LIVE MARKETS-Geopolitics, oil and yields keep investors on edge
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GEOPOLITICS, OIL AND YIELDS KEEP INVESTORS ON EDGE
Wall Street is on the back foot early Thursday as investors juggle a growing list of concerns, from persistent tensions in the Middle East to a closely watched summit between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
Oil is adding to the unease. US crude futures are up more than 2% after diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran yielded little sign of progress, while uncertainty surrounding a potential US ban on diesel exports is also supporting prices.
The bond market remains a major focal point. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield briefly climbed to 5.1497%, its highest level since 2007, before easing back to around 5.09%. The move underscores lingering worries that interest rates may need to stay elevated for longer.
A majority of S&P 500 .SPX sectors are higher. Healthcare .SPXHC, up 1.4%, is the leading gainer. Energy .SPNY is up 1.1% alongside the rise in crude prices. Technology .SPLRCT is the weakest group, off about 1%.
Under the surface, banks .SPXBK, .KRX and biotech .NBI are managing modest gains, while precious-metals miners .XAU, chips .SOX and software & services .SPLRCIS are on the weak side.
Despite the early pullback, the broader market remains remarkably close to its highs. The S&P 500 is still only about 1.6% down from its record intraday peak and about 1.4% beneath its all-time closing high, a sign that, for now at least, the bulls have given up little ground.
Here is a snapshot of where markets stood around 10:11 a.m. EDT.
(Terence Gabriel)
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