Brent Crude

Brent Crude Climbs Toward $80 as Supply Risks Outweigh Economic Concerns

Brent crude oil advanced nearly 1% on Friday, extending its recent gains as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued to support concerns over potential supply disruptions.

Oil prices remained elevated after recent military exchanges between the United States and Iran heightened uncertainty across the region. Investors continue to price in a geopolitical risk premium given the strategic importance of the Middle East to global energy markets.

The market also assessed this week’s U.S. economic data. Softer inflation strengthened expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, a development that could support future fuel demand by improving economic activity. However, mixed retail sales data suggested consumer spending may be moderating, limiting some of the optimism surrounding the demand outlook.

Meanwhile, traders continued monitoring global supply conditions, including OPEC+ production policy and U.S. inventory trends, while keeping a close watch on developments involving Russia and broader geopolitical risks.

With Brent approaching the $80-per-barrel level, price action is likely to remain highly sensitive to both macroeconomic developments and geopolitical headlines. Investors will continue watching Middle East tensions, central bank policy expectations, and global demand indicators for the next direction in the oil market.
Brent Crude Jumps Above $86 as Middle East Tensions Rekindle Supply Concerns

Brent crude oil climbed nearly 4% on Tuesday, trading above $86 per barrel as renewed geopolitical tensions involving the United States and Iran overshadowed broader macroeconomic developments and reignited concerns over global oil supplies.

Oil prices have rallied sharply over the past several sessions following a fresh escalation in the Middle East. Recent exchanges between the U.S. and Iran have increased fears that the conflict could disrupt energy infrastructure or shipping routes in the region, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for global crude exports.

The rally has also been supported by a generally constructive global economic backdrop. China's latest trade data surprised to the upside, with exports and imports both growing much faster than expected, pointing to resilient industrial activity and potentially stronger oil demand from the world's largest crude importer. Meanwhile, Germany reported a larger-than-expected trade surplus, reinforcing signs of stability in Europe's largest economy.

Despite these supportive demand signals, investors continue to monitor the outlook for global monetary policy. Mixed economic data from the United States and other major economies have kept expectations for future interest rate moves uncertain, leaving demand forecasts balanced against geopolitical risks.

Looking ahead, Brent's direction will likely remain driven by developments in the Middle East. Any further escalation between the U.S. and Iran could push prices even higher by increasing concerns over supply disruptions, while signs of de-escalation could quickly remove part of the geopolitical premium that has fueled the recent rally.

Oil prices rise as Trump vows to reinstate Hormuz strait blockade, US and Iran exchange strikes

Oil prices rose further on Monday as the US and Iran traded a new round of strikes.

(finance.yahoo.com)
Brent Crude Oil Rises 2.6% as U.S.-Iran Conflict Raises Supply Disruption Fears

Brent crude oil climbed more than 2.5% on Monday, extending its recent rally as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran renewed concerns over global oil supplies. Brent futures traded near $78 per barrel after investors priced in the growing risk of supply disruptions in the Middle East.

Middle East Tensions Drive Oil Higher

The latest gains came after the military conflict between the U.S. and Iran intensified, raising fears that crude exports from the region could be disrupted.

A key concern for energy markets is the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important oil shipping routes. After Iran declared the Strait is closed, geopolitical risk premiums have returned to the oil market as traders prepare for the possibility of further escalation.

Supply Risks Outweigh Demand Concerns

The renewed geopolitical tensions have largely overshadowed concerns about slowing global economic growth and weaker fuel demand.

While investors continue to monitor the outlook for China and other major economies, the immediate focus has shifted toward potential supply shocks. Higher oil prices also reflect increased uncertainty surrounding shipping, insurance costs, and production risks across the Middle East.

The rebound follows several weeks of relatively stable prices, with traders now reassessing the balance between adequate global inventories and rising geopolitical risks.

What Investors Are Watching Next

Oil markets will remain highly sensitive to developments in the Middle East over the coming days. Any escalation that threatens production facilities or shipping routes could push prices higher, while signs of diplomatic progress could quickly remove part of the current geopolitical risk premium.

Beyond geopolitics, investors will also monitor upcoming U.S. inflation data, Federal Reserve expectations, and global demand indicators for additional direction.

For now, concerns over potential supply disruptions stemming from the U.S.-Iran conflict remain the dominant driver of Brent crude, helping lift prices despite ongoing uncertainty about the global economic outlook.
Brent Crude Slips as U.S.-Iran Tensions Keep Risk Premium Elevated While Macro Data Clouds Demand Outlook

Brent crude oil edged lower today, slipping nearly 1% to around $77.25 per barrel, as traders assessed renewed U.S.-Iran tensions alongside mixed global macroeconomic data.

Oil prices remain supported by geopolitical risk after attacks between the United States and Iran in recent days raised concerns over potential disruption risks in the Middle East. Although no major supply interruption has been confirmed, any escalation involving Iran increases market sensitivity because of the region's importance to global oil flows and the Strait of Hormuz.

At the same time, macroeconomic data created a more cautious demand backdrop. China’s consumer inflation slowed to 1.0% in June, slightly below expectations, while producer prices rose 4.1%, pointing to uneven economic momentum in the world’s largest crude importer.

The market is therefore balancing two opposing forces: geopolitical risk that supports prices and macro uncertainty that limits stronger upside. Traders are also watching U.S. inventory data, OPEC+ production decisions, and further developments in the U.S.-Iran conflict for the next direction.

For now, Brent remains elevated compared with last week, but the latest decline shows that demand concerns and uncertainty over the scale of any supply disruption continue to keep the market volatile.
Brent Crude Holds Near $72 as Traders Balance Supply Risks and Demand Outlook

Brent crude oil traded little changed on Monday, holding near *$71.80 per barrel* as investors balanced expectations of ample global supply against improving demand prospects following last week's weaker-than-expected U.S. economic data.

Oil prices remain under pressure after OPEC+ signaled another production increase beginning in August, raising concerns that additional supply could weigh on the market. At the same time, uncertainty over global economic growth continues to limit bullish sentiment.

However, downside pressure has been tempered by expectations that the Federal Reserve could begin cutting interest rates later this year after the U.S. economy added just *57,000 nonfarm payrolls* in June, well below market expectations. Lower borrowing costs could help support economic activity and energy demand in the coming months.

Investors are also monitoring geopolitical developments in the Middle East and global trade negotiations, both of which could influence the supply-demand outlook for crude markets.

With competing forces offsetting each other, Brent crude remained broadly stable around the *$72 per barrel* level as traders awaited fresh catalysts, including upcoming U.S. inflation data and further signals on global oil supply and demand.
Gold Climbs While Brent Holds Steady as Markets Weigh Weak U.S. Jobs Data and Fed Outlook

Gold prices advanced sharply while Brent crude oil ended nearly unchanged on Friday, as investors assessed weaker-than-expected U.S. labor market data and its implications for Federal Reserve policy.

August gold futures settled at $4,181.10 per ounce, gaining 1.34%, after the June U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls report showed the economy added just 57,000 jobs, well below economists’ expectations of 114,000. Although weekly initial jobless claims came in at 215,000, slightly below forecasts, the sharp slowdown in hiring reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could begin cutting interest rates later this year.

Lower interest rates tend to support gold by reducing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets. The precious metal also continued to benefit from recent remarks by Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh at the ECB Forum in Portugal, where he emphasized that policymakers should remain flexible as economic conditions evolve. Ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and continued central bank demand also provided additional support for bullion.

Meanwhile, Brent crude finished the session near $71.76 per barrel, little changed despite early volatility. Oil prices initially came under pressure following the disappointing U.S. jobs report, as weaker employment growth raised concerns about future fuel demand in the world’s largest economy.

However, losses were limited by continued attention to global supply conditions, including OPEC+ production policy and broader geopolitical risks. Investors also weighed the possibility that weaker economic data could accelerate Fed rate cuts, which could eventually support economic growth and energy demand.

With U.S. financial markets closed on Friday for the Independence Day holiday, trading volumes remained relatively light. However, gold outperformed on growing expectations of monetary policy easing, while Brent crude held broadly steady as demand concerns were balanced by ongoing supply-side support.
Brent Crude Falls as Geopolitical Risk Premium Continues to Fade

Brent crude oil traded lower on Wednesday, extending its recent decline as easing geopolitical tensions reduced the risk premium that had supported prices earlier.

At the time of writing, Brent crude was down 1.05% at $70.82 per barrel. Over the past five days, prices have fallen nearly 6%, reflecting a sharp shift in sentiment after fears of a wider Middle East conflict eased.

The decline suggests traders are moving away from supply-disruption concerns and refocusing on fundamentals, including global demand, OPEC+ production policy, and signs of slower economic activity.

Recent U.S. data showed private job growth and manufacturing momentum weakening, raising concerns that softer economic growth could weigh on energy demand. At the same time, the U.S.-Iran ceasefire has reduced immediate fears of disruption in key oil-producing regions.

For now, Brent remains under pressure as the market unwinds geopolitical risk pricing. Unless new supply risks emerge, traders are likely to keep watching demand indicators and upcoming inventory data for the next clear direction.
Gold and Brent Crude Extend Losses as Easing Geopolitical Tensions Weigh on Commodities

Gold and Brent crude oil traded lower on Wednesday as easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East reduced demand for traditional safe-haven and risk-premium assets, while investors shifted their focus back to broader macroeconomic fundamentals.

At the time of writing, Brent crude futures were down 1.4% at $71.90 per barrel, while gold futures fell 1.3% to $3,986.40 per ounce.

# Brent Crude Slides as Geopolitical Risk Premium Fades

Brent crude extended its recent decline after the ceasefire between the United States and Iran eased concerns over potential supply disruptions from the Middle East.

With the immediate threat of a broader regional conflict diminishing, traders have continued to remove the geopolitical risk premium that had supported oil prices during recent tensions. Investors are now turning their attention back to global supply and demand fundamentals, including OPEC+ production policy, economic growth, and fuel demand.

# Gold Pulls Back as Investors Take Profits

Gold also came under pressure as investors reduced safe-haven positions amid improving market sentiment.

The easing of geopolitical risks encouraged investors to rotate into equities, particularly technology stocks, while the precious metal faced additional selling following its exceptional rally over the past year. After climbing to record highs, gold appears to be experiencing a period of profit-taking as some investors lock in gains.

