Finance

Under the direction of newly appointed Chair Kevin Warsh, the Federal Reserve has signaled a potential departure from its previous easing bias. While interest rates were held steady at 3.50%-3.75% in June, updated economic projections indicate that at least three voting members now anticipate rate hikes later in 2026 to combat persistent inflation.

Oil prices retreated and Treasury yields stabilized around 4.5% following a provisional peace roadmap between the United States and Iran. The agreement, which includes a 60-day license for Iran to sell oil on international markets, has provided some relief to inflationary fears that were previously exacerbated by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Shares of the semiconductor giant declined toward the $200 level following disclosures of significant insider selling by long-time directors. Market sentiment was further dampened by reports of contracting lease prices for flagship Blackwell B200 compute power and persistent supply chain bottlenecks in high-bandwidth memory production.