Wall St mixed as Middle East tensions eclipse tech strength

The S&P 500 and the Dow inched lower ​on Monday as U.S.-Iran tensions dented sentiment, while some technology stocks rose after the report of a strong ‌revenue forecast from AI lab Anthropic.

Tehran will escalate tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and the wider region if diplomacy with the United States fails, a senior Iranian official told Reuters, pointing to an Iranian policy shift relying on offense rather than defense.

Brent crude futures gained about 0.3%, with the S&P 500 ​energy index 0.2% higher.

"(Investors) were telling themselves wars always come to an end. I don't think anyone was pricing in ​the fact that this could still be going as we approach the end of the summer," said ⁠David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported on Friday that Anthropic, which is preparing for its IPO, forecast 2028 revenue ​of roughly $190 billion to $200 billion, according to two people familiar with the company's financials.

Chipmakers led gains among technology stocks. Western Digital and ​Sandisk rose 6.3% and 10%, respectively, making them the top performers on the benchmark index.

Tech shares on the S&P 500 rose 0.6%, limiting losses elsewhere and boosting the tech-heavy Nasdaq.

Markets will keep a close eye next week on results from chipmaker Nvidia, the world's most valuable company, for signs the tech-driven momentum can last. Nvidia's shares rose ​1%.

Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell, said greater clarity on AI investments and the source of returns was allaying immediate fears ​of a "potential AI boom then bust".

At 11:32 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 198.47 points, or 0.37%, to 53,533.94, the S&P 500 lost 10.51 ‌points, or ⁠0.13%, to 7,775.25, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 32.38 points, or 0.12%, to 26,761.55.

Declines in Microsoft and Sherwin-Williams <SHW.N> weighed on the Dow.

Concerns over the payoff from AI investments battered chip stocks recently, but robust quarterly results and forecasts signaling resilient demand have helped push the Nasdaq to within 1.5% of its all-time high.

The S&P 500 closed at a record peak on Thursday after a batch of soft inflation data helped traders ​dial back the odds of an ​interest-rate hike by the U.S. ⁠Federal Reserve at its September meeting.

Traders are pricing in a nearly 31% chance the Fed will raise rates by 25 basis points next month, sharply lower than the near-even chances of a hike ​versus a hold a week ago, according to CME's FedWatch tool.

Still, Wells Fargo Investment Institute changed ​its Fed call ⁠and expects a 25-basis-point increase to rates this year, compared to no change anticipated earlier.

Quarterly results from retail bellwether Walmart and home improvement retailer Home Depot, among the few names left to report in the current earnings season, will be watched this week.

In other movers, U.S.-listed shares of Vista, gained ⁠5.1% after Peter ​Thiel bought a 1% stake in the Latin American oil company.

Declining issues outnumbered advancers ​by a 1.67-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and by a 1.31-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.

The S&P 500 posted 18 new 52-week highs and three new lows, while ​the Nasdaq Composite recorded 71 new highs and 85 new lows.

-Reuters