Despite the recent pullback, the longer-term outlook for gold remains supported by continued central bank buying, ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, and expectations that major central banks could gradually ease monetary policy over time.

# Risk Appetite Improves Across Financial Markets

The decline in gold and oil coincided with another positive session for global equity markets. U.S. stocks advanced, led by technology shares, as investors welcomed easing geopolitical tensions and continued to favor risk assets.

The improving market sentiment reduced demand for defensive investments, contributing to weakness across both commodities.

# What Investors Are Watching

Looking ahead, market participants will closely monitor:

* Developments surrounding the U.S.-Iran ceasefire.
* OPEC+ production policy and global oil demand.
* Upcoming U.S. labor market and inflation data.
* Central bank policy expectations and broader risk sentiment.

With geopolitical risks easing and investors rotating back into equities, both gold and Brent crude could remain under pressure in the near term, although any renewed geopolitical tensions or deterioration in the economic outlook could quickly restore demand for defensive assets.
Brent crude extended its decline on Friday, falling more than 3% to around $73 per barrel as easing geopolitical tensions and improving oil flows from the Middle East continued to pressure prices.

The recent risk premium that lifted crude prices during the Iran conflict has largely faded after signs of a sustained ceasefire and the gradual normalization of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. With supply disruption fears easing, traders have shifted their focus back to underlying market fundamentals.

Oil also remains under pressure from concerns about global demand. Slowing economic activity in several major economies and expectations for ample supply have weighed on sentiment, reinforcing the recent pullback in crude prices. Analysts have also begun lowering their near-term oil price forecasts as geopolitical risks recede and supply conditions improve. (The Wall Street Journal)

Despite today's decline, investors continue to monitor developments in the Middle East, as any renewed disruption to regional oil exports or shipping routes could quickly restore volatility to the energy market.
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China

China Keeps Benchmark Loan Prime Rates Unchanged in July

China’s central bank left its benchmark lending rates unchanged in July, matching market expectations as policymakers maintained a measured approach to supporting the country’s economic recovery.

The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) kept the one-year Loan Prime Rate (LPR), the benchmark for most new corporate and household loans, at 3.00%. The five-year LPR, which serves as the reference rate for mortgages, also remained unchanged at 3.50%.
China's Trade Surplus Widens Sharply in June as Exports and Imports Beat Forecasts

China posted a much stronger-than-expected trade performance in June, with exports and imports both accelerating well above forecasts, signaling resilient external demand and improving domestic activity.

China's trade surplus widened to *$125.62 billion* in June, exceeding economists' expectations of *$119.50 billion* and increasing from *$105.43 billion* in May.

Exports surged *27.0% year over year*, significantly above the *18.2%* consensus estimate and accelerating from *19.4%* in the previous month. The strong export growth suggests Chinese manufacturers continued to benefit from robust global demand despite persistent trade and geopolitical uncertainties.

Imports also exceeded expectations, rising *36.0% year over year* compared with forecasts of *24.0%*, following a *27.4%* increase in May. The sharp increase points to strengthening domestic demand as well as higher purchases of commodities, intermediate goods, and industrial inputs.

The stronger-than-expected trade data reinforce signs that China's economy maintained solid momentum at the end of the second quarter. Robust export activity and accelerating imports suggest both external demand and domestic consumption are contributing to economic growth.

Investors will now turn their attention to upcoming GDP, industrial production, and retail sales data for further insight into the strength of China's economic recovery and the potential implications for government stimulus measures and monetary policy.
China’s Inflation Slows While Producer Prices Accelerate in June

China’s inflation data painted a mixed picture in June, with consumer price growth slowing while producer inflation continued to accelerate, highlighting uneven price pressures across the economy.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.0% year over year, slightly below expectations of 1.1% and down from 1.2% in May.

Meanwhile, the Producer Price Index (PPI) increased 4.1% year over year, matching market expectations and accelerating from 3.9% in the previous month.
China’s Services Sector Continues to Expand Despite Slight Cooling in June

China’s services sector remained in expansion territory in June, with activity exceeding market expectations despite easing slightly from the previous month.

The RatingDog Services PMI came in at 54.1 in June, above economists’ expectations of 53.0 but slightly below May’s reading of 54.4.
China's Caixin Manufacturing PMI Misses Expectations in June

China's Caixin Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) edged down to 51.7 in June, missing market expectations of 51.9 and slipping from 51.8 in May.

Despite the slight decline, the index remained above the 50-point threshold, indicating that China's manufacturing sector continued to expand for the month.
China's Manufacturing Activity Expands Slightly More Than Expected in June

China's official Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to 50.3 in June, beating market expectations of 50.1 and improving from 50.0 in May. The reading above the 50-point threshold indicates the manufacturing sector returned to modest expansion.

Meanwhile, the Non-Manufacturing PMI, which tracks activity in the services and construction sectors, edged up to 50.2 from 50.1 in May, slightly exceeding expectations of 49.9.
China Keeps Loan Prime Rates Unchanged as Policymakers Balance Growth and Financial Stability

China’s central bank left its benchmark lending rates unchanged in June, with the one-year Loan Prime Rate (LPR) remaining at 3.00%, matching both market expectations and the previous reading.
China’s Industrial Output Beats Expectations, While Investment Remains Weak

China's economy showed mixed signals in May as industrial activity strengthened while investment spending continued to contract.

Data released showed industrial production rose 4.5% year-over-year in May, slightly above economists’ expectations of 4.4% and improving from April’s 4.1% growth. The stronger factory output suggests manufacturing activity remained resilient despite ongoing concerns about global demand and domestic economic momentum.

However, fixed asset investment disappointed, falling 4.1% year-over-year in May. The decline was significantly worse than the expected 2.3% drop and deeper than the previous 1.6% contraction. The weak investment figures point to continued challenges in China's property sector and cautious business spending.

The contrast between improving industrial production and deteriorating investment highlights the uneven nature of China's economic recovery. While manufacturers appear to be maintaining production levels, weaker capital spending could weigh on future growth prospects if investment activity fails to stabilize.

Investors will continue monitoring upcoming economic indicators for further signs of whether recent policy support measures can strengthen domestic demand and revive business confidence.
China’s Inflation Remains Subdued as May CPI Misses Expectations

China’s consumer inflation remained weak in May, highlighting ongoing challenges in boosting domestic demand despite recent policy support measures.

The country’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.2% year-over-year, matching the previous month’s pace but falling short of economists’ expectations for a 1.3% increase. On a monthly basis, consumer prices declined 0.1%, a smaller drop than the 0.2% decline forecast by analysts, following a 0.3% increase in April.
China's RatingDog Services PMI rose to 54.4 in May, well above the 52.3 forecast and up sharply from 52.6 in April.
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NASDAQ:NVDA

NVIDIA shares climbed approximately 4.5% today as investors reacted positively to the company’s latest artificial intelligence chip announcements and expanding vision for AI-powered computing.

The rally was fueled by NVIDIA’s unveiling of a powerful new AI supercomputer chip scheduled for release this fall, reinforcing the company’s position at the center of the global artificial intelligence infrastructure boom. Investors view the new product as another step in NVIDIA’s effort to maintain its technological lead as demand for AI training and inference continues to accelerate across enterprises, cloud providers, and government organizations.

Markets also welcomed news highlighting how NVIDIA’s next-generation AI processors could bring advanced artificial intelligence capabilities directly to Windows PCs. The move expands NVIDIA’s opportunity beyond data centers and cloud computing, potentially opening a massive consumer and enterprise PC market for AI-powered applications.

The announcements come just days after NVIDIA delivered another strong earnings report, which showcased continued growth in AI-related revenue and robust demand for its Blackwell platform. Today’s gains suggest investors remain confident that the company can sustain its leadership position despite increasing competition from rivals such as AMD, Intel, and custom chip developers.

With a market value exceeding $5 trillion and analysts maintaining an average price target well above current levels, NVIDIA continues to be viewed as one of the primary beneficiaries of the global AI spending cycle. Investors are betting that the company’s expanding portfolio of AI chips, software, and computing platforms will drive another wave of growth as businesses increasingly adopt artificial intelligence technologies.

Today’s move highlights the market’s belief that NVIDIA’s innovation pipeline remains strong and that demand for advanced AI computing is still in the early stages of a multi-year expansion.
Nvidia Barely Moves in Premarket Despite Historic Quarter as Monster Guidance Already Priced In

Nvidia reported what may be the most extraordinary quarter in semiconductor history yesterday, yet shares edged up just 0.08% in premarket trading — a reaction that speaks volumes about how thoroughly the AI infrastructure bull case has been priced into one of the world's most closely watched stocks.

Revenue for Q1 fiscal 2027 came in at a record $81.6 billion, up 85% year over year and 20% sequentially, beating the consensus expectation of approximately $78 billion. Data Center revenue reached a record $75.2 billion, up 92% year over year, with compute revenue up 77% and networking revenue — a figure that had been less scrutinized — surging 199% to $14.8 billion. GAAP net income tripled to $58.3 billion and GAAP diluted EPS of $2.39 was more than triple the $0.76 reported a year ago. Gross margin expanded to 74.9% from 60.5% a year ago. The company returned a record $20 billion to shareholders in the quarter alone.

The forward guidance was the number the market had been waiting for. Nvidia guided Q2 revenue of $91.0 billion, plus or minus 2%, representing another roughly 12% sequential acceleration and approximately 76% year-over-year growth. Critically, the company stated it is not assuming any Data Center compute revenue from China in its outlook — meaning the guidance stands entirely on non-China demand, a significant reassurance given ongoing export restriction concerns.

The company also announced an $80 billion additional share repurchase authorization and a dramatic dividend increase, raising the quarterly payout from $0.01 per share to $0.25 per share — a 2,400% increase that signals management's confidence in sustained cash generation.

CEO Jensen Huang framed the moment in sweeping terms, describing the buildout of AI factories as the largest infrastructure expansion in human history and positioning Nvidia as the only platform running in every cloud, powering every frontier model and scaling from hyperscale data centers to the edge.

