US equity futures are modestly lower, Asian markets are mixed with weakness in Japan and Hong Kong, while European equities are also lower. Risk sentiment is under pressure amid renewed escalation in US-Iran tensions, with limited progress in negotiations and reports of potential military actions keeping markets on edge. Trump unsurprisingly rejected Tehran's latest offer, and reports US preparing a short but powerful series of strikes to break the deadlock. The surge in oil prices is driving higher yields and reinforcing inflation concerns, complicating the outlook for central bank policy. Investors are also focused on upcoming ECB and Bank of England decisions, with expectations for rates to remain unchanged but attention on signals around potential tightening as policymakers assess the impact of elevated energy prices.

Companies mentioned: KKR & Co., Anthropic, NVIDIA