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Market Summary
Markets turned risk-off as tech and crypto led declines: S&P 500 and Nasdaq slid amid AI valuation fears while the Dow registered multi-day losses. Volatility spiked as investors awaited Nvidia results and digestion of Cloudflare’s outage; defensive sectors outperformed, energy and bonds saw mixed flows, and bitcoin fell sharply on ETF outflows.
A widespread Cloudflare failure knocked major apps and services offline, triggering outage investigations and market noise. Cloudflare publicly blamed a configuration problem and outlined remedial steps as tech stocks felt the pain.
Figure of the Day
4.4M barrels – U.S. crude inventories rose by 4.4 million barrels this week, reinforcing oversupply worries.
Nvidia’s quarterly report is the epicentre of market anxiety as investors reassess AI spending and guidance. With jobs data also due, the earnings release is shaping sentiment across tech-heavy indices.
Global markets plunged amid an AI-led tech sell-off, with major indices booking consecutive losses. The rout is widening as investors digest stretched valuations and circular financing in AI deals.
Bullish
Medtronic lifts outlook after beat — shares jump
Medtronic beat quarterly forecasts and raised its fiscal outlook, signalling resilience in medical-device demand and offering a bright spot for cautious investors.
More on wsj.com
Microsoft and Nvidia moved to bulk up Anthropic, triggering debate over circular investments and valuation distortions. Regulators and investors are watching whether such deals mask concentration risks.
Google unveiled Gemini 3 and rolled it into search and apps, marking a major step in the AI race with improved coding and reasoning. The launch intensifies competition with OpenAI and Anthropic for enterprise AI traction.
Bearish
Brazil’s Banco Master collapses — CEO detained, regulator shuts lender
Regulators closed Banco Master and detained its CEO in a dramatic move that threatens depositor confidence and highlights growing stresses in some emerging-market banks.
More on zerohedge.com
The Cloudflare outage reignited crypto debates about decentralised infrastructure as multiple crypto front-ends went offline. Industry players pitched DePIN and decentralised hosting as resilience solutions.
Congress sped a bill to force release of DOJ files on Jeffrey Epstein through both chambers, forcing a political reckoning. The moves mark a rare bipartisan rebuke and have immediate political consequences.
Regulatory Impact
Key moves: Congress forced DOJ to release Epstein files; OCC said banks may hold crypto to pay network fees; DOE approved a $1B loan to restart Three Mile Island; EU designated major cloud providers as critical to the financial sector.
President Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman amid pledges of huge commercial deals. The White House showcased large-scale commitments, prompting scrutiny over terms and national-security implications.
The U.S. government backed a $1 billion loan to restart the Three Mile Island reactor to supply power for data centres, shifting financial risk to taxpayers. The move is a key example of industrial policy tied to AI infrastructure demand.
Quote
There are elements of irrationality in the AI boom.
— Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google
Bitcoin and the wider crypto market plunged as ETF outflows accelerated, erasing much of 2025’s gains. Analysts flag capitulation risk even as some see year-end recovery potential.
MI5 warned that Chinese operatives are using fake headhunters and social platforms to target UK lawmakers and officials. The alert raises concerns about espionage via recruitment and professional networks.
Diplomatic tensions between China and Japan escalated with Beijing suspending seafood imports and Chinese tourists cancelling travel. The measures highlight the economic fallout from political rows.
Europe warned of rare-earth and magnet shortages that could throttle EV and defence supply chains. New domestic projects and US investments aim to ease reliance on China but gaps remain.
Automakers are recalibrating: Toyota is investing heavily in U.S. hybrid output while Tesla secured permits to run a robotaxi service in Arizona. The moves show divergent bets in electrification and mobility services.
Regulators are tightening rules around cloud and crypto: the EU flagged major cloud providers as critical to finance, while the OCC clarified banks can hold crypto to pay gas fees. Policy shifts aim to contain systemic risk.
Japan’s bond market is under strain as yields spike, complicating stimulus plans just as political pressure mounts for bigger fiscal measures. Traders are testing demand across the curve.
The UK prepares a high-stakes budget with markets on edge as the chancellor considers higher benefits spending. Investors are wary that fiscal plans could stoke bond-market volatility.
Deutsche Bank is reshaping perceptions, refinancing part of a large Oyo loan as it steadies operations. Analysts debate whether the turnaround has real legs after years of crisis management.
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