The company is also transitioning to a new reporting framework with two market platforms — Data Center and Edge Computing — reflecting its evolution beyond chips into a full-stack AI infrastructure company. The Vera Rubin platform, NVIDIA Dynamo 1.0 and a broad suite of agentic AI tools underscore that the product roadmap extends well beyond the current Blackwell cycle.

The near-flat premarket reaction is not a sign of disappointment — the results were objectively exceptional by any historical standard. It is instead a reflection of a stock that has already rallied 20% in the past month and trades at a valuation that embeds extraordinary future growth. When a company beats $78 billion estimates with $81.6 billion and guides to $91 billion next quarter, and the stock barely moves, it tells you that the market had already bought the dream. The question now is whether $91 billion in Q2 will finally surprise to the upside of even the most bullish expectations — and whether the Vera Rubin ramp can extend this cycle well into 2027 and beyond.
US Markets Open Cautiously Higher as All Eyes Turn to Nvidia

US equity markets opened in positive territory today, with the S&P 500 up 0.31%, the Dow adding 0.14% and the Nasdaq gaining 0.38%, as investors adopted a measured stance ahead of what is arguably the most consequential earnings report of the season — Nvidia's first quarter fiscal 2027 results, due after the closing bell today.

The cautious optimism comes after two consecutive sessions of declines driven by rising bond yields and geopolitical anxiety. The modest green open reflects a market catching its breath rather than making a bold directional call, with most participants holding their positions ahead of Nvidia's numbers.

Nvidia is expected to report roughly $78 billion in revenue and $1.77 in non-GAAP earnings per share, implying approximately 77% to 78% year-on-year revenue growth. Buy-side whispers run higher, with some sell-side desks modeling closer to $79 billion and the most aggressive houses above $80 billion. Nvidia has beaten the Street every quarter of this cycle, meaning a beat alone is already priced in. What markets will be watching most closely is the Q2 guidance and any commentary on the China export restrictions and gross margin sustainability.

The broader earnings backdrop heading into today is genuinely strong. With approximately one-third of S&P 500 companies reported, the blended year-over-year earnings growth rate stood at 15%, up from 13% expected at the end of March, putting the index on track for a sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit earnings growth. Eighty-four percent of reporting companies have beaten EPS estimates, with the magnitude of beats averaging 12%, well above the five-year historical average of 7.3%.

Today's earnings slate is also busy, with Target, Lowe's, TJX, Analog Devices and Hasbro among the morning reporters. From the earnings covered over the past two days, CAVA's 9.7% same-restaurant sales growth driven by actual traffic gains and 8x8's first GAAP-profitable fiscal year since 2015 were standouts, while Red Robin's margin improvement and Agilysys' record revenue quarter added to a broadly constructive picture across sectors.

On the macro front, the tension between a strong earnings season and a difficult rate environment remains unresolved. Bond yields have been climbing, with the 30-year Treasury recently crossing 5.18%, its highest level in nearly two decades. Iran ceasefire diplomacy continues to generate daily headlines and oil price swings, keeping inflation expectations elevated and Fed rate cut hopes pushed further into the future.

For today, Nvidia is the market. A strong print with confident guidance could provide the catalyst the broader indices need to break decisively higher. Anything short of that, and two days of bond-driven selling could resume.
Nvidia Extends Rally as Jensen Huang Joins Trump in Beijing, May 20 Earnings in Sight

May 14, 2026 | NASDAQ: NVDA

Nvidia is building on yesterday's 2.29% gain with a further 1.93% rise in premarket, extending a five-day winning streak that has added approximately $590 billion in market cap and pushed shares back toward all-time highs. Two converging forces are driving the momentum — a dramatic geopolitical development in Beijing and accelerating anticipation ahead of the May 20 earnings report.

The headline development from the last 24 hours is Jensen Huang's last-minute addition to President Trump's China delegation. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has joined Trump's trip to China after initial indications he had not been invited. After seeing media coverage of Huang's absence from the delegation, Trump called the Nvidia executive and asked him to join, and Huang flew to Alaska to board Air Force One (CNBC).

Trump had previously approved Nvidia H200 chip exports to China in January 2026, but not a single one has been sold, making Huang's presence at the summit a potential catalyst for breaking that impasse. The market is treating that possibility as a meaningful positive for Nvidia's China revenue outlook.

Wells Fargo raised its price target on Nvidia from $265 to $315 with an overweight rating, saying AI will drive the stock more than 40% higher from current levels (CNBC). The broader analyst community is similarly positioned ahead of the May 20 earnings report. Nvidia has guided for Q1 fiscal 2027 revenue of $78 billion, plus or minus 2%, while the Wall Street consensus expects approximately $78.8 billion in revenue and adjusted EPS of $1.77 (Motley Fool). Hyperscaler capex commitments provide strong demand visibility — Microsoft plans to spend $190 billion in calendar 2026, Amazon approximately $200 billion, and Alphabet between $180 and $190 billion, all largely AI-driven (Motley Fool).

Nvidia shares have gained approximately 20% year to date, outpacing the S&P 500's 7.5% and the Nasdaq's 14% gains, with the stock trading near its 52-week high of $225 and a market cap of approximately $5.5 trillion. At roughly 27 times forward earnings, the valuation has actually compressed relative to prior peaks, giving bulls a reasonable entry point ahead of what most expect will be another beat-and-raise quarter.

The China angle is the wildcard. If the Beijing summit produces any signal of a pathway to H200 shipments resuming, the revenue upside for Nvidia could be significant — and the market appears to be starting to price in that possibility.
NVIDIA Rises as AI Momentum and China Hopes Lift Sentiment

NVIDIA shares rose about 2.65% today, extending a strong rally as investors continued to price in demand for artificial-intelligence chips and looked ahead to the company’s next earnings report. The stock traded near record levels, on pace for a record close after four straight days of gains.

One key driver appears to be renewed optimism around China. Investing*com reported that the move was helped by news of President Trump’s planned state visit to China on May 13–15, which investors interpreted as a possible opening for discussions around AI chip export restrictions. Since China remains a major potential market for advanced AI hardware, any easing or renegotiation of restrictions could be meaningful for NVIDIA’s future sales outlook (Investing*com).

The rally also reflects positioning ahead of NVIDIA’s upcoming earnings, expected on May 20 on which analysts remain highly bullish. Expectations for revenue is about $78.6 billion, up 78% year over year.

Recent AI infrastructure news has also supported sentiment. Reuters reported last week that NVIDIA plans to invest up to $2.1 billion in data-center operator IREN as part of a broader deal to deploy up to 5 gigawatts of AI infrastructure, underscoring the scale of demand for computing capacity (Reuters).

Overall, today’s gain seems to be driven by three factors: record-high momentum, expectations for another strong earnings report, and hopes that U.S.-China talks could improve the outlook for AI chip sales. The main risk is valuation: after such a sharp rally, investors may expect near-perfect earnings and guidance.
NVIDIA and ServiceNow announced an expanded partnership to develop autonomous AI agents for enterprise use, unveiled at ServiceNow Knowledge 2026.

The collaboration focuses on delivering governed, secure AI agents capable of executing complex, multi-step workflows across enterprise systems. A key highlight is “Project Arc,” a self-evolving desktop agent designed to assist knowledge workers such as developers and IT teams by interacting directly with local systems and applications.

The solution integrates NVIDIA’s accelerated computing and open models with ServiceNow’s workflow and governance platforms, enabling enterprises to deploy AI agents with greater control, auditability, and security. The initiative also emphasizes efficiency, leveraging NVIDIA’s AI infrastructure to significantly reduce operational costs for large-scale AI deployments.

The partnership reflects a broader shift toward autonomous, action-oriented AI systems, where enterprises prioritize not just AI reasoning but real-world execution within controlled environments.
Nvidia Slides 4% in Pre-Market as Custom Chip Threat and China Restrictions Cloud the AI Chip Throne

Nvidia shares are down around 4% in pre-market trading on May 1, a jarring contrast to the broader AI optimism generated by a wave of blowout Big Tech earnings, as two converging headwinds move to the forefront of investor concern.

The primary catalyst for the drop is growing anxiety about competition in the AI chip market. Amazon recently disclosed that its in-house chip business is growing quickly, while Alphabet announced plans to sell its custom AI chips to select outside customers, prompting investors to question whether Nvidia's dominant position may begin to erode as hyperscalers increasingly develop alternatives. (CNBC)

The China situation is adding a second layer of pressure. A recent crackdown on chip smuggling in China has pushed prices of Nvidia's B300 servers close to $1 million each. Since these advanced systems are restricted in China, supply is constrained and prices are surging, but this also risks reducing demand and accelerating the push by Chinese customers toward competitor hardware. Separately, Chinese AI and tech firms including Alibaba and Tencent are increasingly betting on Huawei chips as they seek to break their dependence on Nvidia given ongoing US export restrictions. (CNBC, Investing*com)

The irony of the sell-off is that the hyperscaler earnings released overnight were uniformly bullish for AI infrastructure demand. Alphabet raised its 2026 capex guidance to $180 to $190 billion, while Amazon and Microsoft also flagged significant AI infrastructure increases, with Big Tech capital expenditures now seen topping $1 trillion collectively in 2027. Yet markets are increasingly asking whether that spending will flow to Nvidia or to proprietary custom silicon. (Stocktwits)

Nvidia closed at $209.25 on April 30 and is trading around $199.57 in pre-market, with a 52-week range of $110.82 to $216.83. The stock is still up more than 92% over the past year. Nvidia's next earnings report is scheduled for May 20, where the company will need to demonstrate that demand for its Blackwell architecture remains insulated from the custom chip threat. (The Motley Fool)
Nvidia stock volatile this week as AI optimism meets rising concerns

Shares of NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) showed volatile performance this week, as strong momentum in the AI sector was offset by growing investor concerns about sustainability of demand and broader market risks.

The stock initially surged to a new record high, supported by continued enthusiasm around artificial intelligence and expectations of strong spending by major tech companies. According to Investopedia, Nvidia’s rally has been driven by its dominant position in data center GPUs and its central role in AI infrastructure.

However, the rally lost momentum as the broader market turned cautious. Reuters reported that semiconductor stocks, including Nvidia, came under pressure amid concerns that AI growth could slow and uncertainty around large-scale data center investments.

Additional headwinds also weighed on sentiment. Reports cited by KuCoin News highlighted risks from potential U.S. export restrictions on advanced AI chips, which could limit Nvidia’s access to key markets such as China.

