Finance

South Korean memory-chip maker SK Hynix launched the largest-ever US share sale by a foreign company, raising approximately $26.5 billion in its trading debut. Shares surged over 17% intraday as investors sought direct exposure to the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom, providing a boost to the broader semiconductor sector.

Brent crude prices slipped toward $76 a barrel on Friday as immediate fears of supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz slightly receded. Although prices remain higher than their weekly starting point due to recent airstrikes in Iran, the market is currently balancing a recovery in global demand against a potential move into surplus next year.

The US 10-year Treasury yield held near 4.54% as investors analyzed signs of cooling consumer borrowing against persistent inflation concerns. Despite a slight ease in yields due to lower oil prices, market expectations remain firm for at least one additional Federal Reserve interest rate hike later this year.