Markets Steady as Investors Anticipate Big Tech Earnings
WHO:
Yahoo Finance - Investors are awaiting earnings from major tech companies including Alphabet, Intel Corporation, IBM, and Tesla.
CNBC - Jonathan Krinsky is the chief market technician at BTIG.
WHAT:
Yahoo Finance - Oil prices eased after touching $90 a barrel as the US and Iran exchanged attacks over the weekend.
CNBC - U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rose 3% to trade above $85 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude futures gained 3% to above $91 a barrel.
AP - The price for a barrel of Brent crude settled at $89.22, up 1.3%.
AP - S&P Global counted only 127 vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz during the week through Sunday, down nearly 50% from the week before.
AP - The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.59% from 4.55% late Friday and from just 3.97% before the war with Iran.
Yahoo Finance - US stock futures rose, with Dow Jones Industrial Average futures up 0.2%, S&P 500 futures up 0.3%, and Nasdaq-100 futures up almost 0.7%.
Yahoo Finance - Oil prices eased after reaching $90 a barrel amid US-Iran tensions.
CNBC - The S&P 500 dropped 1.6%, the Nasdaq Composite sank 2.9%, and the Dow lost 0.9% in the previous week.
CNBC - The VanEck Semiconductor ETF lost nearly 9% in the last week.
CNBC - A third US service member was killed during recent fighting, and unidentified remains were found near an Iranian attack site in Jordan on July 17.
WHERE:
Yahoo Finance - The US and Iran are engaged in conflict, with attacks occurring in the Middle East, particularly affecting US allies in Kuwait.
CNBC - The US military operations are focused on the Strait of Hormuz and an Iranian attack occurred in Jordan.
WHEN:
CNBC - The US military began its ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran.
CNBC - The Iranian attack in Jordan occurred on July 17, 2026.
CNBC - Earnings reports from Alphabet and Tesla are expected after the bell on Wednesday, and Intel's report is scheduled for Thursday.
WHY:
Yahoo Finance - Investors are looking for signs that companies are monetizing AI amid significant investments in AI development.
CNBC - Escalating tensions in the Middle East have affected investor sentiment and contributed to fluctuations in oil prices.
HOW:
CNBC - The U.S. military began a ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, extending a campaign aimed at destroying Tehran's ability to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Yahoo Finance - The US engaged in a series of attacks against Iran over nine consecutive days.
CNBC - The US Central Command is working to identify remains found near the site of an Iranian attack.
(UPDATED July 20, 2026 22:23 UTC)
Oil prices have eased after briefly hitting $90 a barrel amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran, with West Texas Intermediate futures rising 3% to trade above $85 and Brent crude futures also gaining 3% to exceed $91. The price for a barrel of Brent crude settled at $89.22, reflecting a 1.3% increase, while the number of vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz plummeted nearly 50% to just 127. Meanwhile, the U.S. military has entered its ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran, continuing efforts to undermine Tehran's capability to target commercial shipping in the region.
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(UPDATED July 20, 2026 13:36 UTC)
Investors are closely monitoring upcoming earnings reports from major tech companies like Alphabet, Intel, IBM, and Tesla, as US stock futures show a positive trend with the Dow up 0.2%, the S&P 500 up 0.3%, and the Nasdaq-100 up almost 0.7%. Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East have led to a third US service member being killed and unidentified remains found near an Iranian attack site in Jordan, as the US military continues its ninth consecutive night of strikes against Iran. Earnings from Alphabet and Tesla are expected after the bell on Wednesday, while Intel's report is scheduled for Thursday, with investors eager to see how these companies are capitalizing on AI amid significant market fluctuations.