Iran Says Hormuz Talks Underway, Stocks Rise as Oil Plunge

Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.

On today's podcast:

1) Iran suggested negotiations to get more ships moving through the Strait of Hormuz are making progress, after President Donald Trump called off what he said was a major attack on the Islamic Republic. Oil fell on Monday, with Brent crude down about 4.5% to just over $83 a barrel, after Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said discussions between Tehran and Oman over management of the strait are in the final stages. Trump said Sunday that a deal to open the waterway may be close and that new unspecified talks with Iran would begin on Monday.

2) Stocks and bonds rose as the latest sign of easing tensions between the US and Iran pushed oil prices lower, allaying concerns about faster inflation. S&P 500 futures added 0.5%, signaling a positive start to a week awash with key economic data and corporate earnings. Brent crude slid as much as 7.3% to $81.55 a barrel after President Donald Trump called off a planned attack on Iran. Treasuries rose across the curve, with the benchmark 10-year yield dropping four basis points to 4.69%.

3) The US and Japan’s first joint action on the yen in 15 years, with warnings they won’t “hesitate” to move again, has underscored their unprecedented determination to defend the Asian currency. It’s still unclear how much Washington spent to help lift the yen from its four-decade low. But the currency’s rebound points at interventions larger than in 1998 and 2011, when US contributions didn’t surpass the $1 billion mark. Japan alone is estimated to have spent $53 billion on Thursday — a likely single-day record.

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