The war with Iran upended markets this month. There were losers — and winners

By John Towfighi, CNN

New York (CNN) — It’s been a brutal month for bonds — but stocks mostly shrugged off the turmoil.

Bond yields hit their highest levels in years, Brent crude rose back above $100 per barrel and central banks around the globe raised interest rates. Yet the S&P 500 ended the month close to flat, posting a loss of just 0.45% — a surprisingly calm performance given the pressure building elsewhere in markets.

There are tensions in markets as bond yields hit multi-year highs, but stock indexes like the S&P 500 continue to tread water. The disconnect is raising questions about how long stocks can withstand the impact of higher bond yields and oil prices.

And bond volatility surged this month, raising concerns about dislocations arising in markets. The bond market’s fear gauge, which tracks expectations for volatility, surged roughly 47% in September, its biggest one-month gain since February 2021.

The end of September also marks the end of the third quarter, offering a chance to look back at the major trends shaping markets. Here are the biggest losers and biggest winners:

Losers

Bonds

Bonds have slumped, sending yields higher, as investors grapple with concerns about inflation and tighter monetary policy. For the average bond fund, it has meant poor returns.

A Vanguard exchange-traded fund tracking the total US bond market is down 5% this year. Municipal bonds have also struggled: The iShares National Muni Bond ETF is down roughly 6% this year.

Bonds are often considered the boring part of a portfolio. But as the Iran energy shock ignites inflation and prompts central banks to tighten, it’s complicating the outlook.

The rise in yields does have a silver lining: Bond funds are now cheaper than they were a few months ago. Yields are also at their highest levels in years, which can offer solid income for new buyers.

Cruise ships and airlines

The surge in fuel costs and interest rates this year dinged specific industries, putting some stocks in a slump. Shares of cruise ship companies are trying to claw their way out of a hole.

Norwegian Cruise Line shares (NCLH) had their worst quarterly performance since the second quarter of 2022, after the onset of Russia’s war with Ukraine. Shares are down 34% this year, driven by a 31% drop this quarter.

Other cruise companies have felt the pain: Royal Caribbean shares (RCL) fell 16% this quarter, putting them down almost 5% this year. Carnival Corporation shares (CCL) dropped 14% this quarter and are down 20% this year.

However, Carnival reported earnings Tuesday and beat Wall Street’s estimates as strong consumer demand helped offset the impact of higher fuel costs. Analysts said the outlook remains solid, citing resilient consumer demand.

Airlines have also been roiled by the energy shock and surge in jet fuel costs. American Airlines shares (AAL) dropped 26% this quarter, putting them down 13% this year.

Precious metals

Higher interest rates may not have not rattled the S&P 500, but precious metals have felt the pressure. Gold futures fell more than 6% this month, silver dropped 9% and palladium sank 12%.

Precious metals slumped as bond yields and central bank rates rose this month. Metals, which don’t pay income, can become less appealing when interest rates rise.

Winners

Big Tech

Big Tech stocks like Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) rallied sharply this quarter, up 29% and 38%, respectively. Meta shares had their best quarter in two years, and Microsoft shares had their best quarter since 1998.

Gains in tech stocks have helped keep the S&P 500 afloat. The index is weighted by market capitalization, so the larger a company’s market value, the more influence it has on the index’s performance.

The tech sector rose 5% this month while a majority of sectors in the S&P 500 ended the month in red. The gains in tech helped offset declines in the other sectors – leaving the S&P down just 0.45% this month.

This quarter, the S&P 500 gained 2%. But an equal-weight version of the S&P that gives each stock the same weighting fell 1.55%, highlighting the extent to which the market’s gains have been dependent on tech.

Energy stocks

The surge in oil prices this year has been a boon for companies in the energy sector. Higher crude prices can boost companies’ bottom lines and provide incentives for more production.

Phillips 66 shares (PSX) surged 51% this quarter and are up 98% this year. Chevron shares (CVX) rose 23% this quarter, ConocoPhillips shares (COP) jumped 20% and ExxonMobil shares (XOM) rose 19%.

All told, energy and technology are the two top-performing sectors in the S&P 500 this year.

Bitcoin

With all the moves in oil, bonds and stocks, one asset had an unexpectedly strong quarter: bitcoin.

The cryptocurrency rallied more than 40% this quarter, rebounding from a slump and rising as high as $86,500 in September, its highest level since January.

Bitcoin rallied despite headwinds for the broader crypto industry after the CLARITY Act failed to pass the Senate.

Still, bitcoin is well below its record high from nearly a year ago, when it topped $126,000.

Where do we go from here?

Eight months into the Iran war, investors are reckoning with major shifts in the economy and financial markets. Diesel prices have hit record highs and long-term bond yields are at their highest levels in decades. Still, the economy has been resilient and corporate profits remain robust.

After falling by 5% in the first quarter and rallying 15% in the second, the S&P 500 ended the third quarter with a gain of 2%. That leaves the benchmark up almost 12% this year, on track for a fourth-straight year of double-digit gains.

But those headline numbers are masking a more complicated market.

Technology continues to prop up the S&P 500, even as other parts of the market are showing weakness. For an investor holding standard funds, returns remain solid this year, with the benchmark up more than 10%.

Bonds are a different story. They have taken a hit, and their outlook depends on the path of oil prices and interest rates. The correlation between oil prices and the 10-year Treasury yield is at its highest level since the 1990s, according to Cboe Global Markets, highlighting just how important the energy shock has been for the broader market.

Wall Street’s focus for the remainder of the year is on two more Fed rate decisions, another round of corporate earnings and developments in the Middle East.

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