Finance

Global energy markets experienced mild upward pressure with Brent crude trading near $84 per barrel amid ongoing uncertainty in the Persian Gulf. Investors are closely monitoring delicate diplomatic communications regarding the potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Although Iranian officials hinted that a maritime agreement with Oman is close, they continue to reject direct negotiations with the United States until specific preconditions are satisfied.

JPMorgan strategists upgraded their price targets for the S&P 500, citing explosive corporate earnings growth and expanding backlogs among cloud hyperscalers. Strong second-quarter revenue results from heavyweights like Apple and positive demand indicators have alleviated initial market anxieties regarding capital returns. Financial institutions anticipate that spending on artificial intelligence infrastructure will comprise over half of total capital expenditures across the broad-market index this year.

The price of Bitcoin temporarily surpassed $65,000, recovering from earlier regulatory uncertainty after the U.S. Senate delayed voting on the CLARITY Act. Digital assets are finding support from robust institutional interest, underscored by more than $850 million in weekly net inflows into spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds. Market participants are now pivoting their focus toward the upcoming Consumer Price Index data to gauge the broader path of inflation.