Oil rose after The New York Times reported that U.S. and Israeli militaries have drawn up plans to resume strikes on Iran after next month's midterm elections, with a 'short but intensive' operation in preparation. Brent crude futures climbed 2.45% to $111.49 a barrel, and West Texas Intermediate gained 2.39% to $99.47. The U.S. also ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, citing increasing attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on civilian targets. Aptus Capital Advisors' David Wagner argued the economic impact may be milder than in past decades, as gasoline took about 5% of average disposable income a decade ago versus about half that today. He noted crude remains well below its inflation-adjusted historical highs.
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Related tickers and likely impact
XAU/USD
▲ Likely positiveRelevance: medium
| Market | Gold |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/21/2026 | 4,141.17 |
| Change that session | +0.39% |
SPY
▼ Likely negativeSPDR S&P 500 ETF
Relevance: medium
| Market | US stocks |
|---|---|
| Sector | ETF |
| Close on 10/21/2026 | 773.13 |
| Change that session | +0.53% |
VNINDEX
▼ Likely negativeRelevance: low
| Market | Vietnam stocks |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/22/2026 | 1,760.63 |
| Change that session | +1.26% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
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