Wall Street closed lower on Thursday, with rising oil prices reigniting concerns over inflation and the Federal Reserve’s monetary easing outlook. The Dow Jones fell 1.61% while the Nasdaq lost 0.26%.

The widening conflict in the Middle East has heightened fears for the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy transport, as maritime traffic has slowed due to the threat of missile and drone strikes.

Against this backdrop, US crude oil surged to $81 a barrel, its highest level since July 2024, while Brent crude jumped 4.9% to settle at $85.41.

Donald Trump reaffirmed his war objectives, including a regime change in Iran. "We want to be involved in choosing who will lead Iran in the future," he stated.

The conflict is also taking on a more regional dimension. The Israeli military carried out strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, after the group fired into Israeli territory. At the same time, the IDF claims to be targeting the "infrastructure of the regime" in Iran.

Amid this particularly intense geopolitical news cycle, today’s economic data will still be closely watched, starting with the US jobs report for February, due out early this afternoon.

In corporate news, SPIE announced Friday the departure of CEO Gauthier Louette, along with a governance shake-up that will separate the roles of chairman and CEO and see two senior executives take over leadership. The group also raised its Ebita margin target for 2028, following an increase last year.

Meanwhile, Atos is targeting stabilization in 2026 before accelerating growth and cash generation between 2027 and 2028, after exceeding its margin target last year.

On the currency markets, the euro is up 0.05% at 1.1613 USD.