Stocks fall and oil rises after Iran leader's uranium demand

By Harry Robertson

LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) - European stocks and U.S. futures fell connected Thursday arsenic lipid prices roseate aft Reuters reported Iran's Supreme Leader has said the country's near-weapons-grade uranium should not beryllium ‌sent abroad, a hard stance against 1 of the main U.S. demands.

Europe's STOXX 600 scale fell ‌0.3%, having risen much than 0.2% earlier successful the session.

Futures for the S&P 500 fell 0.3% portion those for the tech-focused Nasdaq dropped 0.4%.

Ayatollah ​Mojtaba Khamenei's bid could complicate talks connected ending the U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran, perchance making the conflict, which has sent vigor prices soaring, resistance on.

U.S. President Donald Trump has assured Israel that Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium volition beryllium removed and that immoderate bid woody indispensable see the demand, Israeli officials person told Reuters.

The scale tracking the U.S. dollar, which ‌has been a harmless haven for investors ⁠during the war, roseate pursuing the Reuters study and was past up 0.1% astatine 99.23.

The euro slipped and was past down 0.1% astatine $1.161, conscionable supra a six-week low.

Brent crude lipid ⁠climbed and was past 2% higher astatine $107 a barrel.

Investors successful the U.S. and Europe connected Thursday were besides near mulling mixed messages from Trump connected Iran.

The U.S. president said connected Wednesday helium could hold a fewer days for "the close answers" from Tehran, ​which ​helped Wall Street stocks rally, but was besides consenting to ​resume strikes connected the country.

Pakistan was stepping up ‌diplomatic efforts to support U.S.-Iran bid talks connected track, arsenic officials successful Tehran said they were reviewing Washington's latest responses.

"Conviction is little this time," said Francesco Pesole, currency strategist astatine ING. "Rhetoric from some sides remains belligerent, and markets are much hesitant to pursuit optimistic headlines aft earlier disappointments."

U.S. 10-year Treasury yields, which acceptable the code for borrowing costs astir the world, roseate on with lipid prices and were past trading 3 ground points higher astatine 4.601%.

They deed a ‌16-month precocious of 4.687% connected Tuesday arsenic traders continued to scrap ​their erstwhile bets connected Federal Reserve complaint cuts.

Shares successful Nvidia, the ​world's biggest institution by marketplace capitalisation, were level ​in pre-market trading contempt the firm's net beating Wall Street expectations.

Nvidia connected Wednesday forecast second-quarter ‌earnings of $91 cardinal and announced an $80 cardinal stock repurchase ​programme.

"Investors privation the satellite from ​Nvidia," said Dan Coatsworth, caput of markets astatine AJ Bell.