The situation between the US and Iran has temporarily eased, US stock index futures are rising, semiconductor stocks are strengthening, Intel is up more than 4%, and WTI oil prices are down more than 2%.

The situation between the US and Iran has temporarily eased, US stock index futures are rising, semiconductor stocks are strengthening, Intel is up more than 4%, and WTI oil prices are down more than 2%.

The Middle East situation has returned to calm, strong corporate earnings have pushed the stock market higher, U.S. stock index futures are up across the board, oil prices have fallen, and gold and silver prices have both risen.

Ahead of the U.S. stock market opening on May 5, S&P 500 index futures rose 0.3%; Nasdaq 100 index futures rose 0.5%. The semiconductor sector surged pre-market, with Intel up over 4%. Reports say Apple is considering collaborating with Intel and Samsung to produce main device chips. Additionally, the storage sector performed strongly, with Micron Technology up over 3%, Seagate Technology, Western Digital, and SanDisk up over 1%.

The Middle East situation has temporarily stabilized, WTI oil prices fell over 2%. The previous day, tensions were escalating in the Middle East. According to Xinhua News and CCTV News, the U.S. military stated on the 4th that two U.S.-flagged commercial vessels successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz. On that day, Iran launched multiple cruise missiles and drones at U.S. Navy ships and commercial vessels "protected" by the U.S. military; the U.S. military sank six Iranian small boats attempting to obstruct the commercial ships. Meanwhile, according to Xinhua, the Fujairah Media Office issued a statement on the 4th that the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone caught fire after being attacked by a drone originating from Iran.

Madison Fowler, global strategist at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, said, " Earnings remain the driving force behind the rise in the U.S. stock market."The next question is whether the momentum of strong earnings can expand beyond the tech sector into other areas. A portfolio needs more than a single sector supporting the market."

The main market movements are as follows:

S&P 500 index futures rose 0.3%; Nasdaq 100 index futures rose 0.5%; Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 0.1%.

European stocks opened mixed, Euro Stoxx 50 index rose 0.10% at open, Germany's DAX fell 0.14%, UK FTSE 100 fell 1.01%, France's CAC 40 fell 0.23%.


10-year U.S. Treasury yield was nearly flat at 4.43%.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index changed little;the Japanese yen fell 0.3% against the dollar to 157.71.

WTI crude oil fell 2.27% to $103.94 per barrel;spot gold rose 0.8% to $4,556.44 per ounce.

Bitcoin rose 1.1% to $80,841.76;Ethereum price rose 1.1% to $2,375.63.

Intel was up over 4% pre-market. According to WallstreetCN's previous article, Apple is in preliminary talks with Intel and Samsung regarding outsourcing main chip production, but no orders have been placed yet. Analysts believe this move is due to tight capacity caused by the AI boom—Apple's Tim Cook stated in the latest earnings call that the chip shortage is constraining iPhone and Mac growth and expects "it will take several months to restore supply-demand balance." Some executives see collaboration with Intel as a potential bargaining chip to improve relations with the Trump administration.

WTI crude oil fell over 2% to $104 per barrel.Mohit Kumar, Chief European Economist and Strategist at Jefferies, said, "'Freedom Program' is a way for the U.S. to gain the upper hand in negotiations."In the coming days, whether the U.S. can provide safe passage for these vessels and thus take a stronger stance will become clearer."

According to CCTV News, on May 3 local time, U.S. President Trump announced the launch of an operation named "Freedom Program" to "guide" stranded vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

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