Wall Street started the week on a stronger note, with major US indices rebounding after a rare spell of losses as heavyweight technology stocks lifted investor sentiment.The Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 52,174.42, up 0.58%, while the Nasdaq Composite was at 25,495.20, gaining 0.78%, and the S&P 500 reached 7,390.14, rising 0.49% around 8 pm IST.The rally was led by companies linked to artificial intelligence after Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix announced plans to invest about $518 billion in a new semiconductor manufacturing hub in South Korea. The project is aimed at capitalising on rising demand for AI technology.Following the announcement, Nvidia rose 1.2%, Broadcom added 2.7%, and Applied Materials climbed 3.9%.AI-related stocks have experienced sharp swings in recent weeks. After soaring on enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence, the sector has come under pressure amid concerns that company profits may not justify the rapid rise in valuations. Because these companies now carry significant weight in major market indices, their movements have had a pronounced impact on broader markets.SpaceX, which also owns the xAI business, continued its gains, rising 4%. The company has surpassed a valuation of $2 trillion after selling its shares on the Nasdaq for the first time earlier this month. Nasdaq has also said SpaceX will become part of the Nasdaq 100 index before trading begins on July 7, requiring funds that track the benchmark to purchase the stock.Beyond technology, Comcast was among the biggest gainers, jumping 9.8% after announcing plans to separate its NBCUniversal media business, including its theme parks, as well as Sky, from its broadband and wireless operations. Even after Monday’s rally, the stock had been down 17.3% for the year.Markets moved higher despite an increase in crude oil prices. Brent crude rose 1.1% to $73.43 a barrel, moving slightly above its level before the war with Iran began, while benchmark US crude gained 1.3% to $70.15 a barrel.Attention also remained on developments in the Middle East after attacks across the Persian Gulf over the weekend. President Donald Trump said on social media on Monday that Iran had requested a meeting with US officials. However, one of Iran’s top negotiators said no additional talks had been scheduled.Investors are hoping that an end to the war with Iran would reopen access for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing crude shipments from the Persian Gulf to reach customers around the world more freely. Lower oil prices could help ease the inflationary pressures that have intensified during the conflict.Should oil prices retreat and remain lower, central banks, including the Federal Reserve, could have more room to leave interest rates unchanged or even reduce them instead of raising them. While higher borrowing costs help curb inflation, they can also slow economic growth and weigh on investment markets. Investors have remained unsettled since oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel.The yield on the benchmark 10-year US treasury note slipped slightly to 4.37%, from 4.38% on Friday. Earlier this month, it had stood at 4.56%.Meanwhile across global markets, trading was mixed. Hong Kong’s benchmark index rose 1.6% and Shanghai gained 1.2%, marking two of the strongest performances of the day, while South Korea’s Kospi index edged down 0.2%.
