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U.S.-Iran Interim Deal Reopens Strait of Hormuz — Oil Prices Fall to Pre-War Levels

A temporary agreement between the United States and Iran has reopened the Strait of Hormuz and sharply reduced geopolitical risk premiums embedded in crude oil prices. The development has eased concerns over global energy supply disruptions and improved investor sentiment across equities. Lower energy costs could support consumer spending and corporate margins, although uncertainty remains around whether the agreement will evolve into a lasting diplomatic framework.

QuantumScape Announces Honda Solid-State Battery Agreement — Shares Gain More Than 16%

QuantumScape attracted significant investor attention after announcing a multi-year research agreement with Honda focused on solid-state battery development. The partnership is viewed as a meaningful validation of the company's technology and commercialization roadmap. Investors are increasingly focused on next-generation battery technologies that could improve electric vehicle range, charging speed, and manufacturing efficiency, creating long-term opportunities across the automotive supply chain.

Intel Stock Soars 9% to Record $129.84 — Trump Says Apple Will Design and Build Chips With Intel in the US

Intel shares surged more than 9% in premarket trading to a record near $129.84 after President Trump said Apple has agreed to design and build chips with Intel inside the United States. Neither company has formally confirmed the arrangement, but reports point to Apple's M7 chip running on Intel's new 18A-P process for the MacBook Air and entry-level iPad Pro starting in late 2027. The news lands two days after Intel disclosed that 18A-P entered risk production, giving the stock a second catalyst in the same week.

Trump Signs Iran Peace Deal at Versailles — Oil Drops to $78.40 Brent as Strait of Hormuz Set to Reopen

President Trump signed an interim memorandum of understanding with Iran at the Palace of Versailles, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and lifting a U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports. Brent crude fell more than 2% below $78 a barrel and WTI dropped near $74.69, while S&P 500 futures jumped 0.7% and Nasdaq futures rallied 1.1%, clawing back Wednesday's Fed-driven selloff. The 60-day deal requires Iran to dilute enriched uranium stockpiles in exchange for sanctions relief.

Bitcoin Slides 1.1% to $64,215 — Fed's 3.8% Rate Forecast Sparks $82.2M in Spot ETF Outflows

Bitcoin fell 1.1% to $64,215 after the Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate steady but raised its year-end 2026 rate projection to 3.8%, signaling a more hawkish path than markets had priced. The shift triggered $82.2 million in outflows from U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs and sent shares of Strategy, the largest corporate bitcoin holder, down 5.2% in premarket trading. Ether and XRP also softened as traders reassessed liquidity assumptions heading into the second half of 2026.

Meta Platforms Tries to Rebound After 5.4% Slide to $567.58 — AI-for-Work Product Lead Exit Still Weighs

Meta Platforms shares attempted a premarket rebound Thursday after tumbling 5.4% to $567.58 on Wednesday, a drop that erased roughly $83 billion in market value. The slide followed Reuters reporting that Emily Dalton Smith, the executive leading Meta's AI-for-Work product effort, is departing the company just two months after being named to the role. Investors are weighing the departure against Meta's already-elevated 2026 capital expenditure forecast of $125 billion to $145 billion.

Alphabet Dips 0.4% to $362.26 as Gemini Co-Lead Noam Shazeer Departs for OpenAI — Google Once Paid $2.7B to Bring Him Back

Alphabet shares slipped 0.4% to $362.26 in premarket trading after Noam Shazeer, the Gemini AI co-lead credited with closing the gap on ChatGPT, announced he is leaving Google to join rival OpenAI. Google reportedly paid $2.7 billion less than two years ago to bring Shazeer and his Character.AI team back into the fold, making his exit a fresh test of the company's ability to retain top AI talent. The move comes as Alphabet raised its planned equity sales to $84.75 billion.

Federal Reserve Targets 3.50%-3.75% Rate Hold Today — Kevin Warsh's First Press Conference Tests 55% Hawkish Bet

The Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold its benchmark interest rate at 3.50% to 3.75% when it concludes a two-day policy meeting this afternoon, the first under new Chairman Kevin Warsh. CME FedWatch data points to a roughly 97% probability of no change, but a Bank of America survey found 55% of respondents expect Warsh to strike a hawkish tone at his 2:30 p.m. press conference. An updated dot plot and economic projections due alongside the statement will offer the clearest signal yet on the rate path into 2027.

Jabil Posts $3.16 Core EPS in Q3 Fiscal 2026, Tops $3.10 Estimate — Raises FY26 Outlook on AI Infrastructure Surge

Jabil posted fiscal third-quarter 2026 core earnings of $3.16 per share on revenue of $8.8 billion, topping Wall Street estimates of roughly $3.10 per share and $8.61 billion. The contract manufacturer raised its fourth-quarter outlook to as much as $4.20 in core EPS, citing surging AI infrastructure demand alongside better-than-expected results in automotive and connected living. CEO Mike Dastoor said the company's diversified model continues to deliver margin expansion and strong free cash flow heading into fiscal 2027.