12:41 PM EDT, 06/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US equity indexes declined in midday trading on Tuesday as President Donald Trump's call for an evacuation of Tehran helped send crude oil futures higher.

The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.3% to 19,651.6, the S&P 500 was down 0.2% to 6,018.6, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average traded 0.1% lower at 42,460.3 as the deadly fighting between Iran and Israel entered its fifth day. All sectors except for energy declined intraday, as Trump announced plans to return early from the Group of Seven meeting in Canada.

Trump rejected French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion that the US president left the G7 summit early to work on a ceasefire in the Middle East. The president also said he hasn't contacted Iran for peace talks "in any way, shape, or form."

Trump indicated that his early departure was due to matters "much bigger" than planning a ceasefire between the two sides. "Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON," Trump wrote in a separate social media post. "I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!"

"Oil prices are rising again after President Donald Trump called for the evacuation of Tehran," ING said in a note. "His comments, which stood in contrast with previous optimism that the Israel-Iran conflict wouldn't escalate into a broader regional conflict in the Middle East, renewed volatility in financial markets."

West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures jumped 2.6% to $73.61 a barrel.

"The market remains on edge with the biggest fear a potential blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, which would lead [oil] prices to soar further," ING said in the note.

In economic news, US retail sales fell 0.9% in May, versus the 0.6% decline expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg and April's 0.1% retreat. Excluding a 3.5% drop in motor vehicle sales, retail sales were down 0.3% compared with an expected 0.2% gain. That followed a flat reading in April. Removing motor vehicles and a 2% slump in gasoline station sales, retail sales fell 0.1% in May after a 0.1% gain in April.

Most US Treasury yields fell, with the 10-year down 4.7 basis points to 4.41%.