Despite these short-term pressures, the longer-term outlook remains supported by strong structural demand. Investopedia noted that continued investment in AI infrastructure is expected to sustain Nvidia’s growth, even as valuation and macro concerns create near-term volatility.

Overall, this week’s price action reflects a balance between strong AI-driven fundamentals and rising investor caution, keeping Nvidia among the most closely watched stocks globally.

Source: Reuters, Investopedia, KuCoin News
NVIDIA has unveiled Nemotron 3 Nano Omni, a new open multimodal AI model designed to integrate vision, audio, and language capabilities into a single system, significantly improving efficiency for AI agents.

The model enables up to 9x higher throughput compared to similar open multimodal systems, reducing latency and costs while maintaining strong accuracy across tasks such as document analysis, video and audio understanding, and interface navigation. Built on a hybrid mixture-of-experts architecture, it eliminates the need for separate models, streamlining agentic workflows.

Nemotron 3 Nano Omni is aimed at enterprises and developers building advanced AI agents and is available across multiple platforms, with early adoption from companies including Foxconn and Palantir.

Source: NVIDIA blog
NVIDIA announced that OpenAI’s latest GPT-5.5 model is now powering its Codex application on NVIDIA infrastructure, marking a significant step in enterprise AI adoption. The system runs on NVIDIA’s GB200 NVL72 platforms, delivering substantial efficiency gains, including lower costs and faster processing speeds compared to previous generations.

More than 10,000 NVIDIA employees have already begun using the GPT-5.5-powered Codex across various functions, reporting major productivity improvements such as faster debugging, accelerated experimentation, and enhanced software development workflows. The deployment also emphasizes enterprise-grade security, with isolated cloud environments and strict data controls.

The development builds on a decade-long collaboration between NVIDIA and OpenAI, highlighting their continued efforts to scale advanced AI models and infrastructure for broader enterprise use.

Source: NVIDIA Blog
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NASDAQ

U.S. Stocks Mixed as Softer Inflation Boosts Tech While Dow Lags

U.S. stocks traded mixed in early trading on Tuesday as investors reacted to a softer-than-expected June inflation report that strengthened expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

The Nasdaq gained about 0.8%, supported by technology and growth stocks that typically benefit from lower interest rates. The S&P 500 also moved modestly higher, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped slightly as investors rotated away from some defensive and value-oriented sectors.

Markets welcomed the June CPI report, which showed headline inflation fell 0.4% month over month, while annual inflation slowed to 3.5%. Core inflation also came in below expectations, with monthly core CPI unchanged and annual core inflation easing to 2.6%. The weaker inflation data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could begin easing monetary policy sooner than previously anticipated.

Technology stocks led gains across the broader market as lower interest rate expectations improved the outlook for high-growth companies. Investors also continued to monitor corporate earnings season, with company-specific results driving notable moves across individual stocks.

Meanwhile, geopolitical developments remained in focus. Recent tensions between the United States and Iran continue to be monitored by investors, particularly after the exchange of military strikes over the past week. Although markets have largely shifted their attention back toward economic data and earnings, any renewed escalation could quickly affect risk sentiment and commodity prices.

Investors will continue watching upcoming economic releases, Federal Reserve commentary, and second-quarter earnings reports for further direction as markets assess the outlook for interest rates and corporate profitability.

Stock market today: Dow rises, S&P 500 and Nasdaq slip as US and Iran exchange fire, oil jumps

Markets were subdued ahead of a busy week for markets, with inflation reports, bank earnings, and geopolitical risk hanging in the balance.

(finance.yahoo.com)
U.S. Markets Trade Mixed as Investors Monitor U.S.-Iran Conflict and Await Earnings Season

U.S. stocks traded mixed on Monday as investors balanced escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East against expectations for upcoming corporate earnings and a resilient U.S. economy.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.23%, while the Nasdaq declined 0.88% as technology stocks came under pressure. The Dow Jones Industrial Average outperformed, edging 0.20% higher with support from industrial and defensive shares.

Investor sentiment remained heavily influenced by the latest developments in the U.S.-Iran conflict. Military exchanges between the two countries intensified in recent days, with both sides carrying out missile and drone strikes and uncertainty surrounding shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continuing to fuel concerns over global energy supplies. The renewed escalation has pushed oil prices higher and added to inflation concerns, although markets remain hopeful that the conflict will not significantly disrupt global crude exports.

On the macroeconomic front, investors continued to digest recent data showing a mixed but generally resilient U.S. economy. Last week’s weaker-than-expected nonfarm payrolls and softer services activity reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could still ease monetary policy later this year. At the same time, moderating inflation indicators have helped support the broader outlook for risk assets.

The market is also shifting its focus toward the upcoming second-quarter earnings season, with major U.S. banks set to report results next week. Investors will closely watch corporate guidance for signs that earnings growth can continue despite elevated interest rates, geopolitical uncertainty, and higher energy prices.

Although the major indexes remain near record levels, today’s mixed performance reflects a cautious market environment as investors weigh the economic impact of rising geopolitical tensions against a still-solid U.S. economic backdrop. The direction of the U.S.-Iran conflict, oil prices, and the start of earnings season are likely to remain the primary drivers of market sentiment in the coming days.
US Stocks Edge Higher as Tech Shares Lead Early Gains

U.S. stocks traded modestly higher in early trading on Thursday, with technology shares helping lift the broader market as investors reacted to a fresh wave of corporate earnings and analyst upgrades.

The S&P 500 gained 0.15%, while the Nasdaq advanced 0.20%, outperforming the major indexes thanks to strength in semiconductor and AI-related stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also moved higher, rising 0.10%.

Semiconductor Stocks Extend AI Rally

Chip equipment makers led the market higher after several positive analyst actions.

Lam Research (NASDAQ: LRCX) surged in premarket trading after Mizuho raised its price target to $400 and reiterated its *Outperform* rating. Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) also received a higher price target from Mizuho, while Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) benefited from Evercore's reaffirmed *Outperform* rating and new $500 price target, adding to optimism surrounding continued AI infrastructure investment.

The gains reflect ongoing confidence that semiconductor capital spending will remain strong as demand for AI processors, advanced memory, and next-generation data center infrastructure continues to expand.

Earnings Drive Individual Stock Moves

Corporate earnings remained a key driver of early trading.

Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ: SMPL) soared after investors welcomed results that exceeded management's expectations despite lower year-over-year earnings, suggesting confidence in the company's turnaround strategy.

On the downside, PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP) declined after investors focused on softer underlying earnings growth and continued margin pressure despite higher revenue and reaffirmed full-year guidance. Northern Technologies International (NASDAQ: NTIC) also traded sharply lower after reporting a quarterly loss caused by margin compression from elevated raw material costs.

Investors Await More Earnings and Economic Data

Market participants remain focused on the upcoming earnings season as investors assess whether corporate profits can continue to support record equity valuations. At the same time, traders are monitoring economic data and Federal Reserve expectations for further clues on the outlook for interest rates.

The combination of resilient AI-related technology stocks and mixed earnings reactions across other sectors is helping keep the broader market in positive territory during Thursday's opening session.
Nasdaq Leads Wall Street Higher as Technology Stocks Rally Despite Softer U.S. Services Data

U.S. stocks traded mixed on Monday as investors weighed softer-than-expected economic data against continued strength in technology shares. The Nasdaq outperformed, climbing 1.1%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged the broader market, slipping marginally into negative territory.

Technology stocks led the advance, helping lift both the Nasdaq and the broader market as investors continued rotating into growth-oriented sectors. The rally came despite economic data pointing to a modest cooling in the U.S. services sector.

The ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI edged down to 54.0 in June from 54.5 in May, missing economists' expectations of 54.2. Meanwhile, the S&P Global Services PMI also came in slightly below forecasts at 51.2. Although both readings remained above the 50-point threshold that separates expansion from contraction, they suggested the pace of growth in the services sector moderated during the month.

At the same time, inflation pressures showed further signs of easing. The ISM Non-Manufacturing Prices Index declined sharply to 67.7 from 71.3, indicating that input cost growth slowed, even though price pressures remain elevated.

The combination of softer business activity and moderating inflation reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve may have greater flexibility on interest rate policy later this year. Investors largely looked past the slightly weaker economic readings, focusing instead on the prospect of a more accommodative monetary environment, which provided support for high-growth technology stocks.

As trading continues, market participants remain focused on upcoming inflation reports and corporate earnings for further direction on the economy and the outlook for U.S. equities.
Nasdaq Slides as Chip Sell-Off Accelerates, Dragging Semiconductor ETFs and AI Leaders Lower

The Nasdaq came under heavy selling pressure on Thursday after a relatively resilient start to the session, with semiconductor stocks leading a broad technology retreat. While the Dow Jones remained in positive territory, the Nasdaq fell more than 1.4% as investors aggressively sold chipmakers following their exceptional first-half rally.

The weakness was widespread across the semiconductor industry. Micron Technology (MU) dropped more than 7%, while SanDisk (SNDK) plunged over 15%, extending a sharp pullback that began after both companies posted massive year-to-date gains. Other major chip names, including Nvidia (NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Broadcom (AVGO) and Western Digital (WDC) also traded lower as investors continued rotating out of AI infrastructure stocks.

The sell-off was equally visible in sector exchange-traded funds. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) fell roughly 7%, while the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) lost nearly 6%, highlighting broad-based weakness rather than company-specific concerns. The decline suggests investors are taking profits across the semiconductor sector after one of its strongest first-half performances on record.

Analysts point to a combination of factors behind the retreat, including profit-taking after extraordinary gains, concerns that AI-related chip valuations had become stretched, and signs that investors are rotating toward other parts of the technology sector. Recent reports suggesting cloud providers could optimize AI infrastructure spending have also fueled concerns that the pace of semiconductor demand growth may moderate, even as the long-term AI investment theme remains intact.

Despite Thursday’s sharp decline, many Wall Street analysts continue to view the move as a healthy correction rather than a change in the industry’s long-term outlook, arguing that AI-driven demand for advanced chips and memory products remains robust over the coming years.
U.S. Markets Rise Despite Sharp Slowdown in Job Growth as Unemployment Falls

U.S. stocks finished higher on Thursday as investors balanced a much weaker-than-expected June jobs report against an unexpected decline in the unemployment rate, with optimism over the economy's resilience outweighing concerns about slowing hiring.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.77%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.54% and the Nasdaq added 0.39%.

