World stocks fall in semiconductor rout as oil rises on Middle East escalation
Global stocks closed the week lower as a sharp sell-off in semiconductor shares weighed on markets. Oil prices, meanwhile, headed for a weekly gain as hostilities in the Gulf intensified.
Wall Street and major Asian markets ended the week lower as a broad sell-off in semiconductor shares rattled investors. Concerns over the sustainability of AI hardware demand weighed heavily on chipmakers' stock prices.
Oil prices moved in the opposite direction. As tensions between Iran and the US in the Gulf continued to disrupt tanker traffic and shipping routes, crude was on track for a weekly gain.
Analysts said investors are simultaneously pricing in valuation concerns in the tech sector and the spillover of geopolitical risk into energy markets. The combination could keep volatility elevated in the weeks ahead.
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