U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth said at a press conference that Iran, not the U.S., started the war, that more than 80% of Iran’s nuclear industry base has been destroyed, and that the U.S. controls the Strait of Hormuz. He added impeachment efforts show the U.S. will punish its own, called the resolution deliberate sabotage, and said attempts to remove him amount to acting against U.S. service members.

Utkarsh Ahuja, founder and managing partner of Moon Pursuit Capital, said persistently high inf could constrain the Fed's ability to provide policy support, even if tech stocks weaken. He pointed to recent remarks by San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly about possible further rate hikes as a reminder investors should not assume a near‑term Fed market backstop. Ahuja said: "For capital‑intensive AI projects, even if market demand meets expectations, higher financing costs and longer approval cycles can reduce project returns." He added firms with projects that are not yet cash‑flow positive and require new funding face execution risk and uncertainty over future financing conditions.

China A-share PCB sector rallied; Guangyang hit the daily漲停 limit, while Hudian, Shennan Circuit, Shengyi Technology and Ultrasonic Electronics also advanced.