Finance

Crude oil futures traded firmly over $100 per barrel, with International Brent crude moving past $105 and West Texas Intermediate hitting $93. The persistent rally in energy markets has placed severe upward pressure on consumer prices and core services inflation. Consequently, investors worry that sustained high energy costs could squeeze consumers and impede corporate profit margins outside the energy sector.

Digital assets experienced sharp selling pressure as intensifying rate-hike concerns dented investor sentiment. Bitcoin slid below the $84,000 threshold to trade around $83,462, while Ethereum fell down to approximately $2,646. The downturn erased recent momentum as traders priced in a higher probability of multiple Federal Reserve interest rate increases before the end of the year.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite faced distinct headwinds as large-cap players and semiconductor equities faltered under broader macro pressures. Oracle shares slid over 5% following reports that the company invoked force majeure to protect itself against delays in a New Mexico data center project. This decline, paired with elevated bond yields, overshadowed positive geopolitical sentiment surrounding trade talks between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.