The June employment report showed the U.S. economy added just 57,000 nonfarm payrolls, well below economists' expectations of 114,000 and sharply lower than May's revised 129,000. The data pointed to a significant slowdown in hiring and reinforced signs that the labor market is gradually cooling.

However, the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 4.2% from 4.3%, while initial jobless claims declined to 215,000 from 216,000 and came in below the 219,000 consensus forecast. The lower unemployment rate and continued strength in weekly jobless claims suggested the labor market remains relatively resilient despite slower job creation.

The mixed employment data leaves the Federal Reserve facing a delicate balancing act. Slower payroll growth supports the case for future interest rate cuts, while the lower unemployment rate reduces the urgency for policymakers to ease monetary policy immediately.

Markets also continued to digest recent comments from Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, who reiterated this week that inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target and emphasized that future policy decisions will remain data dependent.

Investors will now turn their attention to upcoming inflation reports and additional labor market data for further clues on when the Federal Reserve may begin lowering interest rates.
U.S. Stocks Trade Mixed as Weak Jobs Data Pressures Tech While Dow Holds Gains

U.S. stocks traded mixed on Wednesday as investors weighed weaker-than-expected private employment data against growing expectations that the Federal Reserve could begin cutting interest rates later this year.

At the time of writing, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 80 points, or 0.15%, to 52,399.58. The S&P 500 slipped 0.05% to 7,495.76, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.29% to 26,138.87 as technology stocks underperformed.

# Weak ADP Jobs Report Signals Cooling Labor Market

Investor attention centered on the June ADP employment report, which showed U.S. private employers added 98,000 jobs, below economists' expectations of 118,000 and down from May's revised 122,000.

The softer-than-expected reading suggests the labor market is gradually cooling, reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve could gain greater confidence to lower interest rates if broader economic data continue to weaken.

Markets are now turning their focus to Friday's official nonfarm payrolls report, which is expected to provide a clearer picture of labor market conditions.

# Technology Stocks Pause After Strong Rally

The Nasdaq lagged the broader market as investors took profits in technology shares following recent record highs.

Despite the modest pullback, AI-related companies and semiconductor stocks have remained among the market's strongest performers in recent weeks, supported by continued earnings optimism and robust investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

# Investors Await More Economic Data

In addition to labor market data, investors continue monitoring inflation trends and upcoming Federal Reserve communications for clues on the timing of potential policy easing.

While weaker employment data could support the case for lower interest rates, market participants remain cautious ahead of additional economic releases that could influence the Fed's outlook.

With Wall Street near record levels, investors are balancing optimism over potential monetary policy easing against signs of slowing economic momentum, leaving the major indexes little changed during Wednesday's session.
U.S. Stocks Rise as Nasdaq Outperforms on Strength in Technology Shares

U.S. stocks traded higher on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq leading the major indexes as investors continued to favor technology stocks while digesting a fresh round of economic data and easing geopolitical tensions.

At the time of writing, the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.10% to 26,104.74, outperforming the broader market. The S&P 500 rose 0.53% to 7,480.15, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 107.69 points, or 0.21%, to 52,290.43.

# Technology Stocks Continue to Lead

The Nasdaq extended its gains as investors continued buying semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related stocks. Positive analyst actions across several chipmakers and sustained optimism over AI infrastructure spending helped lift the technology sector.

The rally in growth stocks came despite mixed economic data, highlighting investors' willingness to focus on long-term earnings opportunities within the AI ecosystem.

# Investors Digest Mixed Economic Data

Markets also reacted to a series of economic releases showing the U.S. labor market remains resilient.

The JOLTS report showed job openings exceeded expectations in May, while consumer confidence improved modestly in June. Meanwhile, the Chicago PMI slowed from the previous month but remained in expansion territory, suggesting manufacturing activity continues to grow at a more moderate pace.

# Risk Appetite Remains Strong

Investor sentiment has also been supported by easing geopolitical tensions following the ceasefire between the United States and Iran, reducing concerns over a broader regional conflict and encouraging a shift toward risk assets.

With economic data pointing to a resilient U.S. economy and AI-related stocks continuing to attract strong investor interest, Wall Street remained on track for another positive session, led once again by the technology sector.
US Stocks Climb as Easing U.S.-Iran Tensions Boost Risk Appetite

U.S. stocks traded higher on Monday as investors welcomed signs of easing geopolitical tensions after the United States and Iran agreed to halt military attacks and resume diplomatic talks, improving overall market sentiment. The prospect of reduced conflict in the Middle East helped fuel a broad risk-on move across Wall Street while easing concerns over potential disruptions to global energy supplies.

At the time of writing, the S&P 500 was up 0.53% to 7,393.33, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 317.74 points, or 0.61%, to 52,193.85. The Nasdaq Composite outperformed with a 0.86% advance to 25,515.96, led by renewed buying in technology and growth stocks.

Technology shares led the market higher as investors returned to growth stocks following last week's volatility. Meanwhile, market participants continue to monitor upcoming U.S. economic data and Federal Reserve commentary for further clues on the outlook for interest rates.

For now, improving geopolitical sentiment and a stronger appetite for risk are providing the main tailwinds for U.S. equities, with all three major indexes trading comfortably in positive territory as the session continues.
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Canada

Canada’s Inflation Cools Sharply in June, Reinforcing Expectations for Policy Easing

Canada’s inflation slowed more than expected in June, adding to evidence that price pressures continue to ease and strengthening expectations that the Bank of Canada could have room to further ease monetary policy.

Headline consumer prices fell 0.4% month over month, a larger decline than the expected 0.2% decrease, following a 1.0% increase in May. The softer reading points to a notable moderation in inflationary pressures after the previous month’s strong rebound.

Underlying inflation also cooled significantly. Core CPI increased just 0.1% from the previous month, slowing sharply from May’s 0.6% gain.
Canada's Economy Rebounds in April, Slows in Preliminary May Estimate

Canada's economy rebounded in April, with monthly GDP rising 0.5%, exceeding economists' expectations of 0.4% and recovering from a 0.1% contraction in March.

The stronger-than-expected April reading suggests economic activity regained momentum, supported by improvements across key sectors despite ongoing global economic uncertainty.

Statistics Canada's preliminary estimate indicated GDP growth moderated to 0.1% in May.
Canada's wholesale sales declined in May, signaling softer business activity and pointing to weaker momentum in the country's distribution sector.

Wholesale sales fell 0.7% month-over-month in May, reversing April's 0.6% increase. The decline suggests businesses experienced slower demand, likely reflecting a combination of cautious inventory management and a moderation in economic activity.
Canadian Inflation Accelerates Sharply in May

Canadian inflation accelerated in May, with consumer prices rising 1.0% month-over-month, well above economists' expectations of 0.7% and up from 0.4% in April.

Underlying inflation pressures also strengthened. Core CPI increased 0.6% from the previous month, accelerating significantly from April's 0.2% rise. The stronger core reading suggests price increases were broad-based and not limited to a few volatile categories.
Canadian Retail Sales Rise as Consumer Spending Remains Resilient

Canadian retail sales increased 1.0% month-over-month in May, accelerating from April's 0.6% gain and pointing to stronger consumer spending momentum.

However, underlying trends were less robust. Core retail sales, which exclude certain volatile categories, rose just 0.1% in April, well below economists' expectations of 0.8% and slowing sharply from the previous month's 1.2% increase.
Canadian Housing Market Shows Resilience as Wholesale Sales Beat Expectations

Canada's economy delivered mixed but generally encouraging signals on Monday, as housing construction activity exceeded expectations and wholesale sales posted stronger-than-forecast growth.

Housing starts came in at an annualized rate of 261,400 units in May, surpassing economists' expectations of 255,000 units. While the figure was below April's 278,400 units, the result suggests that homebuilding activity remains relatively resilient despite elevated borrowing costs and affordability challenges.

Meanwhile, wholesale sales increased 0.6% month-over-month in April, significantly outperforming forecasts for a 0.1% gain. Although sales growth slowed from March's robust 1.6% increase, the latest data points to continued strength in business activity and inventory movement across the Canadian economy.

Overall, the data indicate that Canada's economy remains on stable footing, with key sectors continuing to expand even as growth moderates from earlier highs.
Bank of Canada Holds Interest Rates Steady at 2.25%

The Bank of Canada left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.25%, matching market expectations and marking another pause in its monetary policy easing cycle.
Canada’s economy rebounded in April, with monthly GDP growth accelerating to 0.4% after a 0.1% contraction in the previous month.
Canada’s current account deficit widened sharply to -C$7.2 billion in the first quarter, far worse than the expected -C$3.9 billion deficit and a major deterioration from the previous -C$1.0 billion reading.
Canadian retail sales rose 0.6% month-over-month in April, slowing from the previous 0.9% increase
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NASDAQ:AMD

AMD Stock Rises 3.8% as China AI Chip Approval News and Analyst Price Target Increases Lift Sentiment

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) shares climbed 3.8% on Tuesday after receiving fresh support from Wall Street analysts and a Reuters report that another Chinese company has obtained U.S. approval to purchase AMD's advanced AI chips.

Bank of America raised its price target on AMD to $620 from $550 while maintaining a Buy rating. Meanwhile, KeyBanc increased its target price to $725 from $530 and reiterated its Overweight rating, reflecting growing confidence in AMD's long-term AI growth prospects.

According to Reuters, the U.S. government approved Zhuhai Hengqin Yunxiang Zhisheng Network Technology to purchase certain AMD AI accelerators that compete with Nvidia's H200 chips. The report added that ZTE Kangxun Telecom and server maker Maginfra also received approval to purchase Nvidia's H200 processors. These approvals follow similar authorizations granted in May to major Chinese technology companies, including Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance, and JD*com, suggesting Washington may be selectively easing restrictions on advanced AI chip exports to China.

The Reuters report was viewed as a positive development for AMD, as China remains an important long-term market for AI infrastructure despite ongoing export controls. The latest approvals could allow AMD to capture additional demand from Chinese cloud providers and enterprise customers while expanding its presence in one of the world's largest AI markets.

