Finance

Global energy markets experienced a sharp upward movement with Brent crude futures climbing nearly 5% to settle at $87.72 per barrel. The sudden spike followed a breakdown in diplomatic negotiations and a demanding set of terms laid out by Iranian officials regarding the opening of the critical Strait of Hormuz. Elevated energy prices and climbing bond yields quickly compounded the downward pressure felt across the domestic stock market.

Shares of chipmaking giant Intel fell more than 4% following announcements that it may issue up to $15 billion in new equity. The semiconductor manufacturer plans to utilize the newly raised capital to expand its contract manufacturing operations and capitalize on the ongoing artificial intelligence spending boom. However, the prospect of substantial shareholder dilution heavily weighed on broader technology sector performance.

Digital assets experienced an orderly session as Bitcoin consolidated its recent momentum directly around the $65,000 baseline. Concurrently, Ethereum held relatively stable near the $1,900 mark, moving within a muted, narrow trading band. The broader digital asset landscape found structural support following a softer-than-expected domestic employment report, though incoming inflation data threatens to renew market volatility.