FTSE 100 today: Stocks gain as tech sell-off eases amid Middle East tensions By Investing.com

• The FTSE 100 rose nearly 0.6% on Tuesday, extending a rally driven by positive market sentiment and strong corporate earnings. • The index's growth was supported by its heavy concentration in energy, mining, and financial sectors, as well as positive UK retail sales and PMI data.

• Eurozone borrowing costs have increased due to a combination of escalating tensions in the Middle East and market expectations of a hawkish Federal Reserve. • The rise in yields reflects growing investor anxiety over geopolitical instability and the potential for prolonged high interest rates in the U.S.

• European stock markets, including the FTSE, opened higher as investors moved past the memory chip sell-off that impacted Asian markets overnight. • Market sentiment remains volatile due to a heavy schedule of corporate earnings reports and upcoming central bank announcements.

• Stock futures remained mixed and relatively stable on Wednesday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's upcoming decision regarding interest rates. • Oil prices surged following a surprise missile attack launched by Iran against U.S. forces in the Middle East, increasing geopolitical tensions.

• Crude oil prices surged nearly 5%, exceeding $83 per barrel, as renewed conflict in the Middle East sparked market volatility. • US equity and Treasury futures declined while the US dollar strengthened, reflecting a general trend of risk aversion among investors.

• South Korean stocks experienced a severe collapse, with the benchmark Kospi index plunging more than 12 per cent at one point. • The crash was driven by a broader rout in Asian technology stocks, reflecting heightened volatility in the regional tech sector.

• Chokalingam Narayanan has identified three emerging trends, highlighting a significant shift in consumer behavior toward prioritizing experiences over the purchase of physical goods. • Regarding earnings, Narayanan suggested a value-based strategy, stating that a higher proportion of earnings typically correlates with a higher potential for returns.

• Global stock markets showed mixed performance, highlighted by a significant 6% drop in South Korea's Kospi index due to a sell-off in chipmaking shares. • Other Asian markets were volatile, with Taiwan’s Taiex falling 3.8%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 2% to 25,807.92 and the Shanghai Composite gained 0.4% to close at 3,830.02.

• South Korea's benchmark Kospi index plunged 6% on Wednesday, closing at 5,663.24, its lowest level since early April. • The decline was driven by a massive selloff in chipmakers after SK Hynix reported quarterly earnings that missed analyst expectations despite growing nearly sixfold year-over-year.

• The European Innovation Council (EIC) has selected six European scale-ups to move forward for potential investment decisions by the EIC Fund. • These six companies were chosen from an initial pool of 24 applicants, 17 of whom were invited to interview with independent high-level experts.

• Major U.S. stock indexes settled with mixed results on Tuesday, driven by positive corporate earnings reports. • The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose +1.03% and the S&P 500 climbed +0.21%, while the Nasdaq 100 declined by -0.98%.