How Middle East tensions drove oil up 3.5% and US futures down — Market Wrap May 18

Today's AI insights from 7horns.ai highlight a volatile start on May 18, 2026, as geopolitical fears from a drone strike near the UAE's Barakah nuclear plant sent Brent crude soaring above $111 per barrel, marking a 3.5% jump. This supply disruption, deemed the largest ever by the International Energy Agency, reignited inflation concerns and pushed oil prices sharply higher. Meanwhile, US futures pointed to a lower open with the S&P 500 down about 0.7%, Nasdaq futures off nearly 0.6%, and Dow futures sliding close to 0.9%, reflecting anxiety over rising Treasury yields and geopolitical risks. Gold fell over 2.3% on Friday amid rising yields, with the 10-year Treasury hitting 4.631%, its highest since early 2025. In individual stocks, Microsoft gained over 3%, Nvidia dipped 4.4% ahead of its earnings report, and Tesla dropped 4.7%. POET Technologies showed a notable pre-market rebound, recovering nearly 11% after a 22% plunge on Friday. Investors remain focused on Middle East developments and the upcoming Nvidia earnings. AI insights powered by 7horns.ai — the world's first true AI research financial assistant. Our CNN machine learning model delivers daily stock market analysis with over 60% accuracy, beating the S&P 500 by 300% from 2021–2025. No human emotions, just pure AI-driven financial research. Visit 7horns.ai for your free daily AI insights.