📈 Global Market Shift: Tech Stocks Surge & Oil Prices Slide

• Asian Markets & Tech: Asian equities rallied, driven by strong earnings and renewed demand for technology and AI. Japan’s Nikkei surged 3.5%, South Korea jumped 4.3%, MSCI Asia-Pacific ex-Japan rose 2.3%, and Chinese blue chips gained 1.5%. However, AMD dropped 8.8% post-market after earnings fell short of high expectations, while SpaceX fell 7.5% over capex and cash flow concerns ahead of 912 million insider shares becoming eligible for sale. • Oil & Energy: Oil prices continued to slide as mediation progress in the U.S.-Iran conflict eased supply fears. Brent crude fell 0.6% to US$ 78.85/bbl (down from its July high of US$ 102/bbl), while U.S. crude declined 0.9% to US$ 75.09/bbl. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz reached 40%–45% of pre-war levels, nearing the 50%–60% threshold required to signal oversupply. • Bonds & Currencies: Falling energy prices eased inflation concerns, lowering 10-year U.S. Treasury yields to 4.603%. Lower yields boosted non-yielding gold by 1.6% to US$ 4,140/oz. Traders reduced the likelihood of a September Fed rate hike to 57%. The Euro held flat at US$ 1.1537, while the New Zealand dollar dropped 0.3% following a decade-high June quarter unemployment rate of 5.6%.