Stock market today: Dow falls 0.59 percent, FTSE 100 slips 0.71 percent as Nikkei jumps 2.60 percent on U.S.-Iran truce hopes

Lower oil prices encouraged investors to return to technology and other risk-sensitive shares Global stock markets presented a mixed but improving picture on Tuesday, as diplomatic efforts to ease the U.S.-Iran conflict pulled oil prices away from one-month highs and encouraged investors to return to technology and other risk-sensitive shares. Asian equities rebounded strongly, while U.S. stock futures advanced after Wall Street closed modestly lower on Monday. European futures fell around 0.6 percent ahead of the opening bell, following a subdued previous session marked by concerns over energy costs, inflation and monetary policy. A senior Iranian official said Tehran had received a proposal from mediators for a 10-day ceasefire intended to pave the way for a lasting agreement. The development helped Brent crude decline after reaching $91.42 per barrel in the previous session. Asian markets rebound In the attached live market snapshot at around 9:30 UAE time, Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 2.60 percent to 65,810, recovering part of its steep losses from the previous week. The index traded between 64,200 and 66,066 during the session. The rally was supported by bargain-hunting after the Nikkei recorded its sharpest weekly decline in more than a year. Chipmaker Kioxia Holdings, cosmetics group Shiseido and machinery producer IHI were among the strongest performers. South Korea’s KOSPI climbed 3.43 percent to 6,739.84 as investors returned to semiconductor shares following the recent AI-led selloff. The broader MSCI Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan gained 0.25 percent after declining for three consecutive sessions. Mainland Chinese markets also advanced. The Shanghai Composite rose 0.81 percent to 3,826.98, while the Shenzhen Component jumped 3.23 percent to 14,049.41. The China A50 gained 1.35 percent to 15,178.21. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng was broadly flat, slipping 0.06 percent to 25,128. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.14 percent to 8,778.80, while Taiwan’s weighted index fell 0.52 percent to 42,449.70. Elsewhere, Indonesia’s IDX Composite advanced 1.41 percent to 6,319.85 and Thailand’s SET gained 0.30 percent to 1,650.88. India’s Nifty 50 declined 0.22 percent to 24,186.20 as elevated energy prices remained a concern for major oil-importing economies. Read more | Stock market today: Nasdaq, DAX dip as Nikkei tumbles 4.53 percent amid semiconductor selloff, Middle East tensions Wall Street closes lower U.S. stocks finished Monday’s session modestly lower as Middle East tensions and higher Treasury yields offset a rebound in semiconductor companies. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 307.16 points, or 0.59 percent, to 51,839.26. The S&P 500 declined 14.41 points, or 0.19 percent, to 7,443.28, while the Nasdaq Composite edged 0.05 percent lower to 25,508.07. The Russell 2000 dropped 0.67 percent to 2,942.43. Market volatility eased despite the losses, with the Cboe Volatility Index declining 0.64 percent to 18.65. Micron, Sandisk and Seagate helped semiconductor shares recover from the previous week’s sharp decline, while broader market sentiment remained cautious. U.S. futures strengthened on Tuesday morning. Dow futures gained approximately 0.29 percent, while S&P 500 futures rose 0.39 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures advanced about 0.87 percent as declining oil prices reduced immediate inflation concerns. Treasury yields remained elevated, however. The policy-sensitive two-year yield stood around 4.206 percent as investors priced approximately 33 basis points of Federal Reserve rate increases through the end of 2026. The Fed’s official meeting calendar shows that its next policy meeting will take place on July 28 and 29. Attention is also turning to major technology earnings. Alphabet and Tesla are scheduled to release second-quarter results on Wednesday, followed by Intel on Thursday. European stocks mixed European equities ended Monday mostly lower as rising oil prices weighed on travel, leisure and consumer shares. The pan-European STOXX 600 declined 0.30 percent to 639.60. London’s FTSE 100 fell 0.71 percent to 10,524.76, with the closing level also confirmed by the London Stock Exchange . Germany’s DAX edged 0.06 percent higher to 24,846.69, while France’s CAC 40 gained 0.02 percent to 8,340.11. The Euro Stoxx 50 slipped 0.10 percent to 6,224.75. European investors are now awaiting the European Central Bank’s monetary policy decision on Thursday. The ECB’s official calendar confirms that the decision will be followed by a press conference, with energy-driven inflation expected to dominate the discussion. Elsewhere in the Americas, Canada’s S&P/TSX Composite fell 0.86 percent to 34,960.32. Brazil’s Bovespa declined 0.20 percent to 173,371, while Mexico’s S&P/BMV IPC dropped 0.77 percent to 66,122.78. Tuesday’s global direction will largely depend on whether Middle East diplomacy continues to reduce oil prices and whether the rebound in technology shares can survive this week’s major earnings test.