The broader semiconductor sector also traded higher, supported by expectations of sustained AI infrastructure spending and easing inflation data that reinforced hopes for lower U.S. interest rates. The combination of improving policy developments, stronger access to the Chinese market, and renewed analyst optimism helped lift AMD shares alongside other AI chipmakers.

Investors will continue watching for further developments in U.S. export policy, enterprise AI spending trends, and AMD's execution in the increasingly competitive AI accelerator market, where it continues to challenge Nvidia for market share.
AMD Stock Jumps as Goldman Sachs Raises Price Target to $640

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) surged nearly 9% on Monday after Goldman Sachs reaffirmed its Buy rating and sharply increased its price target on the semiconductor giant to $640 from $450.

The sizable price target increase comes as optimism surrounding artificial intelligence infrastructure spending continues to strengthen. AMD has been gaining traction in the AI accelerator market with its Instinct GPU lineup, while growing demand for high-performance computing chips has fueled expectations for sustained revenue growth.

The bullish analyst update also reflects confidence that AMD is well positioned to benefit from expanding enterprise AI adoption and continued investment in data center infrastructure. Investors have increasingly viewed the company as one of the leading beneficiaries of the global AI spending cycle alongside other major semiconductor firms.

The rating action helped accelerate buying interest, pushing AMD shares to fresh highs during Monday's session and making the stock one of the strongest performers in the semiconductor sector.

The move highlights continued investor enthusiasm for AI-related chipmakers, with analysts remaining optimistic that strong demand for AI hardware and cloud infrastructure will support AMD's long-term growth trajectory.
AMD (AMD) Stock Rises After Cantor Fitzgerald Raises Price Target to $700

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) shares gained 3.4% on Monday after Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target on the semiconductor giant, citing continued confidence in the company's position within the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence market.

The brokerage increased its price target to $700 from $500 while reiterating its Overweight rating, signaling meaningful upside potential as AMD continues to strengthen its AI portfolio.

# Cantor Fitzgerald Turns More Bullish on AMD

The higher price target reflects growing optimism about AMD's ability to capture a larger share of the AI accelerator market, where demand remains robust as hyperscale cloud providers continue investing heavily in AI infrastructure.

AMD has been expanding its presence in AI chips with its Instinct accelerator lineup while benefiting from strong demand for EPYC server processors, positioning the company to compete more aggressively in the data center market.

# AI Infrastructure Spending Continues to Support Semiconductor Stocks

The analyst action comes as investors remain focused on companies tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure. Expectations for sustained spending on AI data centers, high-performance computing, and cloud infrastructure have continued to support leading semiconductor names.

While AI remains the primary long-term growth driver, improving market sentiment also contributed to Monday's gains across the broader technology sector.

Why AMD Stock Rose

Investors responded positively to several catalysts:

* Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target to $700 from $500.
* The firm reiterated its Overweight rating.
* Continued optimism surrounding AI accelerator demand.
* Strong expectations for AI infrastructure and data center investment.

The combination of a bullish analyst update and ongoing confidence in AI-related semiconductor spending helped lift AMD shares 3.4% during Monday's trading session.
AMD Shares Rise 3% After Bernstein Establishes $600 Price Target

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) gained 3% in premarket trading after Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon established a $600 price target and assigned an Outperform rating, reinforcing Wall Street's increasingly bullish view on the semiconductor company's AI opportunities.

The positive analyst action comes as AMD continues to strengthen its position in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence market. Investors have become increasingly optimistic about the company's ability to capture a larger share of AI accelerator spending, particularly as hyperscale cloud providers and enterprise customers seek alternatives in the fast-growing AI infrastructure market.

Bernstein's $600 target suggests substantial upside potential from current levels and reflects confidence in AMD's expanding AI product portfolio, including its Instinct accelerator family and next-generation data center processors. The firm appears to be betting that AI-related demand will remain a powerful growth driver for years to come.

AMD has emerged as one of the primary competitors to Nvidia in AI computing, while also maintaining strong positions in server CPUs, personal computers, gaming, and embedded markets. The company's data center business has become a particular focus for investors as cloud providers and enterprises increase spending on AI training and inference infrastructure.

The analyst call follows a series of announcements highlighting AMD's growing influence in the AI ecosystem. Earlier this week, Rackspace Technology signed a definitive agreement with AMD for the phased deployment of 30 megawatts of AMD-powered AI compute infrastructure, underscoring the strong demand environment for the company's products.

Investor sentiment toward semiconductor stocks has remained positive as AI-related capital spending continues to accelerate. Equipment suppliers, chip designers, and data center infrastructure providers have all benefited from expectations that AI investment will remain one of the technology sector's strongest growth themes.

AMD's premarket gain suggests investors welcomed Bernstein's optimistic outlook and see further room for appreciation as the company continues executing on its AI strategy. Market participants will be closely watching future customer deployments, data center revenue growth, and upcoming product launches for evidence that AMD can continue expanding its presence in the highly competitive AI computing market.
AMD Jumps 7% After Wolfe Research Raises Price Target

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) surged 7% on Monday after Wolfe Research raised its price target on the semiconductor company to $450, while maintaining an Outperform rating.

The bullish target increase reflects growing confidence in AMD's position within the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence infrastructure market. Investors have increasingly focused on the company's AI accelerator business, where its Instinct GPU lineup is competing for a share of the massive spending wave driven by hyperscale cloud providers and enterprise AI deployments.

The strong rally suggests the market views AMD as one of the primary beneficiaries of continued AI-related capital expenditures, alongside other leading semiconductor firms. Analysts have highlighted improving demand for high-performance computing chips and data center products as key drivers of future revenue growth.

AMD has also benefited from expectations that major cloud providers and technology companies will continue investing heavily in AI infrastructure, creating opportunities for alternative suppliers beyond the market leader. The positive analyst commentary reinforced investor optimism that AMD can continue gaining traction in the fast-growing AI accelerator market.

The stock's 7% gain made it one of the stronger performers in the semiconductor sector, underscoring the market's appetite for companies with significant exposure to AI-driven growth trends.
### AMD Rises 4.7% Despite Mixed Analyst Calls as AI Optimism Continues to Drive Momentum

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) gained 4.7% on Friday, overcoming a mixed set of analyst rating changes as investors remained focused on the company's growing position in the artificial intelligence semiconductor market.

The analyst activity reflected sharply differing views on AMD's valuation and future growth prospects. Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock to Buy, signaling confidence in the company's ability to benefit from accelerating AI infrastructure spending and growing demand for its data center products. The upgrade helped reinforce investor optimism surrounding AMD's expanding presence in the AI accelerator market.

However, not all analysts shared that enthusiasm. Wolfe Research downgraded the stock to Peer Perform, while Barclays issued a more cautious downgrade, moving its rating from Overweight to Underweight. he bearish calls might suggest the believe that the stock's recent rally has already priced in much of the expected AI-driven growth.

Despite the conflicting analyst opinions, investors appeared to focus on the broader industry backdrop. Demand for AI computing infrastructure remains exceptionally strong, and AMD continues to be viewed as one of the primary challengers to Nvidia in the rapidly growing market for AI accelerators and high-performance data center chips.

The stock's advance suggests that bullish sentiment surrounding artificial intelligence continues to outweigh valuation concerns. While some analysts are becoming more cautious after AMD's strong run, investors remain confident that the company is well positioned to capture a larger share of the AI market as hyperscale cloud providers and enterprises increase spending on next-generation computing infrastructure.

Friday's gain highlights the powerful influence of the AI investment theme, with positive long-term growth expectations proving strong enough to offset multiple analyst downgrades.
AMD Rises 3.1% After Bank of America Raises Price Target on AI Opportunity

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) shares gained 3.1% on Thursday after Bank of America raised its price target on the chipmaker from $500 to $560 while maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting growing confidence in the company's position within the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence market.

The higher target underscores Wall Street's increasingly bullish view that AMD is becoming a major beneficiary of the global AI infrastructure buildout. The company has been gaining traction with its AI accelerators and data center products, which are competing for a larger share of spending from cloud providers and enterprise customers seeking alternatives in the high-performance computing market.

Investor sentiment has improved as demand for AI-related hardware continues to accelerate across the technology sector. AMD's data center business has emerged as a key growth driver, supported by strong adoption of its latest server processors and AI-focused products.

The analyst upgrade also reflects expectations that AI-related capital expenditures will remain elevated for years as hyperscale cloud companies, enterprises, and governments continue investing heavily in next-generation computing infrastructure.

AMD has been one of the most closely watched semiconductor stocks during the AI boom, and the latest target increase suggests analysts see further upside potential as the company expands its presence in high-growth markets. Thursday's gain added to broader strength across semiconductor stocks as investors continued to favor companies positioned to benefit from long-term AI spending trends.
AMD Surges 17% in Premarket as AI Demand Drives Record Quarterly Results

May 6, 2026 · Earnings Report

Advanced Micro Devices delivered a blowout first quarter yesterday, beating expectations across all major financial metrics and sending shares 17% higher in premarket trading. The results were fueled by explosive growth in its Data Center business, which now accounts for more than half of total company revenue, as hyperscalers and enterprise customers raced to build out AI infrastructure.

First quarter revenue came in at $10.3 billion, up 38% year-over-year and roughly flat compared to the prior quarter. On a non-GAAP basis, the company reported gross margin of 55%, operating income of $2.5 billion — up 43% from a year ago — and diluted earnings per share of $1.37, compared to $0.96 in Q1 2025.

"We delivered an outstanding first quarter, driven by accelerating demand for AI infrastructure, with Data Center now the primary driver of our revenue and earnings growth," said Dr. Lisa Su, AMD chair and CEO. "We are seeing strong momentum as inferencing and agentic AI drive increasing demand for high-performance CPUs and accelerators."

The Data Center segment was the clear standout, with revenue climbing 57% year-over-year to $5.8 billion on strong EPYC CPU demand and a continued ramp of Instinct GPU shipments. A landmark deal with Meta — involving up to 6 gigawatts of AMD Instinct GPUs including a custom MI450-based chip — underscored the company's deepening relationships with the world's largest AI spenders. AWS, Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Tencent also announced new or expanded EPYC-powered cloud instances during the quarter.

