Oil crosses $100: stock market can no longer ignore the war

For weeks, equity markets largely shrugged off the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict, betting on a swift resolution and keeping stocks relatively steady. That changed abruptly when oil prices crossed the $100-per-barrel mark, triggering a sharp selloff across major indices. Analysts say the triple-digit oil price acted as a psychological breaking point, forcing investors to finally price in the full risk of a prolonged conflict. Elevated energy costs threaten to reignite inflation, compress corporate margins, and dampen consumer spending across the board. Strategists now warn that any further escalation in the Middle East could push oil even higher, making a market recovery increasingly difficult to sustain.