US sanctions waiver on Iranian oil pushes crude below $80 as tech stocks slide

A 60-day US waiver on sanctions covering Iranian oil raised prospects of more supply, while major technology shares fell on AI concerns and higher Treasury yields.

Summary

Oil fell below $80 a barrel after the US granted a 60-day waiver on sanctions on Iranian oil, a move that could allow more crude to return to global markets. Vice President Vance said US-Iran talks made "significant progress," pointing to a potential easing in supply concerns tied to the region. At the same time, US equities weakened, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq falling as Alphabet, Amazon, Meta and Microsoft each dropped 2% to 5% amid worries over AI and rising Treasury yields.

Terms & Concepts
  • sanctions waiver: A temporary suspension of sanctions restrictions that allows otherwise limited trade or financial activity.
  • Treasury yields: The returns investors demand to hold US government debt, which can influence borrowing costs and equity valuations.