U.S. Market Retreats Amid Iran Tensions
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 20 2026
0mins
Should l Buy NEM?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Market Retreat Reasons: The stock market retreated due to concerns over U.S.-Iran tensions, indicating investor sensitivity to geopolitical risks, which may lead to increased volatility in the short term.
- GE Aero Leads New Buys: Despite the overall market decline, GE Aero emerged as a leader in new buys, reflecting investor confidence in its future growth potential, which could bring new capital inflows to the company.
- Comfort Systems Earnings Movement: Comfort Systems' earnings report garnered market attention, demonstrating its resilience in the current economic environment, potentially attracting more investor focus on its long-term growth strategy.
- Grail Earnings Impact: Grail's earnings report became a significant market driver, potentially affecting its stock price trajectory and prompting investors to reassess its future business outlook.
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Analyst Views on NEM
Wall Street analysts forecast NEM stock price to fall
14 Analyst Rating
11 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 127.470
Low
89.00
Averages
110.85
High
125.00
Current: 127.470
Low
89.00
Averages
110.85
High
125.00
About NEM
Newmont Corporation is a gold company and a producer of copper, zinc, lead, and silver with operations and/or assets in the Africa, Australia, Latin America & Caribbean, North America, and Papua New Guinea regions. The Company's operations include Brucejack, Red Chris, Penasquito, Merian, Cerro Negro, Yanacocha, Boddington, Tanami, Cadia, Lihir, Ahafo, and NGM. The Brucejack operation includes four mining leases and six core mineral claims which cover 8,169 acres (3,306 hectares) and 337 mineral claims covering 298,795 acres (120,918 hectares). The Red Chris operation includes five mining leases which cover 12,703 acres and 199 mineral claims, encompassing an area of 164,903 acres (66,734 hectares). Penasquito includes 20 mining concessions for operations comprising 113,231 acres (45,823 hectares) and 60 mining concessions for exploration of 107,456 acres (43,486 hectares). The Merian operation includes one right of exploitation encompassing an area of 41,687 acres (16,870 hectares).
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Escalation of Conflict: The U.S.-Israel military strikes against Iran have entered their third day, resulting in the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, which triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran, leading to over 200 civilian deaths and increasing uncertainty in the global economy.
- Market Reaction: Concerns over potential oil supply disruptions have driven U.S. crude prices up more than 8% to $72.57 per barrel, while Brent crude rose about 9% to $79.41, with precious metals like gold and silver climbing around 2% as investors seek safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tensions.
- Legal Controversy of U.S. Military Action: The U.S. Congress has not authorized military action against Iran, and a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group noted that President Trump's attack lacks legal justification, raising the risk for U.S. forces in the region due to its unprecedented scale.
- Global Reactions: China and Russia have strongly condemned the U.S. and Israeli military actions, calling for an immediate ceasefire, while U.S. allies expressed support for the strikes, emphasizing their right to defend their citizens and sovereignty, highlighting the international community's divided stance on the situation.
See More
Escalating Iran Conflict Triggers Market Turmoil
- Market Reaction: Asia-Pacific markets tumbled on Monday as the conflict between Iran and the U.S.-Israel escalated, with Japan's Nikkei 225 index dropping nearly 2% at open, reflecting heightened investor concerns over the situation.
- Oil Price Surge: Following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, oil futures jumped over 8%, with West Texas Intermediate and Brent trading at $72.52 and $79.04 per barrel respectively, indicating market anxiety over energy supply disruptions.
- Increased Gold Demand: As investors flocked to global safe-haven assets, gold futures rose by 2.3%, highlighting growing fears of uncertainty and a desire to protect investments amid geopolitical tensions.
- U.S. Stock Futures Decline: Following the weekend strikes in Iran, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell by 517 points, or 1%, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures also declining over 1%, showcasing the market's sensitivity to geopolitical risks.
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- Robust Order Backlog: The company currently boasts a $51 billion order backlog, reflecting not only its record revenue in the fourth quarter but also indicating sustainability and growth potential for future performance.
