14:00 - 26.06.2026

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June 26, Fineko/abc.az. Global financial markets are experiencing deep uncertainty as oil prices retreat following a brief spike triggered by a vessel attack in the Strait of Hormuz.

According to ABC.AZ, tracking international asset management reports, fixed-income investors scaled back bets on further Federal Reserve interest rate hikes following yesterday's moderate US inflation data. However, a renewed wave of volatility across high-cap tech stocks on Wall Street overshadowed broader macroeconomic optimism.

Core Market Movements and Technical Metrics:

• "Magnificent Seven" Under Pressure: Every single tech giant within the elite group logged losses, led by Apple Inc. after the company increased retail prices for Mac and iPad products. This downturn dragged the S&P 500 index, despite strong earnings beating guidance from Micron Technology.

• Trading Halts in Asia: The tech-driven sell-off pushed Asian benchmarks to a two-week low. The broader Asian equity index fell 2,7%, while South Korea's tech-heavy Kospi index triggered a temporary trading halt after plunging up to 9%.

• SoftBank Plummets 13%: In Tokyo, SoftBank Group Corp. shares plummeted 13% on mounting concerns that OpenAI might postpone its highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO), delaying yields for Japanese anchor investors.

Analysts from UBS Chief Investment Office emphasized that recent months show how rapidly market narratives shift, noting that holding excess cash carries a high opportunity cost and reiterating the absolute need for portfolio diversification. Currently, US stock futures remain in negative territory, pointing to a bearish, lower opening across European markets.