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Mojtaba Khamenei’s Rise Sparks Market Turmoil as Hardliners Mobilize

People attend a gathering to support Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 9, 2026.  Iran’s hardline factions mounted a powerful show of support for newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei , rallying across Tehran in a display that signaled a tightening of conservative control and diminished hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East.  The demonstrations, marked by mass gatherings and imagery linking Mojtaba to his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, underscored the regime’s consolidation at a moment of heightened regional conflict.  Analysts warn that the hardliners’ unified backing suggests Iran is unlikely to soften its stance amid ongoing tensions with the U.S. and Israel. Global markets reacted sharply. Fears that prolonged instability could further disrupt energy supplies sent oil prices soaring and triggered steep declines in major stock indices. With one of the most significan...

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U.S. stocks retreat from record highs ahead of jobs data


U.S. stocks ended lower on Monday, pulling back from record highs reached last week. The S&P 500 fell 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 0.8%.

Investors were cautious ahead of some key reports this week on the U.S. economy, especially the jobs market The reports could provide more clues on the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates and inflation.

Technology and communication services stocks were among the biggest losers on Monday. Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta Platforms, and Netflix all declined more than 1.5%. Alaska Air Group plunged 14.2% after announcing a deal to buy Hawaiian Airlines.

Markets in Europe and Asia closed mixed on Monday. U.S. crude oil prices fell 1.4%, easing some inflationary pressure.

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