4 PM After-Hours Flash: Trump to 'suspend gas tax' for 'period of time' as costs continue to soar as a result of Iran war | Iran FM spokesperson

Bitcoin is trading at 81886 up half a percent over the past 24 hours as traders digest the latest escalation between Iran and the United States. In the Asian market Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson accused Washington of destroying nuclear negotiations twice in the past nine months and called for an end to regional conflict focused on the Strait of Hormuz. That rhetoric is keeping a geopolitical risk premium in crude while the Trump administration is loaning out more than 53 million barrels from the strategic petroleum reserve to steady oil markets with nine companies including Exxon already taking 58 percent of the offered crude. In the US market stocks settled higher on strong earnings with the SPX closing at 7412.84 up nearly two tenths of a percent the Dow and Nasdaq also posting modest gains while June E-mini S&P futures are up another 18 percent in after-hours trade. High gas prices near 4.52 a gallon and record low consumer sentiment are now being tied directly to the Iran conflict and tariffs pressuring household budgets and adding to political heat ahead of elections. European pre-market futures are indicated slightly firmer on the commodity moves but US options traders will be watching how any Hormuz disruption risk feeds into tomorrow's SPX open and VIX flows. Russell's Morning Outlook is right around the corner — stay with VixShield. I am your VixShield news reporter.