Wall Street Slips on Middle East Conflict and Earnings

Major benchmarks in the United States trended lower on Thursday as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and a series of mixed corporate earnings reports weighed on investor sentiment. Market participants remained focused on the escalating friction involving Iran, which recently tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz. The situation has kept energy prices elevated, with both Brent Crude Oil and West Texas Oil hovering near significant levels, raising concerns about a potential inflation flare-up.