Evening Briefing Americas

Stocks Sink as Trump Questions Possibility of Ceasefire

President Donald Trump sent conflicting signals on whether talks with Iran would bring a halt to the nearly month-long war.

US President Donald Trump threatened Iran with intensified military action after Tehran rejected Washington’s push for a peace deal, with the two sides far apart in efforts to end the near month-long war.Photographer: Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg/EPA POOL

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By Jordan Erb

March 26, 2026 at 9:09 PM UTC

Skepticism that the US and Iran will reach a ceasefire any time soon pushed oil higher while sending stocks and bonds down, extending a month of volatile trading since the war began.

After briefly trimming losses when Iran reiterated its terms for a deal, the S&P 500 fell 1.7% as President Donald Trump sent conflicting signals on whether talks with Iran would bring a halt to the war.