Finance

The semiconductor and AI sectors suffered significant losses following reports that OpenAI may delay its highly anticipated initial public offering until 2027. Market sentiment was further dampened by major firms like Apple and Microsoft announcing price hikes on hardware to offset surging memory component expenses, prompting concerns over sustained profitability in the AI supply chain.

Crude oil futures fell by more than 2% today, with West Texas Intermediate dropping toward the $70 per barrel threshold. This decline follows signs of stabilizing traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to secure a durable peace agreement, which has begun to strip the geopolitical risk premium from energy markets.

Recent data showing core PCE inflation remaining uncomfortably above 3% has led financial analysts to forecast additional interest rate hikes before the end of 2026. Market participants are increasingly pricing in a quarter-point increase for the September meeting as the central bank maintains a hawkish stance to address structural price pressures.