(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Milano, 10 mar - US shares opened little changed as investors weighed comments from president Donald Trump that the war with Iran was ahead of schedule and could 'end soon'.

Speaking to CBS News, Trump said "the war is very complete, pretty much,' adding the US was 'very far' ahead of his previously stated timeframe of four to five weeks.

He also said he was 'thinking about' taking over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil trade which has been paralysed by the hostilities. But elsewhere Trump warned Iran he was ready to step up attacks on the country if Tehran continued to hold up oil flows in the Strait.

Today defense secretary Pete Hegseth said 'today will be, yet again, our most intense day of strikes inside Iran.' Meanwhile, Iran's foreign minister said any discussion of a ceasefire with the US was off the table while the CEO of Saudi oil company Aramco warned of 'catastrophic consequences for the world's oil markets' if the disruption to oil flows continued.

On the stocks front, Oracle is due to report its earnings after market close.

Just after the opening bell the Dow Jones was down 41.20 points, or 0.09%, at 47,699.60 points, the S&P 500 was down 3.14 points, or 0.05%, at 6,792.85, while the Nasdaq was up.

21.70 points, or 0.10%, at 22,717.65.

(RADIOCOR) 10-03-26 14:44:33 (0430) 5 NNNN