Markets Close
US Indices (Jul 14, 2026)
- S&P 500: 7,575.39 (+0.42%)
- Dow: 52,637.01 (+0.29%)
- Nasdaq: 26,281.61 (+0.29%)
- Russell 2000: 2,978.20 (-0.48%)
- VIX: 15.35 (-3.09%)
Futures (Mon Evening)
- S&P: 7,542.50 (-0.27%)
- Dow: 52,646.00 (-0.22%)
- Nasdaq: 29,340.25 (-0.46%)
Commodities
- Gold: $4,109 (-0.77%)
- WTI Crude: $71.30 (-1.08% RTH) → $79.30 (+1.48% settlement)
- Brent: $75.88 (-0.55%)
- Copper: $6.33 (+0.72%)
Crypto
- BTC: $63,245 (-1.23%)
- ETH: $1,798 (-0.29%)
- SOL: $76.15 (-0.83%)
Geopolitical Intel — US Strikes Iran
🔴 LVL 5/10 — US STRIKES IRAN AFTER HORMUZ ATTACK Trump administration launched fresh strikes Monday after Iran attacked tankers and announced renewed blockade + tolls in Hormuz. Fourth escalation cycle since April “Liberation Day” tariffs.
Markets reacted:
- Oil: WTI jumped to $79.30 (+1.48%) from $78.14 low
- Defense: PLTR +2.56%, RTX +0.23%, NOC +0.41%
- VIX: Paradoxically fell -3.09% to 15.35 (traders bet conflict stays regional)
Key stocks:
| Ticker | Price | Change | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTX | $196.39 | +0.23% | Raytheon — Hormuz exposure |
| LMT | $520.68 | -0.49% | Lockheed — consolidation |
| NOC | $541.82 | +0.41% | Northrop — steady |
| GD | $372.78 | -0.61% | General Dynamics |
| BA | $215.51 | -3.05% | Boeing — 737 issues unrelated |
| PLTR | $130.04 | +2.56% | Palantir — AI defense boost |
Other threats:
- LVL 5/10 — UAE condemns Iran’s “brazen” attack on tankers (BBC, Mon)
- LVL 5/10 — RAF upgrading 107 Typhoon jets; 4 remain at Falklands MPC (UK)
- LVL 3/10 — Gaza: 3 Palestinians killed, 15 wounded in Israeli strikes (Al Jazeera)
- LVL 3/10 — Japan builds first intelligence agency since WWII (NYT)
Live data (Mon evening):
- Commercial flights: 5,018 | Military: 122 | Private: 2,681
- Tracked/flagged aircraft: 1,188
- Ships: 25,559
- GPS jamming events: 6
- Earthquakes (24h): 50
- GDELT incidents: 1,114
Earnings Preview — Big Banks Tuesday BMO
Major names reporting before market open:
| Symbol | Company | Est EPS | Time | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPM | JPMorgan Chase | $5.80 | BMO | $896B |
| BAC | Bank of America | $1.12 | BMO | $422B |
| GS | Goldman Sachs | $14.54 | BMO | $308B |
| WFC | Wells Fargo | $1.72 | BMO | $268B |
| C | Citigroup | $2.71 | BMO | $239B |
| FAST | Fastenal | $0.33 | BMO | $54B |
| ERIC | Ericsson | $0.11 | BMO | $38B |
What to watch:
- Net interest margin trends (rates stabilizing at ~4.5% on 10Y)
- Trading desk strength (Goldman especially — M&A tailwind)
- Credit quality (commercial real estate stress?)
- Guidance on loan demand (weak corporate CapEx vs consumer resilience)
Wall Street expects strong quarter:
- Investment banking fees up (IPO market thawing, dealmaking picking up)
- Deposit costs plateauing
- Credit losses stable (no major deterioration yet)
Also Tuesday: CPI data at 8:30 AM ET (est 4.2% YoY, 0.2% MoM core)
Economic Events This Week
Tuesday, July 14:
- 8:30 AM ET: CPI (est 4.2% YoY, 0.5% MoM headline, 0.2% core MoM)
- Bank earnings: JPM, BAC, WFC, GS, C
Wednesday, July 15:
- More earnings (23 names)
- Watch for Fed commentary on CPI print
Thursday, July 16:
- 34 earnings releases (busiest day)
- Retail sales data (pending)
Friday, July 17:
- 11 earnings releases
Bottom Line
Markets shrugged off Iran strikes — S&P +0.42%, VIX -3%. Oil jumped on Hormuz risk but settled back. Defense stocks mixed (PLTR best, BA worst). All eyes on Tuesday: big bank earnings + CPI could reset sentiment. If CPI runs hot (>4.3%) and banks guide weak, risk-off returns fast. If soft landing narrative holds (CPI 4.0-4.2%, strong bank earnings), rally extends. Watch JPM’s trading desk revenue and WFC’s NIM guidance for key signals.
Key risk: Iran conflict escalation + hot CPI + weak bank guidance = triple threat. VIX at 15.35 = complacency. Stay nimble.