Asian Currencies Steady as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Extension Hopes Weigh on Dollar 
S&P 500 Hits Record High as Tech Rally Slows Amid Iran Peace Uncertainty 
Tokyo Inflation Cools in May, Supporting BOJ’s Cautious Rate Hike Path 
US Imposes Fresh Iran Oil Sanctions Despite Progress on Ceasefire Talks 
Asian Markets Slide as New U.S. Strikes on Iran Spark Investor Caution 
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 3.1% as Supermarket Price Pressures Ease in May 2026 
Gold Prices Slip as Stronger Dollar and Iran Peace Talk Uncertainty Weigh on Market 
Asian Stocks Rally as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Progress Lift Market Sentiment 
Dollar Gains Slightly as U.S.-Iran Tensions Keep Forex Markets on Edge 
U.S. Sanctions Iran’s Strait of Hormuz Authority as Global Oil Markets Face Turmoil 
Wall Street Reaches New Record Highs as AI Boom and Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Markets 
Wall Street Hits New Highs as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Talks Boost Market Sentiment 
South Korea Central Bank Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Inflation Concerns 
Oil Prices Jump After New U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Supply Concerns 
Nikkei Hits Record High as AI Chip Stocks Power Japan Market Rally 
Oil Prices Set for Sharp Weekly Losses as U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ease Supply Concerns 
Wall Street closed sharply lower Friday following Iran’s missile strike on Israel, a retaliatory move after Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites. The conflict has triggered fears of a broader Middle East war, shaking global investor confidence.
Explosions rocked Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as Israel’s military confirmed missile launches from Iran. The geopolitical tension sent oil prices soaring nearly 7%, raising concerns about disruptions in Middle East crude supply. Analysts warned that if the Strait of Hormuz is affected, global markets could face serious turmoil.
Energy stocks surged in response, with ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) up 2.2% and Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ:FANG) climbing 3.7%. In contrast, airline shares tumbled on rising fuel cost fears—Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) dropped 3.8%, United Airlines fell 4.4%, and American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) sank 4.9%.
Defense stocks gained as investors looked to military suppliers. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), RTX, and Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) all rose over 3%.
The S&P 500 declined 1.13% to 5,976.97, the Nasdaq lost 1.30% to 19,406.83, and the Dow fell 1.79% to 42,197.79. Financial and tech sectors led the decline, with financials down 2.06% and tech off 1.5%. For the week, the S&P 500 slipped 0.4%, Nasdaq 0.6%, and Dow 1.3%.
Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) dropped 5.3% over AI adoption concerns, while Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) surged 7.7% on strong AI-driven forecasts. Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) dipped 2.1% and 1.4%, respectively. Visa (NYSE:V) and Mastercard (NYSE:MA) both fell over 4% amid reports that retailers are exploring crypto alternatives.
Despite rate-hike concerns easing, the market remains volatile, with declining S&P 500 stocks outnumbering gainers by over 6 to 1.
