US stocks-Wall St slips as steep oil prices stoke inflation concerns ahead of CPI
SPY•Oil prices rise as Middle East tensions flare
Now in its seventh month, the U.S.-Iran war has remained an overhang on equities. Tensions flared up again in the region, raising the risk of a wider conflict.
Brent crude futures LCOc1 rose 0.77% as Yemen's Tehran-backed Houthis attacked energy facilities and cities in U.S. ally Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed, with Iran threatening on Monday to retaliate for any new U.S. attacks.
"The conflict between the United States and Iran is beginning to look less like a temporary disruption and more like a longer-term backdrop for markets," said Jeff DerGurahian, chief investment officer at loanDepot.
Energy .SPNY was the best-performing sector on the S&P 500, rising 1.22%, with Marathon Petroleum MPC.N and Occidental Petroleum OXY.N up 1.96% and 1.63%, respectively.



