After President Trump authorized a military strike killing a top Iranian military commander, the escalating conflict sent stocks down around the world, and oil and gold prices up on the first Monday of the new year.
Brent oil prices, the international benchmark, hit the $70 mark for the first time in three months and the price of West Texas Intermediate, the American oil benchmark, reached more than $63 a barrel after the Pentagon's announcement confirming an airstrike at Baghdad's airport. Crude oil last hit the $70 mark in September after drones suspected to have been launched by Iran struck Saudi Arabian oil plants. Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq account for almost half of the world's oil reserves.
Prices are up amid a growing list of concerns after the killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani: Iran may close the Strait of Hormuz, has already threatened retaliation, and said it will no longer abide by the 2015 nuclear deal the U.S. withdrew from two years ago, and Iraq voted to expel U.S. troops. The State Department warned of a "heightened risk" of a missile attack near U.S. bases.
It is unclear how Iran will respond to Trump's unilateral move. Oanda's Jeffrey Halley noted that "a big fat dollop of geopolitical uncertainty has landed on investors desks" in a report.
But J. Jay Park, CEO of ReconAfrica, said the geopolitical uneasiness isn't, alone, enough to continue driving oil prices up. He said what may continue to drive up prices is a change in supply. Park said supply, demand, OPEC decisions and compliance, geopolitics, and public sentiment about those four items affect oil prices. Uncertainty in Iran, coupled with a change in supply or demand may change the game. Iran may choose to close the Strait of Hormuz, a move Britain has forestalled by sending the Royal Navy to help ships pass through the Strait, through which 21 percent of 2018's global petroleum liquids consumption flowed.
"If that were to happen, the sky's the limit, over $100 easily," Park told Cheddar on Monday.
With the region on edge, stocks fell in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and across European markets.
In the meantime, Park said the current crisis may not drive up oil prices further.
"In the recent past we've seen a number of conflicts, for example the suspected Iranian attack on Abqaiq in Saudia Arabia, that kind of underwhelmed in terms of the extent to which these changes affected the overall price and how long that effect lasted," he said.
Lydia Simmons, founder of 'Moms Official Objective' or 'M.O.O.,' joins Cheddar News to discuss nutritional and hormonal support products for every stage of womanhood.
Plant-based hair extension company Rebundle recently raised $1.4 million in a pre-seed round led by M25. The company based in St. Louis says it is revolutionizing hair extensions with more comfort and less waste. Rebundle's braiding hair is made from a non-toxic, biodegradable plant, which the company says is better for the scalp and the environment. Rebundle Co-Founder and CEO Ciara Imani May and Co-Founder and CMO Danielle Washington joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Soildus Labs, a market compliance and surveillance technology provider for crypto firms, has spearheaded the launch of the Crypto Market Integrity Coalition, a pledge committing to a safe and sensibly-regulated crypto industry. Kathy Kraninger, VP of Regulatory Affairs at Solidus Labs, discusses on Cheddar News' Closing Bell the biggest problems in the digital asset space that this new initiative plans to solve.
Stocks closed mixed Monday as a broader tech sell-off continued, leading the Nasdaq to close down 0.58%. Investors are keeping an eye on earnings, and also looking ahead to Thursday's CPI data, which will give an idea of how hot inflation could still be running. Steve Sosnick, Chief Strategist at Interactive Brokers, joins Closing Bell to discuss today's close, the Federal Reserve's plans to raise interest rates and taper asset purchasing, his 2022 market outlook, and more.
The global chip shortage continues to weigh on the automotive industry. For example, Ford says it is suspending or cutting production at eight of its factories in North America through next week due to the shortage. Balu Balakrishnan, President and CEO of Power Integrations, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where he elaborates on why the chip shortage has dragged into 2022.
Peloton has weathered a seemingly never-ending storm the past few months: PR blunders, sinking customer demand, and in recent weeks, reported cost-cutting and potential layoffs. Now, several companies are said to be in the mix as potential buyers: Amazon, Netflix, Disney, and Apple. How likely is it that one of these companies pursues a deal — and how likely is it that it will be Apple who buys Peloton? Dan Ives, Managing Director of Equity Research at Wedbush Securities, joins Closing Bell to discuss his thoughts about Apple pursuing a Peloton takeover,
