Global Markets React to Pending US Sanctions Against Iran

Global financial markets opened with mixed results on Monday as investors awaited a major announcement from US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding economic sanctions against Iran. Bessent is scheduled to hold a press conference at 2 p.m. to reveal what he described in a Financial Times article as the largest financial offensive ever mobilized against an adversary. In response, Iran has rejected the threats and warned that its reaction would be devastating, including the possible interruption of oil exports from the Gulf and attacks on US military targets in Europe.

Wall Street showed divided performance at the open. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2 percent, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq declined. The tech sector faced significant losses, with chipmakers such as Micron, AMD, and Broadcom seeing price drops. Meanwhile, gold rose 1.23 percent to reach its highest level since May, reflecting its role as a safe haven asset during periods of uncertainty. Oil prices for the Texas intermediate grade fell 1.72 percent to 85.56 dollars per barrel.

In Brazil, the dollar opened stable. The Ibovespa index had previously closed Friday with a gain of 1.84 percent, supported by large companies like Vale and Petrobras. Analysts noted that tensions in the Middle East can drive up prices for raw materials, which benefits large exporting firms. Additionally, the US Treasury has increased the volume of bond buybacks to contain pressure on the Treasury market, as US public debt has surpassed 40 trillion dollars for the first time in history.