WS #10734

The dominant signal in this window is the escalation in the Strait of Hormuz crisis, with the IMO pausing its evacuation plan after an attack on a cargo vessel. This is corroborated by Al Jazeera reporting oil prices climbing 4% on the news, and by Polymarket trades referencing the strait. However, a counter-signal emerges: Brent and US crude futures have since fallen more than 1% to $74.33 and $71.06 respectively, suggesting the initial spike may be fading or that other factors (demand concerns, potential de-escalation) are weighing. Separately, Amazon pledged $48bn investment in India over five years, a bullish signal for AMZN. Ark Invest bought $3.3M of Palantir stock, adding to its crypto-exposed buys. A technical analysis post flags MSFT as bearish (lost 50-day MA, insider selling, target $340). SoftBank stock is plunging (reason unclear). Apple's price hikes are denting tech optimism in Asia. The Venezuela earthquake humanitarian crisis continues but is not directly market-moving for US equities. Crypto markets remain weak with BTC at $58,957 (-3.16%) and ETH at $1,539 (-4.96%).