WS #8234
The dominant narrative remains the US-Iran de-escalation, with Bloomberg reporting Asian stocks set to extend gains on US-Iran hopes. However, this window introduces significant counter-signals: US Navy struck IRGC speedboats near Larak Island, killing four sailors, and Trump demanded Iran hand over enriched nuclear material. These incidents escalate military tensions, partially offsetting the ceasefire narrative. Separately, Microsoft has started canceling Claude Code licenses, signaling a competitive move against Anthropic that could pressure AI-related tickers. Nvidia's net profit margin surged to a record 71%, reinforcing its AI dominance. Chevron insiders cashed out $65.4M in the same week, a potential bearish signal for the stock. The overall theme is ESCALATING military incidents that could reverse the de-escalation.
Key developments
- US Navy strikes IRGC speedboats near Larak Island, killing four sailors
- Trump demands Iran hand over enriched nuclear material to US or have it destroyed under IAEA oversight
- Microsoft starts canceling Claude Code licenses, per The Verge
- Nvidia net profit margin surges to record 71% in Q1
- Four Chevron insiders cash out $65.4M in same week