"From the sky to the ground", oil prices soar, forcing American materials stocks to "change fate".

One of the most outstanding sectors in the American stock market this year, material stocks, has now become one of the hardest-hit sectors since the outbreak of the Iran war, due to the sharp increase in oil prices leading to a significant rise in industrial production costs. Companies such as sealant manufacturer PPG Industries, packaging company Smurfit Kappa Group, paper producer International Paper, and concrete producer Vulcan Materials are among the enterprises that have experienced a cumulative stock decline of at least 16% since the close on February 27. The performance of these companies has dragged down the S&P 500 Materials Index, composed of 26 companies, by 10% during the same period. Apart from the stocks of these four companies, all other constituent stocks have been in a downward trend since the conflict. Before the outbreak of the war, only one of these companies had no annual decline in stock price. Strong metal prices at the beginning of 2026, strong fourth-quarter earnings, and expectations of increased demand for chemical products drove the industry's growth. However, the recent market downturn is due to the disruption in transportation through the Strait of Hormuz, causing oil prices to rise by as much as 50%, reaching nearly $110 per barrel.