Middle East Escalation Sends Wall Street and DAX into a Downturn – Oil and Gas Prices Explode Following Attacks on Energy Facilities – Central Banks Keep Key Interest Rates Constant Despite Inflation Fears – Meta Ends Metaverse Illusion in Favor of Billion-Dollar AI Offensive – Micron Obliterates Analyst Expectations with AI-Driven Record Revenue – Rocket Lab Secures Military Contract for Hypersonic Flights

A Toxic Mix of Escalating Geopolitics in the Middle East and Silent Central Banks Push Dow Jones and Nasdaq into the Red Zone US stock markets see significant losses at the beginning of trading, as the escalating war in the Middle East stirs fears of a massive inflation surge and stunted economic growth. The leading index Dow Jones falls by around 0.83% to 45,860 points, while the broader S&P 500 also gives up nearly 0.47% to 6,592 points. The technology-dominated Nasdaq is hit particularly hard, trading with a noticeable decline of 0.76%...