S&P 500 drops as tech stocks falter and inflation pressures rise amid escalating oil prices and U.S.-Iran tensions
Tech sector decline
Micron Technology, which previously drove the S&P 500 to record highs, fell more than 4% after a significant rally in the memory chip market.
Advanced Micro Devices and Qualcomm also saw declines of 3% and 11%, respectively.
Despite recent gains, with AMD increasing over 74% and Qualcomm over 39% in the past month, these losses raised concerns among traders.
West Texas Intermediate crude futures increased by 4.19% to settle at $102.18 per barrel, while Brent crude topped $107, driven by geopolitical tensions.
President Trump has critiqued the ongoing ceasefire deal between the U.S. and Iran, referring to it as weak, complicating market sentiments further.
Iran’s insistence on substantial conditions for negotiation, including war reparations and economic sanctions removal, adds to market volatility.
As energy prices escalate, the impact of the Iran conflict on inflation and consumer spending is increasingly scrutinised, particularly since consumer spending constitutes around two-thirds of the economy.
The annual inflation rate rose to 3.8% in April, driven by a 0.6% monthly increase, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Economists had anticipated a 3.7% annual rise, marking the highest inflation rate since May 2023.
Thomas Martin from Globalt Investments observed that inflation pressures are likely to persist amid ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts.
He noted higher energy prices could further squeeze consumers, promoting continual economic struggles.
Ongoing consumer pressure
Trading conditions remain uncertain as inflation continues to affect market dynamics.
The broader economic outlook reflects consumer apprehensions tied to energy costs and geopolitical instability.
