What Drove Tuesday’s Market Decline? More Than Just Iran

The strike has raised concerns about supply chain disruptions and price increases for goods. Jose Torres, a senior economist at Interactive Brokers, highlighted that the uncertainty around the strike, along with strong warnings from union leaders, has further unsettled market.

Port Strike Adds to Softer Start for October

While Iran’s missile strike on Israel triggered a sharp selloff in U.S. stocks on Tuesday and caused oil prices to surge, it wasn’t the only factor rattling Wall Street.

Analysts also pointed to the impact of a U.S. dockworkers’ strike, which has shut down major East Coast and Gulf ports, potentially affecting the economy by as much as $4 billion per day.

Although the missile attack sent stocks plummeting early in the session, pushing investors toward safe-haven assets like U.S. Treasurys and gold, markets regained some ground later in the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended down 173 points, or 0.4%, and the S&P 500 closed with a 0.9% loss. Oil prices, which spiked earlier, settled with gains of over 2%.

The geopolitical risks in the Middle East, alongside the port strike, are expected to keep markets volatile. Despite this, some analysts believe these events could present buying opportunities.

Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, noted that market selloffs driven by geopolitical concerns often create favorable entry points for investors. However, the risk of further escalation in the Middle East remains a key threat to the stock market’s momentum.