Chips Roar Back as Iran Fears Rattle Oil Markets

Wall Street Recovers on Semiconductor Surge

Chip stocks led a sharp recovery on Wall Street Monday. NVDA and INTC were among the biggest gainers as AI-linked shares bounced back from last week's brief sell-off. The S&P 500 closed higher, fuelled by semiconductor momentum. Options data showed heavy call-side positioning in both names, with traders stacking July expiry dates — a sign of confidence heading into summer.

Iran Threat Jolts Oil and Defense

Oil prices jumped after Iran fired missiles, threatening a fragile ceasefire. Traders fear a return to full conflict in the Middle East. Energy markets are on edge. European stocks slid in response, though defense names rallied after Ukraine ratified a $105 billion EU loan deal — a major funding milestone for the continent's rebuilding effort.

Apple, Oracle, and Adobe in Focus

AAPL unveiled an upgraded Siri with new AI features at its annual developer conference. The update comes as the company battles to stay competitive in the AI assistant race. Eyes now turn to earnings. ORCL reports Q4 2026 results tomorrow, with cloud revenue the key watch item. ADBE follows Wednesday with Q2 numbers — analysts want to see whether AI tools are lifting margins or just adding cost.

Short Sellers and Insiders Make Moves

Short interest rose sharply on fintech DAVE, up 8.4 points to 28.8% of free float. CRWV shorts also grew, hitting 18.3%. On the insider front, Nvidia director Mark A. Stevens filed $221M in sales last week. The Walton family trust has now sold over $510M in WMT shares across five filings since late May.