On the consumer side, the Client and Gaming segment rose 23% to $3.6 billion, with the client business alone up 26% as Ryzen processors continued to gain market share. Gaming revenue grew 11% to $720 million, driven by Radeon GPU demand, though partly offset by softer semi-custom revenue. The Embedded segment posted $873 million in revenue, up 6% year-over-year, as demand strengthened across several end markets.

CFO Jean Hu noted that the quarter represented record free cash flow generation. "First quarter results reflect strong performance across all key financial metrics, with accelerating revenue growth, earnings expansion and record quarterly free cash flow," she said. "These results highlight continued momentum and execution across the business, demonstrating the leverage in our operating model as we invest for accelerated growth while expanding profitability."

Looking ahead, AMD guided second quarter revenue to approximately $11.2 billion, plus or minus $300 million. The midpoint implies year-over-year growth of roughly 46% and a sequential increase of approximately 9%. Non-GAAP gross margin for Q2 is expected to reach approximately 56%. Su noted that customer forecasts for the upcoming MI450 Series and Helios rack-scale platform are already exceeding the company's own initial expectations, with a growing pipeline of large-scale deployments providing greater visibility into AMD's growth trajectory through the rest of 2026.
Advanced Micro Devices announced an expansion of its AI PC portfolio with the launch of the Ryzen AI 400 Series and Ryzen AI PRO 400 Series processors, targeting next-generation computing applications.

The new chips are designed to deliver advanced on-device AI capabilities, enabling users to run AI applications and large language models locally while improving performance, privacy, and efficiency. The processors feature integrated neural processing units (NPUs) offering up to 50–60 TOPS of AI compute.

AMD said the new lineup supports next-generation Copilot+ PC experiences and delivers up to 30% faster multithreaded performance compared to competing processors, while maintaining all-day battery life for mobile devices.

The expanded portfolio allows OEM partners to develop a wider range of AI-enabled desktops, laptops, and workstations, supporting enterprise and consumer adoption of AI-driven workflows. Availability of systems powered by the new processors is expected in the second quarter of 2026.

Meta announces 4 new AI chips, raising competitive stakes with Nvidia, AMD

Meta has debuted four new AI chips. increasing competition with Nvidia and AMD.

(finance.yahoo.com)
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Dow Jones Industrial

U.S. Stocks Mixed as Softer Inflation Boosts Tech While Dow Lags

U.S. stocks traded mixed in early trading on Tuesday as investors reacted to a softer-than-expected June inflation report that strengthened expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

The Nasdaq gained about 0.8%, supported by technology and growth stocks that typically benefit from lower interest rates. The S&P 500 also moved modestly higher, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped slightly as investors rotated away from some defensive and value-oriented sectors.

Markets welcomed the June CPI report, which showed headline inflation fell 0.4% month over month, while annual inflation slowed to 3.5%. Core inflation also came in below expectations, with monthly core CPI unchanged and annual core inflation easing to 2.6%. The weaker inflation data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could begin easing monetary policy sooner than previously anticipated.

Technology stocks led gains across the broader market as lower interest rate expectations improved the outlook for high-growth companies. Investors also continued to monitor corporate earnings season, with company-specific results driving notable moves across individual stocks.

Meanwhile, geopolitical developments remained in focus. Recent tensions between the United States and Iran continue to be monitored by investors, particularly after the exchange of military strikes over the past week. Although markets have largely shifted their attention back toward economic data and earnings, any renewed escalation could quickly affect risk sentiment and commodity prices.

Investors will continue watching upcoming economic releases, Federal Reserve commentary, and second-quarter earnings reports for further direction as markets assess the outlook for interest rates and corporate profitability.
U.S. Markets Trade Mixed as Investors Monitor U.S.-Iran Conflict and Await Earnings Season

U.S. stocks traded mixed on Monday as investors balanced escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East against expectations for upcoming corporate earnings and a resilient U.S. economy.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.23%, while the Nasdaq declined 0.88% as technology stocks came under pressure. The Dow Jones Industrial Average outperformed, edging 0.20% higher with support from industrial and defensive shares.

Investor sentiment remained heavily influenced by the latest developments in the U.S.-Iran conflict. Military exchanges between the two countries intensified in recent days, with both sides carrying out missile and drone strikes and uncertainty surrounding shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continuing to fuel concerns over global energy supplies. The renewed escalation has pushed oil prices higher and added to inflation concerns, although markets remain hopeful that the conflict will not significantly disrupt global crude exports.

On the macroeconomic front, investors continued to digest recent data showing a mixed but generally resilient U.S. economy. Last week’s weaker-than-expected nonfarm payrolls and softer services activity reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve could still ease monetary policy later this year. At the same time, moderating inflation indicators have helped support the broader outlook for risk assets.

The market is also shifting its focus toward the upcoming second-quarter earnings season, with major U.S. banks set to report results next week. Investors will closely watch corporate guidance for signs that earnings growth can continue despite elevated interest rates, geopolitical uncertainty, and higher energy prices.

Although the major indexes remain near record levels, today’s mixed performance reflects a cautious market environment as investors weigh the economic impact of rising geopolitical tensions against a still-solid U.S. economic backdrop. The direction of the U.S.-Iran conflict, oil prices, and the start of earnings season are likely to remain the primary drivers of market sentiment in the coming days.
U.S. Markets Rise Despite Sharp Slowdown in Job Growth as Unemployment Falls

U.S. stocks finished higher on Thursday as investors balanced a much weaker-than-expected June jobs report against an unexpected decline in the unemployment rate, with optimism over the economy's resilience outweighing concerns about slowing hiring.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.77%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.54% and the Nasdaq added 0.39%.

The June employment report showed the U.S. economy added just 57,000 nonfarm payrolls, well below economists' expectations of 114,000 and sharply lower than May's revised 129,000. The data pointed to a significant slowdown in hiring and reinforced signs that the labor market is gradually cooling.

However, the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 4.2% from 4.3%, while initial jobless claims declined to 215,000 from 216,000 and came in below the 219,000 consensus forecast. The lower unemployment rate and continued strength in weekly jobless claims suggested the labor market remains relatively resilient despite slower job creation.

The mixed employment data leaves the Federal Reserve facing a delicate balancing act. Slower payroll growth supports the case for future interest rate cuts, while the lower unemployment rate reduces the urgency for policymakers to ease monetary policy immediately.

Markets also continued to digest recent comments from Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, who reiterated this week that inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target and emphasized that future policy decisions will remain data dependent.

Investors will now turn their attention to upcoming inflation reports and additional labor market data for further clues on when the Federal Reserve may begin lowering interest rates.
U.S. Stocks Trade Mixed as Weak Jobs Data Pressures Tech While Dow Holds Gains

U.S. stocks traded mixed on Wednesday as investors weighed weaker-than-expected private employment data against growing expectations that the Federal Reserve could begin cutting interest rates later this year.

At the time of writing, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 80 points, or 0.15%, to 52,399.58. The S&P 500 slipped 0.05% to 7,495.76, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.29% to 26,138.87 as technology stocks underperformed.

# Weak ADP Jobs Report Signals Cooling Labor Market

Investor attention centered on the June ADP employment report, which showed U.S. private employers added 98,000 jobs, below economists' expectations of 118,000 and down from May's revised 122,000.

The softer-than-expected reading suggests the labor market is gradually cooling, reinforcing expectations that the Federal Reserve could gain greater confidence to lower interest rates if broader economic data continue to weaken.

Markets are now turning their focus to Friday's official nonfarm payrolls report, which is expected to provide a clearer picture of labor market conditions.

# Technology Stocks Pause After Strong Rally

The Nasdaq lagged the broader market as investors took profits in technology shares following recent record highs.

Despite the modest pullback, AI-related companies and semiconductor stocks have remained among the market's strongest performers in recent weeks, supported by continued earnings optimism and robust investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

# Investors Await More Economic Data

In addition to labor market data, investors continue monitoring inflation trends and upcoming Federal Reserve communications for clues on the timing of potential policy easing.

While weaker employment data could support the case for lower interest rates, market participants remain cautious ahead of additional economic releases that could influence the Fed's outlook.

With Wall Street near record levels, investors are balancing optimism over potential monetary policy easing against signs of slowing economic momentum, leaving the major indexes little changed during Wednesday's session.
U.S. Stocks Rally as Strong Economic Data and Easing Geopolitical Risks Lift Sentiment

U.S. stocks moved higher on Thursday as investors welcomed a series of encouraging economic reports and continued to benefit from improving geopolitical conditions, pushing major indexes closer to record territory.

The S&P 500 gained 0.79% to 7,479, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.62% to 51,811. The Nasdaq Composite outperformed with a 0.93% rise to 26,263, supported by continued strength in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related stocks.

Market sentiment was boosted by stronger-than-expected economic data that pointed to a resilient U.S. economy. The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index rose to 10.3 in June, surpassing expectations of 9.8 and rebounding sharply from May's -0.4 reading. The return to expansion territory suggests manufacturing activity is improving despite concerns about slowing growth in some sectors.

Labor market data also remained constructive. Initial jobless claims fell to 226,000 from 230,000 the previous week, indicating layoffs remain limited. While continuing claims rose modestly to 1.81 million, the overall data continued to support the view that the labor market remains healthy and capable of supporting consumer spending.

Investors were further encouraged by signs that inflation pressures may remain manageable. Lower energy prices following the recent U.S.-Iran agreement have reduced concerns about supply disruptions and helped improve the inflation outlook. Brent crude oil has retreated significantly from recent highs, easing pressure on consumers and businesses alike.

At the same time, recent data has suggested that economic growth is moderating rather than contracting. While housing activity has weakened amid elevated borrowing costs, consumer spending remains relatively strong and manufacturing activity has shown renewed momentum. This combination has strengthened hopes that the U.S. economy can achieve a soft landing without slipping into recession.

Technology shares continued to attract buyers as optimism surrounding artificial intelligence investment remained a major market theme. Several semiconductor companies have received bullish analyst updates this week, including Applied Materials, Lam Research, Micron Technology, AMD, Arm Holdings, and KLA, reinforcing expectations that AI infrastructure spending will remain a powerful driver of corporate earnings and capital investment.

