Finance

Major U.S. stock indices ended their recent winning streaks with visible declines, heavily influenced by the outsized weighting of tumbling semiconductor and technology shares. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite dropped nearly 1.5%, while the broader S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered more modest losses despite multiple components showing underlying market breadth.

International energy benchmarks are climbing toward monthly highs following consecutive nights of military strikes between the United States and Iranian forces near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Analysts warn that continuous threats to Persian Gulf maritime trade routes place vital oil infrastructure at risk and could generate a broader upward shift in global fuel costs.

Despite severe pressure in the technology sector, the second-quarter corporate earnings season has started on a largely positive note for major financial institutions and consumer staples. Healthcare provider UnitedHealth Group, along with major asset managers like BlackRock, reported quarterly earnings that outpaced consensus estimates, cushioning the downward momentum of the blue-chip benchmarks.