Skip to main content

Featured

Intel’s Weak Earnings Put Futures on Ice After a Choppy Week

U.S. stock futures lost momentum Friday morning as Wall Street tried to steady itself after several days of sharp swings. Dow futures slipped, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures hovered slightly lower, signaling a cautious start to the trading day. The hesitation came largely from Intel’s disappointing earnings report. The chipmaker’s results and weaker outlook weighed heavily on tech sentiment, sending its shares sharply lower in pre‑market trading. Investors had hoped for stronger numbers given the industry’s AI‑driven momentum, but Intel’s update suggested ongoing challenges in key segments like data‑center chips. The broader market has been wrestling with volatility all week, driven by shifting economic expectations and uneven corporate results. With the S&P 500 on track for another weekly decline, traders appear reluctant to make big moves until they see clearer signs of stability.
Post a Comment
Read more

article

Labels

U.S. and Iran tensions escalate after rocket attacks in Iraq

 

The U.S. and Iran are locked in a cycle of violence that threatens to spiral out of control, as both sides exchange rocket attacks and warnings in Iraq. The latest round of hostilities began on Sunday, when Iran-backed militias fired rockets at a U.S. base near Baghdad, killing a U.S. contractor and wounding several others. The U.S. responded by launching airstrikes on militia targets in Syria and Iraq, killing at least four fighters and injuring dozens more.

The U.S. said the strikes were a “proportionate” and “defensive” response to deter future attacks, but Iran and its allies condemned them as a “flagrant violation” of Iraqi sovereignty and international law. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman said the U.S. was “taking the wrong path” and warned of “consequences” for its actions. The militias vowed to avenge their fallen comrades and continue their resistance against the U.S. presence in Iraq.

The situation has put the Biden administration in a difficult position, as it seeks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran that was abandoned by former president Donald Trump. The deal, which lifted sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program, was seen as a way to ease tensions and prevent a regional war. However, the deal has been unraveling since Trump withdrew from it in 2018 and reimposed harsh sanctions on Iran, prompting Iran to resume its nuclear activities and increase its support for militias in the region.

Biden has expressed his willingness to rejoin the deal, but only if Iran returns to full compliance first. Iran, on the other hand, has demanded that the U.S. lift all sanctions before it reverses its nuclear steps. The two sides have not yet agreed on a format or a timeline for negotiations, and the recent violence has further complicated the prospects for diplomacy. Some analysts fear that the escalation could undermine the chances of a peaceful resolution and push the region closer to the brink of war.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment