06:35 AM EDT, 03/09/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity investors will remain glued to the war in the Middle East, while keeping an eye on inflation data and earnings from technology heavyweights.

* West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures jumped to as much as $119.48 a barrel, a 52-week high, early Monday, according to data compiled by CNBC.

* The CBOE Volatility Index climbed 6% to 31.39 pre-bell.

* US government bond yields advanced, with the 10-year climbing 4.3 basis points to 4.18% ahead of the equity market open.

* Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei as its supreme leader following the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, CNN reported, citing the country's state media. US President Donald Trump previously said he would be an "unacceptable," and warned on Sunday that a new leader won't "last long" without his support.

* Oil prices eclipsed $100 per barrel for the first time in more than three and a half years Sunday as the Iran war hinders production and shipping in the Middle East, according to a note from United Securities. "Rising oil prices are emerging as an inflation and growth shock for the US and the global economy as Gulf producers cut output, declare force majeure, and warn that storage constraints could trigger wider shut-ins."

* Kuwait has started reducing crude production and declared force majeure, while Iraq has cut 1.5 million barrels per day and warned reductions could exceed 3 million bpd if export routes remain blocked. Qatar halted liquefied natural gas liquefaction and declared force majeure on exports, while Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. is managing offshore output as storage pressures build, the research note added, citing Reuters.

* Macroeconomic data this week includes the consumer price index, personal consumption expenditures price index, the second estimate for Q4 growth in gross domestic product, and housing market data such as building permits.

* Quarterly earnings due this week include Hewlett Packard Enterprise ( HPE ) , Oracle (ORCL), and Adobe (ADBE).