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Markets are jittery as trade tensions and Fed signals collide. The S&P 500 trades near breakeven while the Nasdaq shows tech leadership mixed with volatility; the Dow rallied on bank earnings. Investors are rotating into defensive havens and AI hardware names, while commodities and rates react to tariff and growth headlines.
A US-brokered truce has produced the release of the remaining living hostages from Gaza and a high-profile signing ceremony. The deals reshape regional diplomacy and create immediate political wins for the U.S. administration while leaving reconstruction and long-term security unresolved.
37% – Goldman Sachs’ quarterly profit jump, driven by dealmaking and trading strength.
Trade tensions spike as both sides deploy port fees and shipping measures, marking a new phase of economic retaliation. The moves threaten global shipping routes and add an immediate cost pressure to trade-dependent firms.
Federal Reserve signals a shift in monetary policy mechanics as balance-sheet runoff nears an end. Officials also warned of labor-market weakness, leaving markets to weigh rate path uncertainty against mixed economic signals.
Samsung posts big profit surge – chip demand fuels rebound
Samsung reported a sharp jump in quarterly operating profit as memory demand and AI-driven spending revived earnings, signalling a broad tech-sector tailwind.
More on asia.nikkei.com
Major banks reported blowout quarters driven by trading and dealmaking, underscoring resilience in financial markets. Results point to dual strength in client activity even as macro risks pile up.
Walmart’s partnership with OpenAI pushes commerce directly into conversational AI, transforming checkout and discovery. The deal has immediate market implications, lifting retailer sentiment and investor interest.
First Brands CEO resigns amid accounting questions
First Brands’ chief executive stepped down as scrutiny of the company’s accounting and bankruptcy fallout intensifies, raising fresh concerns about private‑credit exposures.
More on nytimes.com
Broadcom struck a multiyear AI supply deal with OpenAI, signaling booming demand for bespoke AI silicon and systems. The pact adds to a wave of big-ticket hardware contracts reshaping data-center supply chains and valuations.
AMD won a major enterprise design win with Oracle, and Oracle committed to a large AMD deployment in its cloud. The moves mark intensifying competition in AI hardware beyond Nvidia and signal potential industry share shifts.
New U.S. tariffs on imported lumber and kitchen cabinets are now in force; the Dutch government seized a China‑owned chipmaker citing security rules; California passed new safeguards for AI chatbots aimed at protecting teens.
U.S. prosecutors executed the largest bitcoin forfeiture in history, seizing vast crypto holdings tied to sprawling fraud networks. Parallel civil forfeiture efforts underscore expanding law-enforcement focus on crypto proceeds.
OpenAI moves to shore up safety and governance while subscriber growth shows signs of plateauing in Europe. The twin developments highlight the company’s scramble to balance growth, regulation and user trust.
There is no risk‑free path.
— Jerome Powell
The U.S. government shutdown is forcing administrative personnel moves and pay disruptions across critical services. The deepening standoff is creating immediate operational risks for air travel and other essential functions.
Europe is scrambling to adapt to China’s tighter control over rare-earth exports, prompting official rebukes and strategic worry. The curbs threaten auto and defense supply chains and add urgency to industrial reshoring debates.
Dutch authorities moved to seize a China‑owned chipmaker amid national-security concerns after U.S. pressure. The case underscores the geopolitical reach of tech controls and will reverberate through global semiconductor supply chains.
Crypto markets remain under pressure after a sharp sell-off, with ether flirting with a bearish breakdown and bitcoin slipping below key supports. ETF outflows and macro risk aversion are amplifying volatility across digital assets.
The IMF warned of growing market fragility as tariff fights and geopolitical shocks build risk of a disorderly correction. Policymakers face a trade-off between containing inflation and shielding growth from trade-policy shocks.
Google unveiled a multibillion-dollar plan to build AI data-centre capacity in India, accelerating its global infrastructure push. The investment signals tech giants’ race to localize AI compute where markets and talent converge.
General Motors warned its EV plans will be trimmed after key tax incentives ended, booking a material charge. The move forces automakers to reassess EV investment timing and profitability in a shifting policy environment.
BlackRock’s assets hit record highs as ETF inflows and private-market deals accelerate its reach. CEO Larry Fink signalled the firm sees tokenization as a structural shift that could reshape asset management.
SpaceX completed another major Starship test as the program transitions to a next-generation design. Successive flights keep the company on course for orbital ambitions and maintain momentum in commercial launch markets.
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