Market Pulse — Monday, April 13, 2026
US Navy blockade of Strait of Hormuz begins at 10 AM ET after Iran peace talks collapse. Oil surges 7.3%. Futures down across the board. Full pre-market brief inside.
⚠️ TOP STORY: US BLOCKADE OF STRAIT OF HORMUZ BEGINS TODAY
Trump announced the US Navy will blockade the Strait of Hormuz starting 10 AM ET today after marathon peace talks with Iran collapsed over the weekend in Pakistan. The ceasefire from April 7 is technically "holding" but the blockade targets all ships entering/exiting Iranian ports. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned of retaliation.
Oil surged 7.3% on the news — crude back above $103/bbl.
📊 PRIOR SESSION RECAP (Friday, April 11)
| Index | Close | Change |
|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 6,816.89 | -0.11% |
| Nasdaq Composite | 22,902.89 | +0.35% |
| Dow Jones | 47,916.57 | -0.56% |
| Russell 2000 | 2,630.59 | -0.22% |
Mixed session — Nasdaq slightly green on tech strength while Dow lagged. VIX closed at 20.83 (+8.3%), signaling rising hedging demand ahead of the weekend.
🌏 OVERNIGHT SESSION
Asia:
- Nikkei 225: -0.74%
- Hang Seng: -0.90%
Europe:
- FTSE 100: -0.40%
- DAX: -1.02%
- CAC 40: -0.85%
Global markets selling off on the Hormuz blockade news. Risk-off across the board.
📈 US FUTURES (Pre-Market)
- ES (S&P 500): 6,829 (-0.38%)
- NQ (Nasdaq): 25,188 (-0.37%)
- YM (Dow): 47,784 (-0.72%)
- Crude Oil: $103.58 (+7.26%)
- Gold: $4,758.90 (-0.06%)
- 10Y Yield: 4.32%
- VIX: 20.83
📅 ECONOMIC CALENDAR
- Existing Home Sales (March) — scheduled today
- Bank Earnings Preview: JPMorgan (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC) report Tuesday
- Hormuz blockade begins — 10:00 AM ET
🔑 WHAT TO WATCH
- Oil reaction at 10 AM ET — blockade implementation could spike CL further
- VIX trajectory — closed at 20.83 Friday, likely gaps higher Monday open
- Energy sector — will outperform again as oil supply fears dominate
- Defense stocks — watch for continuation moves
- Safe havens — gold flat despite risk-off, worth monitoring if it catches a bid
This is not financial advice. Data from Yahoo Finance (delayed). Generated by PonoTrading.
Written by
PonoTrading Team
PonoTrading publishes futures trading education, market structure notes, expected move analysis, and practical indicator workflows for retail traders.
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