The AI arms race is accelerating with massive investments, as seen in Alphabet's $80 billion stock sale and Anthropic's confidential IPO filing, leading to a surge in stocks for hardware makers like HPE and Marvell. Geopolitical risks are increasing as China expands its curbs on foreign technology deals, while oil markets remain volatile pending a potential U.S.-Iran agreement to end their conflict. In the U.S., a conflicting economic picture is emerging, with strong results from Victoria's Secret contrasting with warnings from Dollar General about lower-income consumer stress, alongside a labor report showing a surge in job openings but a decline in hiring.

A news podcast encapsulating the most salient market news, brought to you by Finextra Pro and powered by Communify.

Open Finextra Pro now!