The greatest risk the oil markets face is that Iran retaliates against Israel airstrikes by closing the Strait of Hormuz, which is critical to global energy shipments.

The initial round of Israeli attacks sent oil prices 7 percent higher on Friday. Still, at about $74 a barrel, Brent crude remains below the $80 average for 2024, the Deutsche Bank analysts wrote. The market continued to waver, though, and by Monday, oil prices had fallen about 3 percent.

Oil prices fell and stocks climbed in early trading on Monday, indicating optimism among investors about the limits of economic fallout from the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 415 points, or 1%, erasing much of the losses suffered on Friday as back-and-forth strikes broke out between the two countries.