Prices

• Oil prices increased on Monday following renewed military exchanges between the United States and Iran. • The escalation has sparked significant concerns regarding the stability of global energy supplies and potential disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. • This volatility matters because the Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime chokepoint for the global transport of crude oil.

• Stock market sentiment this week will be primarily driven by geopolitical tensions in West Asia and the resulting fluctuations in crude oil prices. • Analysts, including Ajit Mishra of Religare Broking Ltd, highlight that domestic factors such as southwest monsoon progress and foreign investor activity will also play key roles. • Investors will closely monitor critical macroeconomic indicators, specifically Industrial Production (IIP) data, foreign exchange reserves, and final HSBC PMI readings.

• Investors are closely monitoring renewed tensions between the US and Iran as they enter the coming trading week. • A primary focus for market participants will be the potential impact of these geopolitical frictions on global crude oil prices. • These factors are among 10 key drivers identified by Moneycontrol that could influence volatility on Dalal Street.

• Crude oil futures have rebounded to pre-conflict levels as markets anticipate the resumption of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, despite current flows remaining low. • Consumer fuel costs remain elevated, with U.S. gasoline prices 33% higher and UK petrol prices 10% higher than pre-war levels. • May data from the U.S. indicates that consumers are drawing down their savings to compensate for negative real income growth.

• U.S. inflation accelerated in May, driven primarily by a surge in oil prices that pushed overall costs higher. • The increase was reflected in the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, which is the Federal Reserve's preferred gauge for measuring price growth. • Despite the rising costs, the report indicates that U.S. consumers appear to be shrugging off the inflationary pressure.

Apple Macbook 13-inch prices jumps from $1,799 to $2,099 while the cost of iPads surges by 25%Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralians woke up on Friday to higher prices for Macbooks and iPads after Apple hiked worldwide, blaming an AI-driven cost crunch for computer parts.The iPhone range was unaffected but experts predict Apple will raise prices for its flagship product later this year. Microsoft also lifted its Xbox prices overnight amid a wave of increases for phones and devices. Continue reading...

Company says it cannot shield customers from memory and storage chip costs – and iPhone hikes could be nextApple raised iPad and MacBook prices on Thursday, saying it could no longer shield customers from soaring memory and storage chip costs driven by the AI industry’s datacenter buildout.The move does not affect Apple’s cash cow, the iPhone. But it would take starting price of the ⁠Neo, its lowest priced laptop, from $599 to $699 mere months after launch. Continue reading...

• US stock markets ended the session mixed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging while the Nasdaq slipped due to price drops in tech giants Apple and Microsoft. • Gains in the financials, industrials, and healthcare sectors—led by Caterpillar, JPMorgan Chase, and UnitedHealth—helped offset losses in the technology sector. • Investors remain cautious due to inflation concerns, rising natural gas prices, and shifts in electric vehicle policy, though optimism persists regarding overall economic growth.

• Indian benchmark indices, the Nifty and Sensex, rose as a decline in global oil prices bolstered investor sentiment. • The market rally was driven by a broader focus on global economic indicators, commodity price movements, and shifting interest-rate expectations. • This upward trend reflects the positive impact of lower energy costs on the Indian economy, which is highly sensitive to oil imports.

• Global markets rose as a rebound in tech shares drove gains across Europe and Asia, particularly in Japan and South Korea. • South Korea's Kospi index reached a record high of 8,930.30, surging 5.4% following significant jumps in Samsung Electronics (+5.3%) and SK Hynix (+13%). • Other Asian markets saw mixed results, with modest gains in Taiwan (+0.5%), India (+0.7%), and Shanghai (+0.2%), while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 1.4%.

• Asian stock markets rose, driven primarily by a strong rebound in tech shares in Japan and South Korea. • South Korea's Kospi reached a record high, surging 5.9% to 8,968.22, fueled by gains of 5.4% for Samsung Electronics and 11.6% for SK Hynix. • Other regional markets saw modest growth, with Taiwan's Taiex up 0.8% and India's Sensex up 0.6%, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 1.4%.

Consumer prices rose 4.1% in May from a year earlier – a sign rising costs could pose problem for Trump in midtermsThe Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge rose to a new three-year high in May as gas prices peaked, a sign rising costs could pose political problems for Donald Trump and his political party as midterm elections near.Consumer prices rose 4.1% in May from a year earlier, the US commerce department said Thursday, the largest annual increase since April 2023. On a monthly basis, inflation was 0.4% last month, matching April’s increase and down from 0.7% in March. Continue reading...

• The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, rose at an annual rate of 4.1% in May. • This figure represents the fastest pace of price increases seen in three years and aligned with economists' forecasts provided by FactSet. • The data underscores the significant challenges the central bank faces in its ongoing efforts to rein in inflation and stabilize prices.

• The S&P 500 rose approximately 0.6% on Wednesday as US stocks recovered from a recent technology-sector sell-off. • Market gains were driven by a decline in oil prices and falling Treasury yields, which reduced overall economic pressure on investors. • Market participants are closely monitoring the upcoming earnings report from Micron Technology to gauge the health of the semiconductor industry.

• Global oil prices have dropped to their lowest levels since before the US-Iran war, reversing the surge caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. • The price decline is driven by trader optimism that a new US-Iran agreement will successfully reopen the critical waterway for shipping. • On Tuesday, the Senate passed a resolution directing the president to withdraw military forces from the conflict, signaling a lack of congressional support for the war.

