Wall Street Opens Higher on Hopes of Middle East De-escalation; Pentagon to Deploy Army Paratroopers to Middle East

Wall Street's main indexes opened higher on Wednesday as prospects of a de-escalation in the Middle East conflict allayed some investor fears around prolonged energy supply disruptions.

A source at the Pentagon has told media that elements of the elite 82nd Airborne Division are being deployed to the region. A key element of the 82nd Airborne is the Immediate Response Force—highly-trained soldiers who can parachute into enemy territory. The deployment comes after U.S. airstrikes on Iran's Kharg Island, targeting military facilities but leaving oil infrastructure untouched. President Donald Trump also warning that the United States could target oil facilities if Iran interferes with the Strait of Hormuz.