Market Movers: A Monday Rundown

The market is buzzing after a hectic weekend. S&P 500 futures are up, but the week before was a downer. Let's dive into the big stories shaping the day. Venezuela is in the spotlight after a major U. S. military strike. President Donald Trump announced the operation, which led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife. They're now in New York, facing narco-terrorism charges. The strike killed many of Maduro's security team, but his allies still hold power. Trump warned that Delcy Rodríguez, another Venezuelan leader, could face serious consequences if she doesn't cooperate. The move has sparked debate. Democrats and some world leaders are questioning the operation. Critics are also revisiting Trump's pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was convicted of drug-related crimes. Trump plans to temporarily take control of Venezuela until a political transition is complete. The U. S. will use its oil blockade and military presence to push its agenda. Venezuela's oil wealth could attract U. S. investors, but the country is deep in debt and facing a financial crisis.Air travel was disrupted after the strike. Regulators closed airspace in the Eastern Caribbean to U. S. airlines, leaving many travelers stranded. Flights have since resumed. Oil prices and stocks are under watch. Venezuela has the world's largest crude oil reserves, but analysts don't expect major market swings soon. OPEC+ kept oil output unchanged, and oil stocks like Chevron and Exxon Mobil are up in premarket trading. Meanwhile, Tesla is no longer the top electric vehicle maker. The company missed delivery forecasts and saw a 16% drop from last year. BYD, a Chinese company, sold more vehicles in 2025. Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, is also facing criticism over AI-generated content on his platform, X. In other news, Chick-fil-A is celebrating its 80th anniversary with a big marketing campaign. The fast-food chain is offering retro packaging, collectible cups, and freebies. This comes as the restaurant industry struggles with declining traffic. Chick-fil-A's sales growth slowed to 5. 4% in 2024, its first single-digit increase in over a decade.