Overall, markets appear increasingly confident that economic growth can remain positive while inflation continues to ease. Strong labor market conditions, improving manufacturing activity, resilient consumer demand, and lower geopolitical risks have combined to support risk appetite, helping major U.S. equity indexes extend their advance despite ongoing uncertainty about the timing of future Federal Reserve policy moves.
U.S. Stocks Suffer Sharp Selloff as Strong Jobs Data and Rate Fears Hit Tech Sector

U.S. markets closed sharply lower on Friday, with the S&P 500 falling 2.64%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 1.35%, and the Nasdaq plunging 4.18% in its worst session since April 2025. The selloff ended a nine-week winning streak for the benchmark index.

The primary catalyst was a stronger-than-expected U.S. employment report. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 172,000 in May, well above expectations, while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%. The data reinforced the view that the labor market remains resilient despite higher interest rates and recent economic uncertainty.

While strong economic growth is generally positive, investors interpreted the report as reducing the likelihood of Federal Reserve rate cuts later this year. Markets are now increasingly concerned that persistent inflation and a strong labor market could keep monetary policy restrictive for longer.

Technology and semiconductor stocks led the decline. The AI sector came under particular pressure after disappointing guidance from Broadcom earlier in the week sparked concerns that the pace of AI-related spending growth may be moderating. Major chipmakers including Nvidia, AMD, Intel, Broadcom, Micron and Marvell posted steep losses, dragging the Nasdaq sharply lower.

Investor sentiment was also weighed down by ongoing Middle East tensions and elevated oil-market uncertainty. Disruptions around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz could keep energy prices volatile, potentially adding further inflationary pressure at a time when the Federal Reserve remains focused on price stability.

Despite the sharp decline, major indexes remain significantly higher than a year ago. However, Friday's trading highlighted how sensitive markets have become to economic data that could alter expectations for Federal Reserve policy and the sustainability of the AI-driven market rally.
US Markets Diverge as Dow Surges While Tech Stocks Retreat Following Broadcom Selloff

U.S. stocks are trading with a sharply divided tone today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up 1.5% to 51,466, while the S&P 500 is slightly negative and the Nasdaq has fallen nearly 0.9%. The primary driver behind the weakness in technology shares is the post-earnings selloff in Broadcom, one of the market's most important AI infrastructure companies.

Broadcom (AVGO) reported another strong quarter, with revenue rising 48% year-over-year to $22.2 billion and AI semiconductor revenue surging 143% to $10.8 billion. The company also guided for approximately $16 billion in AI chip revenue next quarter. Under normal circumstances, these figures would be considered exceptional. However, investors had priced in even more aggressive growth expectations following the stock's massive rally over the past year.

As a result, Broadcom shares plunged roughly 14-15% after earnings despite beating many financial expectations. Investors focused on management's decision not to raise its long-term AI revenue target and on AI revenue guidance that came in slightly below the market's most optimistic forecasts. The reaction highlights how demanding expectations have become for AI-related stocks.

The Broadcom decline has weighed on the broader semiconductor sector, triggering profit-taking in other AI and chip names including Nvidia, AMD, Marvell and Micron. Since semiconductors carry significant weight within the Nasdaq and major technology indexes, weakness in the group is dragging the broader technology sector lower.

At the same time, today's labor market data offered a mixed signal. Initial Jobless Claims rose to 225,000 from 212,000 previously and exceeded expectations of 214,000, suggesting some moderation in hiring conditions. However, Continuing Claims declined slightly to 1.777 million, indicating that the labor market remains relatively resilient. The data supports the view that economic growth is slowing gradually rather than deteriorating sharply.

Meanwhile, investors continue to monitor Middle East developments and energy markets. Elevated oil prices remain a concern because sustained strength in crude could keep inflation pressures alive and complicate the Federal Reserve's path toward additional rate cuts. These concerns have encouraged some investors to rotate away from high-valuation growth stocks and toward industrial, financial and defensive sectors, helping the Dow significantly outperform the Nasdaq.

Today's market action does not necessarily signal a broader loss of confidence in the AI theme. Instead, it reflects how difficult it has become for mega-cap technology and semiconductor companies to exceed already lofty expectations. Broadcom's results demonstrated powerful AI demand, but the market's reaction suggests investors are becoming increasingly selective and demanding stronger evidence that the extraordinary AI spending boom can continue accelerating from current levels.

Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500 slip for second day, oil jumps as Iran war rages on

Wall Street continues to be buffeted by the winds of war, as the effects of the Iran war are being seen through widespread volatility.

(finance.yahoo.com)

Stock market today: Nasdaq turns positive, Dow, S&P 500 slip as oil prices ease after spiking above $100

Oil's rise above $100 per barrel has unleashed fears of a more severe economic impact from the war in the Middle East.

(finance.yahoo.com)
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COINBASE:XRPUSD

Powell Just Lit the Fuse on Altcoin Season - Fat Tail Daily

Rate cuts aren’t just good for tech stocks. Lower rates mean more investors will also take a chance on higher-risk cryptos. Here’s the opportunity that’s just getting started…

(daily.fattail.com.au)
Fidelity crypto half year report link:
https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/trading-investing/crypto-midyear-outlook-2025?ccsource=em_Promo_1119565_18_0_22171_201

XRP, SOL, ADA's Coinbase Premium Surges to One-Month High After Trump's Crypto Reserve News

Tokens traded at a notable premium on Coinbase relative to Binance after Trump announced plans for establishing strategic crypto reserve.

(finance.yahoo.com)
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Germany

German Producer Prices Fall More Than Expected in June

German producer prices declined more than expected in June, signaling continued easing in upstream inflation pressures and reinforcing the broader disinflation trend across Europe’s largest economy.

Germany’s Producer Price Index (PPI) fell 0.3% month over month, compared with market expectations for a 0.2% decline. The reading marked a sharp reversal from May’s 0.3% increase and suggests that cost pressures facing manufacturers continued to moderate.
Eurozone Inflation Eases Further in June, Supporting ECB Policy Outlook

Eurozone inflation continued to moderate in June, reinforcing expectations that the European Central Bank will have greater flexibility to continue easing monetary policy if disinflation remains on track.

Headline consumer inflation came in at 2.8% year over year, matching market expectations and slowing from 3.2% in May. Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, also met forecasts at 2.4%, down from 2.6% in the previous month.
Germany’s Trade Surplus Widens Sharply in May, Beating Expectations

Germany posted a much stronger-than-expected trade surplus in May, underscoring the resilience of Europe’s largest export-driven economy despite ongoing global economic uncertainty.

Germany’s trade balance recorded a surplus of €19.1 billion in May, significantly exceeding economists’ expectations of €14.9 billion. The result also improved markedly from April’s €14.7 billion surplus, reflecting stronger external demand and a favorable trade environment.
German Factory Orders Rebound More Than Expected in May

Germany’s industrial sector showed signs of improvement in May as factory orders rebounded more strongly than expected, pointing to a gradual stabilization in Europe’s largest economy.

German factory orders increased 1.9% month-over-month in May, beating economists’ expectations of a 1.1% rise and reversing April’s revised 3.2% decline.
Eurozone Services PMI Sends Mixed Signals as Germany Improves, France Remains Weak

The latest HCOB Services PMI data painted a mixed picture for the eurozone economy in June, with Germany showing signs of improvement, Italy returning to modest expansion, while France remained in contraction.

Germany’s HCOB Services PMI rose to 48.6 in June from 48.1 in May, comfortably beating economists’ expectations of 46.8. Although the index remained below the 50-point threshold that separates expansion from contraction, the stronger-than-expected reading suggests the downturn in Germany’s services sector is easing.

Italy also showed encouraging signs, with its Services PMI rising to 50.2 from 49.4. While the figure came in just below the consensus estimate of 50.3, it moved back above the 50 mark, indicating a return to modest expansion after contracting in the previous month.

France, however, continued to lag behind its eurozone peers. The country’s Services PMI improved to 46.8 from 44.3 but missed expectations of 47.4, remaining firmly in contraction territory.
Eurozone Inflation Cools More Than Expected in June

Inflation across the eurozone eased more than expected in June, reinforcing signs that price pressures continue to moderate and strengthening expectations for a more accommodative monetary policy outlook.

The annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) slowed to 2.8%, below economists' expectations of 3.0% and down from 3.2% in May.

Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, also declined to 2.4% from 2.6% in the previous month, coming in below the consensus forecast of 2.5%.
Germany's Manufacturing Sector Returns to Growth in June

Germany's manufacturing sector returned to expansion in June, with the HCOB Germany Manufacturing PMI rising to 50.3, slightly above market expectations of 50.0 and improving from 50.1 in May.
German Inflation Slows More Than Expected in June

Germany's inflation cooled more than expected in June, reinforcing signs that price pressures continue to ease in Europe's largest economy.

Consumer prices fell 0.3% month over month, compared with expectations for unchanged prices. The decline followed a 0.2% decrease in May, marking a sharper-than-expected slowdown in monthly inflation.

On an annual basis, Germany's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.3%, below economists' expectations of 2.6% and down from 2.6% in the previous month.
Germany's June Ifo survey showed improving confidence among businesses, driven by a stronger assessment of current conditions, although expectations for the future remained cautious.

The Ifo Current Assessment Index rose to 87.0 from 86.1 in May, beating forecasts of 86.0. The improvement suggests German companies are seeing better business conditions in the present, consistent with recent signs that the country's manufacturing sector has stabilized after a prolonged downturn.

Meanwhile, the Ifo Business Expectations Index increased slightly to 84.1 from 83.9 but missed expectations of 85.0. While businesses became marginally more optimistic about the months ahead, confidence remains relatively subdued, reflecting ongoing concerns about economic growth, global trade conditions, and domestic demand.
Germany's June PMI data showed a slight deterioration in business activity, with weakness in the services sector offsetting stability in manufacturing.

The HCOB Germany Manufacturing PMI edged down to 50.0 from 50.1 in May, missing expectations of 50.3. While the reading remains at the threshold between expansion and contraction, it suggests industrial activity has largely stabilized after a prolonged downturn but is struggling to gain meaningful momentum.

More concerning was the services sector, where the HCOB Germany Services PMI fell to 46.8 from 48.1 in May, well below the 49.0 consensus forecast. The reading signals an accelerating contraction in Germany's largest economic sector and points to softer domestic demand.
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