Stock Market
The U.S. major indexes closed as follows: Dow Jones declined 0.11% at 53,975.98; S&P 500 declined 0.06% at 7,753.11; NASDAQ declined 0.32% at 26,605.36. A mild pull-back across all three benchmarks reflected mixed reactions to fresh capital-raising and geopolitical headlines, with defensive sectors helping limit broader losses.
A handful of large-cap names posted outsized moves. NVIDIA fell 2.86% at $217.55, while Apple declined 1.53% at $308.26 after an analyst downgrade. On the upside, Microsoft gained 1.21% at $506.06 on reports of a new in-house AI chip, and Tesla edged up 0.70% at $330.88. Leveraged semiconductor ETF SOXL slid 7.31% at $130.00, while its inverse peer SOXS jumped 7.44% at $45.21 as traders positioned around chip-sector volatility.
Storage specialist SanDisk rose 2.12% at $1,237.92 after a broker upgrade, and SpaceX advanced 4.23% at $138.74 as lock-up worries faded.
ETFs tracking the broad market were steady: the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) dipped 0.03% at $773.03, while the tech-heavy Invesco QQQ edged down 0.30% at $720.87. Modest index declines, paired with pockets of pronounced stock-specific swings, underline a market still digesting large capital raises, AI-driven financing plans and energy-linked headlines.
Other Markets
U.S. 10-year Treasury yield rose by 0.00%, latest at 4.70%.
USD/CNH rose 0.0103% at 6.79; USD/HKD fell 0.0011% at 7.85.
U.S. Dollar Index fell 0.0060% at 99.80.
WTI crude futures fell 0.07% at 82.07 USD/bbl; COMEX gold futures rose 0.82% at 4,455.80 USD/oz.
Top News
1. Trump Administration Tightens Economic Sanctions on Iran to Escalate Pressure. Officials said the White House will rely on financial penalties and a naval blockade instead of new strikes. The strategy aims to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without further military escalation.
2. Nvidia Teams Up with Major Wall Street Firms to Arrange up to $500 Billion in AI Infrastructure Financing. Apollo, Blackstone, Goldman Sachs and others will coordinate the package, supporting data-center build-outs. The agreement highlights continued appetite for large-scale AI investment.
3. Intel Announces $15 Billion Common-Stock Offering to Fund Expansion. Proceeds will bolster capital expenditure and working capital for its contract-manufacturing push. Share dilution concerns sent the stock lower during Monday’s session.
4. White House Extends Jones Act Waiver for 90 Days to Ease Domestic Fuel Shipments. Individual voyages will now be reviewed case-by-case, balancing energy supply needs with shipbuilding-industry concerns. The waiver supports gasoline and diesel deliveries amid Middle-East disruptions.
5. Lockheed Martin Opens “Strigo” Product Center to Accelerate Missile Technology Development. The contractor committed $250 million to shorten design-to-field timelines. Common architectures are expected to speed production of air-defense and precision-strike weapons.
6. U.S. Releases 6.1 Million Barrels from Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Stocks Dip below 300 Million Barrels. Inventories are at their lowest since 1983, part of an IEA-coordinated program addressing supply shortfalls linked to the Strait of Hormuz closure.
7. Microsoft Plans to Unveil “Maia 300” AI Chip as Soon as Next Month. The company seeks TSMC capacity for over 300,000 units and ultimately more than 1 million chips. The move would reduce reliance on third-party GPUs and attract cloud customers.
8. Argus Research Upgrades SanDisk to Buy, Citing Early-Cycle Margin Expansion. The analyst set a $1,600 price target after the stock’s post-earnings pull-back. Management is seen benefiting from sustained AI-driven memory demand.
9. GameStop Reportedly Considering Withdrawal of $56 Billion eBay Bid. Sources told Bloomberg the retailer may step back after reviewing strategic priorities. GameStop shares rose on expectations of lower deal risk.
10. U.S. Proposes 50% Tariff on Select Canadian Goods, Hitting Ontario and Quebec Hardest. Oxford Economics estimates significant growth headwinds for the two provinces. Canadian officials are negotiating with Washington to avert the duty.
Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market data Disclaimer: This content is for reference only and does not constitute investment advice.
