Finance

In his inaugural meeting as Fed Chair, Kevin Warsh maintained interest rates at 3.50% to 3.75% but adopted a notably disciplined tone regarding inflation targets. Updated projections now indicate that a majority of officials anticipate at least one rate hike by the end of 2026, marking a reversal from previous expectations of monetary easing.

Energy markets experienced a significant downturn after the United States and Iran reached a memorandum of understanding to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This resolution to the regional conflict sent Brent crude prices below $80 per barrel for the first time since March, helping to ease broader inflationary concerns.

The Nasdaq-100 Index is set to implement its June 2026 quarterly rebalance, introducing five new companies including AI infrastructure firms Astera Labs and CoreWeave. These changes, which become effective before the market opens on June 22, reflect an updated methodology designed to incorporate large new listings more rapidly.