Stocks sink and oil prices surge after the U.S. attacks Iran. Here's what to know

The sudden eruption of the Middle East conflict saw stocks drop around the world and introduced new uncertainty into global markets

Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

U.S. stock futures fell sharply early Monday, with major market indexes set to open deep in the red after joint U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran over the weekend prompted broad retaliatory strikes and threatened a spiraling and economically disruptive war in the Middle East.

Futures tied to the S&P 500 sank more than 1%, the Nasdaq $NDAQ slumped 1.4%, and the Dow was set to open down more than 500 points. Gold rose 3% toward a new record high, while the VIX — Wall Street’s gauge of market fear and volatility — jumped a whopping 18%. Crude oil futures spiked about 8%, potentially signaling higher pump prices to come.

Markets fall after shock attacks

The sudden eruption of........

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