Finance

Major U.S. indices registered divergent performances, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite posting a weekly gain of 0.7% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered a 1.7% drop. Market participants contended with heightened quarterly volatility during a triple-witching session, alongside escalating corporate anxieties regarding tariffs and rising operating costs.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note neared the 5% threshold as bond markets reacted to the central bank's hawkish forward guidance. Concurrently, short-term yields sensitive to monetary policy advanced further, reflecting a growing expectations shift toward an additional rate adjustment in the near term.

International oil benchmarks including Brent crude surged past $100 per barrel following localized drone strikes and disruptions to key energy supply pipelines in the Middle East. Although prices moderated slightly ahead of the weekend, the ongoing geopolitical crisis threatens global supply chains and risks aggravating global inflationary forces.