Finance

Despite reporting a staggering 19-fold surge in quarterly operating income, Samsung Electronics triggered a global selloff in chip stocks as its results failed to meet the lofty expectations of the artificial intelligence era. This led to significant declines in major U.S. chipmakers like Micron, Broadcom, and AMD during early trading. Analysts suggest the market reaction highlights a heightened 'AI stress test' where even robust absolute growth is being scrutinized for signs of peaking demand.

SpaceX officially joined the Nasdaq-100 today, becoming the first company to enter the prestigious index under new 'fast-track' rules for mega-initial public offerings. The rocket manufacturer, which currently commands a market capitalization exceeding $2 trillion, saw its stock slip nearly 2.5% in early trading following its inclusion. Passive investment funds, including those tracking the QQQ ETF, are now mandated to purchase shares to reflect the updated index composition.

Global crude oil prices rose on Tuesday as geopolitical tensions escalated in the Middle East. Reports of Iranian forces targeting commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz have pushed Brent crude back toward the $73 mark. These disruptions in the Persian Gulf have also contributed to gains in European natural gas prices as traders price in potential supply chain risks.