• Global benchmark oil prices have dropped below $76 a barrel, reaching their lowest level since before the onset of the US-Iran war. • The price decline follows a memorandum of understanding signed last week between the US and Iran to halt fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. • This agreement is significant as it offers economic relief to Iran in exchange for a pledge to never develop nuclear weapons.

• The S&P 500 and Nasdaq declined for the third consecutive day on June 24, 2026, driven by renewed selling pressure in the technology sector. • AI chip designer Cerebras (CBRS) saw its shares tumble 20% following its first public earnings report, which forecast a gross margin contraction of up to 10 percentage points this quarter. • Oil prices dropped to their lowest level since the start of the war, while FedEx (FDX) shares dipped slightly despite reporting quarterly results that beat Wall Street estimates.

• US stock futures ticked higher, with S&P 500 contracts rising 0.1% and Nasdaq 100 futures rebounding 0.4%. • Investors are closely monitoring upcoming results from Micron Technology Inc. to determine if AI spending continues to meet market expectations. • The movement follows a period of volatility where the main index dropped over 3% due to valuation concerns, while South Korea’s Kospi recovered 3.3%.

Great Britain has paid at least six times normal for imported power as millions turn on air conditioning and windfarms’ output sagsThe heatwave has prompted a sharp rise in electricity prices across European markets as millions turn to air conditioners and electric fans to battle record high temperatures, which have also caused string of power plant outages across the continent.Great Britain imported electricity from Europe at more than six times the normal price on Tuesday as the high pressure heat dome has slowed wind speeds, hitting renewable energy generation, and caused outages at multiple gas plants across the country. Continue reading...

• US stock markets traded near record highs on Monday, driven by positive investor sentiment and easing oil prices. • Market optimism was fueled by hopes for progress in diplomatic talks between the US and Iran. • Despite the gains, rising Treasury yields indicated ongoing investor concerns regarding inflation and future interest rate hikes.

Firms including BP and 7-Eleven accused of coordinating prices to ‘wring more money from pockets of consumers’Gas ⁠station ​operators including BP, Circle K, Marathon, 7-Eleven, Walmart and Albertsons were sued on Monday by California drivers ⁠who accused them of using artificial intelligence to boost prices at the pump.According to a proposed class action, the defendants ⁠violated California’s main antitrust law, the Cartwright Act, by using an AI-based tool that ​uses data from competing gas ‌stations to “coordinate high prices ‌and wring more money from the pockets of consumers”. Continue reading...

• Stock market movements this week will be primarily driven by crude oil prices, foreign institutional investor (FII) trading activity, and the outcome of US-Iran diplomatic talks. • Technical-level discussions between the US and Iran are scheduled to take place this Sunday in Burgenstock, Switzerland. • Analysts indicate that the trajectory of the domestic monsoon will also be a critical factor for market performance.

• The Indian stock market is expected to be driven this week by US-Iran diplomatic talks, global crude oil price fluctuations, and foreign institutional investor (FII) activity. • Technical-level discussions between the US and Iran are scheduled to take place this Sunday in Burgenstock, Switzerland. • These factors are critical as they directly impact market volatility and investor sentiment during a holiday-shortened trading week.

Drivers feel some relief but prices still a dollar more per gallon overall since before US-Israel attack on IranSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email The average price of US gasoline fell to just under $4 a gallon on Thursday for the first time since March, following the announcement of a preliminary agreement between the US and Iran to end the war and reopen the strait of Hormuz.The development has provided some relief to drivers who have seen soaring costs amid Washington’s war with Iran. But filling up still remains more expensive than it was before the conflict began. Continue reading...

Flatlining figure confounds forecasts of an increase to 3% as Bank of England prepares to set interest ratesUK inflation unexpectedly remained at 2.8% last month despite the Middle East war driving up energy prices, official figures have shown.May’s annual price rise reading recorded by the Office for National Statistics confounded economists’ forecasts of a rise to 3%. Continue reading...

Brian Gu says he sees Chinese car firms competing on quality rather than launching price war as at homeMotorists in the UK and EU should not expect a sharp drop in the cost of electric vehicles despite increased competition among Chinese manufacturers, one of the country’s biggest electric carmakers has said.Brian Gu, the vice-chair of the manufacturer Xpeng, said that Chinese carmakers could compete on quality to win customers in the EU and UK, rather than unleashing a brutal price war as they have in China. Continue reading...

• Wall Street indexes are expected to open higher on Monday following a preliminary agreement between Washington and Tehran to end their conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. • The deal has triggered a sharp decline in crude oil prices, contributing to the optimistic outlook for U.S. equity markets. • Despite the initial progress, the framework remains incomplete as it has not yet addressed several key issues between the two nations.

Make UK says manufacturers’ feedback shows sector at risk of collapse as it calls on Treasury to take actionBritain’s industrial sector is at risk of collapse as thousands of companies warn that they could face bankruptcy within the next year because of high energy prices, according to an industry survey.The manufacturers’ body Make UK said the latest feedback from its members found that many would not be able to cope for much longer with energy costs that were twice the average in continental Europe and four times higher than in the US. Continue reading...