Published on 20/04/2026 08:56 PM
US Stock Market Live Update: US markets showed resilience on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping only marginally, even as escalating tensions between the US and Iran kept investors on edge.Dow Jones fell 140 points, or 0.3%, while the S&P 500 declined 0.4%. The Nasdaq Composite underperformed slightly, pulling back 0.7% in early trade.The muted reaction comes as traders appear reluctant to fully price in a worst-case geopolitical scenario, especially after a sharp rebound that pushed equities from near-correction territory to record highs in recent sessions.Before this, stock futures slipped early Monday after President Donald Trump said the US had seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, escalating the standoff just days before a ceasefire deadline.This comes after US President Donald Trump claimed that American forces fired on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, escalating the conflict after Tehran skipped another round of US-led peace talks.The situation worsened as Iran moved to restrict vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, stoking fears of supply disruptions in a key global oil route.Crude prices surged on the back of these developments, with West Texas Intermediate jumping over 6% to above $88 per barrel and Brent crude climbing past $95 per barrel, amplifying inflation concerns and adding another layer of uncertainty for markets already navigating record highs.US pharma major Eli Lilly on Monday announced it will acquire biotechnology firm Kelonia Therapeutics for up to $7 billion, in a move aimed at strengthening its oncology pipeline and expanding its footprint in advanced cancer therapies.Under the terms of the deal, Kelonia’s shareholders will receive an upfront cash payment of $3.25 billion, with additional payouts tied to the achievement of specific clinical and commercial milestones.The acquisition gives Eli Lilly access to Kelonia’s gene therapy platform and a range of next-generation cancer treatments, bolstering its existing portfolio that includes therapies such as Jaypirca and breast cancer drug Verzenio.Shares of Eli Lilly slipped about 0.4% following the announcement, paring earlier gains that were driven by reports of a potential deal.The announcement comes hours after a report suggested that Eli Lilly was in advanced talks to acquire Kelonia for more than $2 billion, signalling that the final deal value significantly exceeded initial expectations.Donald Trump said a senior US delegation is heading to Islamabad for talks with Iran, as efforts to revive negotiations intensify ahead of a looming ceasefire deadline, reported NY Post.According to Trump, Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to arrive in Pakistan later Monday. However, the White House has not officially confirmed the visit.Meanwhile, Iran has not committed to fresh negotiations, with its foreign ministry indicating there are no immediate plans for another round of talks. The uncertainty comes as the current ceasefire is set to expire soon, raising the risk of further escalation.Dow futures staged a sharp turnaround, turning positive after erasing an earlier drop of as much as 550 points, signalling shifting market sentiment.
Crypto-linked stocks pulled back in premarket trading even as Bitcoin and Ethereum edged higher to start the week, trading near $75,000 and $2,300, respectively.Shares of Bitmine fell more than 3%, while Circle dropped nearly 3%. Coinbase and Strategy also declined about 1% each.The pullback follows a strong run for crypto, with Bitcoin recently topping $78,000 for the first time since February and bitcoin ETFs logging their largest single-day inflows since January, at roughly $664 million.Meanwhile, Strategy disclosed it purchased $2.5 billion worth of bitcoin last week.US stock futures slipped on Monday (April 20), signalling a cautious start to the week as a sharp escalation in US-Iran tensions over the weekend rattled investor sentiment and clouded prospects for a near-term peace deal.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell as much as 258 points, or about 0.5%, though they later pared losses to around 0.4%. Futures tied to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 also declined roughly 0.4%–0.5%, indicating broad-based weakness across benchmarks.The risk-off mood follows a chaotic geopolitical turn. US President Donald Trump said Washington had fired on and seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, adding that the vessel was under US Treasury sanctions and is now in “full custody.” The move came after Iran declined to participate in another round of US-led peace talks in Pakistan.The earnings season is set to intensify, with 88 companies from the S&P 500 scheduled to report results in the coming week.Key names include Tesla and Boeing, alongside United Airlines and chipmaker Intel.The reporting season has started on a strong note, with data from FactSet showing that about 86% of the roughly 50 companies that have reported so far have beaten earnings expectations.NewsLive TVMarketPopular CategoriesCalculatorsTrending NowLet's Connect with CNBCTV 18Network 18 Group :©TV18 Broadcast Limited. All rights reserved.