WS #5869

The data window shows several notable developments. X-Energy (XE) made its Nasdaq debut, opening 31% above its IPO price at $30.11, backed by Amazon and raising over $1 billion. This is a significant signal for the nuclear energy sector and Amazon's AI infrastructure push. Separately, iHeartMedia (IHRT) surged 14% on reports of preliminary merger talks with SiriusXM (SIRI), which fell 5%. In tech, NVDA hit a record closing high, corroborated by multiple social posts, signaling continued strength in AI/semiconductors. Meta (META) expanded its AWS partnership for agentic AI compute demand, reinforcing the AI infrastructure theme. On the geopolitical front, Iran's foreign minister arrived in Islamabad for ceasefire talks, with US envoys Witkoff and Kushner involved, which could de-escalate tensions and impact oil prices. Ukraine launched drone strikes on a Russian oil-pumping station, while Russian Tu-95MS bombers were airborne, indicating ongoing conflict. The aluminum market faces its largest supply shock since 2000 per Mercuria, which could boost aluminum prices and related equities. The Fifth Circuit tossed a challenge to Texas's S.B. 4 immigration law, allowing enforcement. A US appeals court also ruled Trump's asylum ban unlawful, but the White House plans to appeal. The Justice Department dropped its criminal probe of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, removing a key uncertainty for markets. VantageScore CEO declared the mortgage/housing industry in crisis, a bearish signal for housing-related sectors. Gold saw a Wall Street giant stepping back in, per Bloomberg. Finally, a Lumina copper and silver miner IPO raised $297 million in Toronto, indicating strong demand for metals.