Welcome to Markets Desk, your midday read on what's moving money.
President Trump escalated tensions with Iran Thursday, threatening to seize Kharg Island, the country's primary oil export hub, and take control of its energy markets. Oil prices pushed toward session highs on the news, as traders priced in the possibility of a significant supply disruption from one of OPEC's key producers.
Equity markets are holding their footing despite the geopolitical noise, with the S&P five hundred up roughly a fifth of a percent and the Nasdaq one hundred gaining just over half a point. Chipmakers and artificial intelligence names are leading the rebound, offering some technical relief after recent selling pressure in the growth trade.
Meanwhile, Oracle is the notable drag in tech today, shares falling eleven percent after the company reported negative free cash flow and announced plans to raise additional capital. Investors looked past the earnings and revenue beat and focused squarely on the balance sheet, questioning whether Oracle's aggressive infrastructure buildout is straining its financial flexibility more than the market anticipated.
That's the tape. Markets Desk, signing off the floor.
