a little more than two weeks ago. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 3.2% to $103.43 a barrel.

With US benchmark crude on Monday heading to only its second day of declines since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, the S&P 500 climbed 1% for its biggest gain in five weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite finished 1.2% higher.

Markets have moved polar to oil prices, which have spiked almost 40% since the war began. Iran has nearly halted traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil sails from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.

Delta Air Lines traded more than 4% higher after the company raised its first-quarter revenue growth guidance, calling for high single-digit expansion. The airline previously called for growth between 5% and 7%

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