Finance

Energy prices experienced an aggressive spike due to growing military and logistics risks across the Middle East. Brent crude surged roughly 5% to settle around $105 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate neared $92 per barrel. Shippers face heightened attack threats along key logistical corridors like the Strait of Hormuz, complicating global supply expectations and exacerbating inflation worries.

Central bank communication reinforced expectations that monetary tightening is far from over. Meeting minutes from the Federal Open Market Committee alongside statements from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller indicated that policymakers see multiple additional rate hikes as necessary to sustainably anchor inflation. Swapping desks are now modeling multiple future increases over the next several months, depressing forward-looking risk appetites.

Space Exploration Technologies made waves in corporate finance after reports emerged of a substantial $40 billion capital push. The aerospace firm intends to utilize the capital injection to secure premium high-performance computing hardware from chip titan Nvidia. The massive scale of the proposed transaction highlights the intensive capital demands currently shaping artificial intelligence infrastructure development.