CNBC Daily Open: U.S.-Iran ceasefire set to expire

A man waves an Iranian flag before a political billboard at Valiasr Square in central Tehran on August 8, 2026. Hopes for an imminent US-Iran deal to end the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz added to optimism that oil and gas, along with other key products, would again start flowing freely after more than five months of war. But oil prices turned higher ahead of the weekend in the absence of any confirmation of an accord, amid reports that Iran was planning to block US and Israeli ships from the waterway. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images) / Atta Kenare | Afp | Getty ImagesHello, this is Leonie Kidd coming to you from London. Volatility - like myself - seems to have taken a break over the summer. After a couple of weeks away from the newsroom, markets seem trapped in a holding pattern. The VIX implied volatility index has dropped to a multi-year low, but it feels like it may not take much to have the market mood swing the other way... What you need to know todayThe fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is due to expire today. A senior White House official, speaking to Politico anonymously, described negotiations between Washington and Tehran as "static." Iran's for...