Finance

U.S. crude oil futures climbed toward $95 a barrel as uncertainty surrounding peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran persisted. These developments have shifted the primary inflationary concern from trade tariffs to energy-driven supply shocks, which analysts expect could impact broader economic growth through 2026.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, under Chairman Paul Atkins, has released a draft strategic plan identifying digital assets and distributed ledger technology as top priorities through 2030. The proposal aims to establish a clear regulatory rulebook for crypto and potentially introduce an "innovation exemption" to facilitate new business models.

While AI-focused hardware firms rallied, Alphabet shares fell nearly 4% after the company announced plans to raise $80 billion for artificial intelligence infrastructure buildouts. Other notable moves included Victoria's Secret surging 36% on better-than-expected quarterly results, while major software providers faced downward pressure during the session.