U.S. Stocks Slip to Lows as Trump Boosts Biofuel
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- U.S. stocks tumbled on Friday, sending all three major U.S. indexes to their lowest closing levels in over six months as megacap weakness persisted.
- The Middle East war continued to suppress risk appetite, a factor behind the market slump.
- The Trump administration ordered U.S. refiners on Friday to increase biofuel blending in gasoline and diesel for this year and next.
- Industry leaders warned the blending order would raise pump prices already spiking due to the war in Iran.
- The Renewable Fuel Standard obligates refiners to blend billions of gallons of corn‑based ethanol or buy RIN credits, a program supported by farmers but seen as a costly burden by refiners.
Why it matters: Investors see a sharp market dip as war‑driven risk aversion drives indexes to six‑month lows, while refiners confront higher blending mandates that could lift gasoline prices and erode profit margins, and farmers stand to gain from increased demand for ethanol and RIN credits.
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