Key facts
- US forces carried out airstrikes targeting Iranian missile storage and launch sites.
- President Trump warned Iran to 'behave' and indicated no deadline for a peace deal.
- Iran's negotiator stressed the importance of control over the Strait of Hormuz.
- Brent crude oil prices remained near one-month highs, trading around $85 per barrel.
- UK economists forecast the economy to have flatlined in May, ahead of GDP data release.
The FTSE 100 is anticipated to open lower on Thursday, July 16, 2026, as escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran are expected to impact global energy markets. President Donald Trump issued a warning to Iran to 'behave' following fresh US airstrikes targeting Iranian missile storage facilities and launch sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Trump indicated he would not set a deadline for a peace deal, stating that Iran 'knows the story' and 'better behave.'