US stocks end higher as oil prices ease
Dow Jones up 0.89%, Nasdaq up 0.94% and S&P 500 up 0.96% as Brent crude falls around 7.2%
ISTANBUL
US stocks ended the first trading day of the week with gains as oil prices eased.
Stock markets saw positive trends despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Iran responded to US airstrikes Sunday on three of its nuclear sites by launching a missile attack Monday on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American military base in the Middle East.
In a statement on social media, US President Donald Trump thanked Iran for giving Washington advance notice of the attack, saying this prevented any loss of life or injury.
“Perhaps Iran can now proceed to peace and harmony in the region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same,” he said.
Oil prices fell after Iran's retaliation to the US attacks did not result in any casualties.
The price of Brent crude fell around 7.2% to $71.48 per barrel.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.89%, or 374.96 points, to close at 42,581.78.
The Nasdaq Composite inched up 0.94%, or 183.56 points, to 19,630.98, and the S&P 500 rose by 0.96%, or 57.33 points, to 6,025.17.
The VIX Index, also known as the “fear index," fell by 3.83% to 19.83.
