Dow jones opens higher amid Israel-Iran war, Fed meeting in focus

Wall Street opened on a positive note Monday, with major indices rising despite the ongoing war between Israel and Iran. Investor sentiment was buoyed by easing oil prices and anticipation surrounding the upcoming Federal Reserve policy meeting.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 102.3 points, or 0.24%, opening at 42,300.13. The S&P 500 climbed 27.0 points (0.45%) to 6004, while the Nasdaq Composite surged 143.9 points, or 0.74%, to 19,550.75.

The conflict between Israel and Iran has now entered its fourth day, with both sides intensifying their military actions. Overnight, Iran reportedly targeted an Israeli oil refinery and disrupted parts of the nation’s power grid. Explosions were reported across Israel, with some residential buildings hit.

In a controversial development, two U.S. officials told Reuters that President US Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A senior U.S. official stated, “Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do, we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when asked about the report, declined to confirm or deny it, saying, “There are so many false reports of conversations that never happened, and I’m not going to get into that.” However, he added, “We’ll do what we need to do, and I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.”

Meanwhile, investors are closely watching the fed reserve, which begins its two-day policy meeting this week. The central bank is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged, a move that may spark criticism from Trump, who has repeatedly pressured the Fed to slash rates by a full percentage point —despite its independence from White House influence.