- Mining Growth Potential: Caterpillar's acquisition of RPMGlobal enhances its capabilities in mining software and technology, underscoring the importance of mining in the company's long-term growth strategy, especially amid rising global demand for clean energy products.
- Stable Dividend Policy: With a 30-year streak of dividend increases and a payout ratio of just 31.4%, Caterpillar demonstrates strong sustainability and ample room for growth in providing consistent shareholder returns.
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- Robust Order Backlog: The company currently holds a $51 billion order backlog, achieving record revenue in the fourth quarter, indicating strong growth potential for the coming years.
- Mining Strategic Acquisition: On February 17, Caterpillar announced the acquisition of RPMGlobal to enhance its mining software and technology capabilities, further solidifying its leadership in the mining equipment market.
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- Market Turbulence Anticipated: U.S. President Trump announced the initiation of 'major combat operations' in Iran, leading market watchers to predict greater implications for global markets than recent geopolitical events, particularly concerning oil prices and stock volatility.
- Oil Price Surge Expected: Given Iran's strategic location in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit point, analysts forecast oil prices could rise by 5% to 10% next week due to concerns over supply disruptions amid U.S. military actions.
- Investor Sentiment Cautious: Analysts expect global equities to potentially decline by 1% to 2% on Monday, with U.S. Treasury yields falling by 5 to 10 basis points, as investors may flock to safe-haven assets like gold and the U.S. dollar in light of the uncertainty.
- Impact of Conflict Duration: Market participants are closely monitoring whether the U.S. military actions will escalate into a prolonged 'regime change' effort, as a conflict lasting three to five weeks could lead to significant market volatility, particularly affecting Asian markets reliant on stable energy supplies.
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- Significant Profit Growth: Economist Peter Schiff highlights that gold miners are expanding profit margins and earnings beyond internal forecasts, driven by gold prices holding above $5,000 per ounce since January, while production costs remain relatively stable, enhancing profitability.
- Market Valuation Discrepancy: Despite strong operational performance, many miners trade at modest forward earnings multiples, indicating a disconnect between their market valuation and actual performance, potentially presenting buying opportunities for investors.
- Investor Skepticism: Mining stocks often retreat during brief pullbacks in gold prices, despite record cash generation, suggesting that investors lack confidence in the sustainability of elevated prices, even as central bank demand remains robust.
- Overall Precious Metals Rally: Schiff notes that silver and platinum producers are also experiencing margin expansion, and as the precious metals market recovers, investor interest in these assets may further increase.
See More
US-Israel Military Strikes on Iran Escalate
- Escalation of Conflict: The U.S.-Israel military strikes against Iran have entered their third day, resulting in the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, which triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran, leading to over 200 civilian deaths and increasing uncertainty in the global economy.
- Market Reaction: Concerns over potential oil supply disruptions have driven U.S. crude prices up more than 8% to $72.57 per barrel, while Brent crude rose about 9% to $79.41, with precious metals like gold and silver climbing around 2% as investors seek safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tensions.
- Legal Controversy of U.S. Military Action: The U.S. Congress has not authorized military action against Iran, and a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group noted that President Trump's attack lacks legal justification, raising the risk for U.S. forces in the region due to its unprecedented scale.
- Global Reactions: China and Russia have strongly condemned the U.S. and Israeli military actions, calling for an immediate ceasefire, while U.S. allies expressed support for the strikes, emphasizing their right to defend their citizens and sovereignty, highlighting the international community's divided stance on the situation.
See More
Escalating Iran Conflict Triggers Market Turmoil
- Market Reaction: Asia-Pacific markets tumbled on Monday as the conflict between Iran and the U.S.-Israel escalated, with Japan's Nikkei 225 index dropping nearly 2% at open, reflecting heightened investor concerns over the situation.
