Markets Rally on Iran, Big Tech Earnings Loom

Geopolitics Drive the Open

US equity futures rose Monday after President Trump declared Iran "very, very badly damaged." The de-escalation signal lifted risk appetite. Oil traders remain cautious though. The Strait of Hormuz closure is still draining stockpiles fast. Traders are warning markets could be "running on empty" if the waterway stays shut.

Megacap Earnings Week Begins

This is one of the busiest earnings weeks of the year. GOOGL reports Wednesday after the close. AI revenue growth, Search resilience, and cloud spending are all in focus. Options hedging is active despite minimal short interest at 1.5% of free float. INTC reports Thursday. Analysts have been trimming targets and the stock faces deep uncertainty on its turnaround path. TSLA also reports this week with options hedging at a two-year high. Short sellers are expressing their bearish view through puts rather than stock loans.

Short Sellers Target New Names

HTZ remains the most extreme short in the market. Short interest hit 70.1% of free float with zero shares left to borrow. KRMN (Karman Holdings) saw short interest jump 49.7% in a week to 10.2% of free float. Meanwhile, HON saw a sharp squeeze ahead of its July 23 earnings — bears slashed positions 40% in one week.

Europe: IPO Activity Picks Up

Airtel Africa is tapping banks for a rare London mobile money IPO targeting around $1.5bn. Chinese chipmaker CXMT is seeking $10bn in what would be the largest China IPO since 2010. Both moves signal returning risk appetite in capital markets despite the geopolitical backdrop.

Analyst Moves

DDOG got a fresh target hike to $295 from Wells Fargo. ACN (Accenture) saw its target trimmed to $194. ELV CEO Gail Boudreaux filed a $1M personal stock purchase last week — a rare confidence signal amid health insurance sector weakness.