Oil Prices Slide On U.S.-Iran Peace Signals; Airline Stocks Take Off

Oil prices retreated below $90 a barrel Wednesday morning as markets seemed to conclude that a near-term opening of the Strait of Hormuz is very likely. Despite a flare-up in tensions over the prior 24 hours as the U.S. targeted small Iranian boats and missile sites, Iranian television helped place the focus on a peace deal, broadcasting terms of a 14-point framework. While the S&P 500 only managed a slight gain on Wednesday morning, airlines and cruise line stocks jumped, led by United Airlines, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival and Delta Air Lines.