- Oil Price Surge: Following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, oil futures jumped over 8%, with West Texas Intermediate and Brent trading at $72.52 and $79.04 per barrel respectively, indicating market anxiety over energy supply disruptions.
- Increased Gold Demand: As investors flocked to global safe-haven assets, gold futures rose by 2.3%, highlighting growing fears of uncertainty and a desire to protect investments amid geopolitical tensions.
- U.S. Stock Futures Decline: Following the weekend strikes in Iran, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell by 517 points, or 1%, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures also declining over 1%, showcasing the market's sensitivity to geopolitical risks.
See More
Caterpillar Shares Double, Driven by AI and Mining Sectors
- Stock Price Surge: Caterpillar's shares have surged 124% over the past year, primarily due to its strong ties to data center construction, highlighting the company's significant role in the rapidly growing AI market.
- Robust Order Backlog: The company currently boasts a $51 billion order backlog, reflecting not only its record revenue in the fourth quarter but also indicating sustainability and growth potential for future performance.
- Mining Growth Potential: Caterpillar's acquisition of RPMGlobal enhances its capabilities in mining software and technology, underscoring the importance of mining in the company's long-term growth strategy, especially amid rising global demand for clean energy products.
- Stable Dividend Policy: With a 30-year streak of dividend increases and a payout ratio of just 31.4%, Caterpillar demonstrates strong sustainability and ample room for growth in providing consistent shareholder returns.
See More
Caterpillar: Leading the Excavator Market
- Significant Performance Growth: Caterpillar's stock has surged 124% over the past year, making it the second-largest component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, reflecting strong demand in the data center and AI sectors.
- Robust Order Backlog: The company currently holds a $51 billion order backlog, achieving record revenue in the fourth quarter, indicating strong growth potential for the coming years.
- Mining Strategic Acquisition: On February 17, Caterpillar announced the acquisition of RPMGlobal to enhance its mining software and technology capabilities, further solidifying its leadership in the mining equipment market.
- Strong Financial Position: With an A+ credit rating and low debt ratios, Caterpillar concluded 2025 with $10 billion in enterprise cash, demonstrating robust cash flow and a commitment to ongoing shareholder returns.
See More
U.S. Launches Major Combat Operations in Iran
- Market Turbulence Anticipated: U.S. President Trump announced the initiation of 'major combat operations' in Iran, leading market watchers to predict greater implications for global markets than recent geopolitical events, particularly concerning oil prices and stock volatility.
- Oil Price Surge Expected: Given Iran's strategic location in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit point, analysts forecast oil prices could rise by 5% to 10% next week due to concerns over supply disruptions amid U.S. military actions.
- Investor Sentiment Cautious: Analysts expect global equities to potentially decline by 1% to 2% on Monday, with U.S. Treasury yields falling by 5 to 10 basis points, as investors may flock to safe-haven assets like gold and the U.S. dollar in light of the uncertainty.
- Impact of Conflict Duration: Market participants are closely monitoring whether the U.S. military actions will escalate into a prolonged 'regime change' effort, as a conflict lasting three to five weeks could lead to significant market volatility, particularly affecting Asian markets reliant on stable energy supplies.
See More
Gold Miners Expand Profit Margins Amid Price Surge
- Significant Profit Growth: Economist Peter Schiff highlights that gold miners are expanding profit margins and earnings beyond internal forecasts, driven by gold prices holding above $5,000 per ounce since January, while production costs remain relatively stable, enhancing profitability.
- Market Valuation Discrepancy: Despite strong operational performance, many miners trade at modest forward earnings multiples, indicating a disconnect between their market valuation and actual performance, potentially presenting buying opportunities for investors.
- Investor Skepticism: Mining stocks often retreat during brief pullbacks in gold prices, despite record cash generation, suggesting that investors lack confidence in the sustainability of elevated prices, even as central bank demand remains robust.
- Overall Precious Metals Rally: Schiff notes that silver and platinum producers are also experiencing margin expansion, and as the precious metals market recovers, investor interest in these assets may further increase.
See More
