Finance

Brent crude futures experienced a notable surge of roughly 5% to settle around $87.72 per barrel amid escalating tensions with Iran. The market reacted sharply after Tehran presented strict prerequisites for the reopening of the vital Strait of Hormuz, which includes demands for a complete U.S. military withdrawal and the lift of economic sanctions. This renewed energy volatility has rekindled broader macroeconomic anxieties regarding global oil flows and core inflation metrics.

Nvidia shares dropped nearly 3% following reports that the artificial intelligence giant is coordinating with private equity firms Blackstone and Apollo Global on a massive $500 billion infrastructure funding framework. Meanwhile, Intel slumped over 4% after the chipmaker revealed plans for a $15 billion equity offering intended to fund its contract manufacturing and AI expansions. These aggressive spending programs have stoked market anxieties about the highly capital-intensive nature of the ongoing AI hardware race.

Bitcoin demonstrated resilience by fluctuating near the $64,000 to $65,000 range following a period of positive momentum driven by a weaker-than-anticipated U.S. employment report. Digital asset traders are carefully weighing underlying risk sentiment against potential shifts in federal interest rate policies. Market volatility remains present as institutional crypto M&A activity continues to move forward alongside unresolved domestic regulatory frameworks.