Geopolitical tensions and market anxiety dominated the hour. Potential instability in the Strait of Hormuz—impacting oil prices and energy stocks—coupled with reports of a severe earthquake in Japan and the arrival of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in the U.S. for talks, underscored a volatile global environment. Simultaneously, financial markets faced widespread pressure, particularly in the semiconductor and tech sectors. Investors are displaying increased skepticism toward AI infrastructure spending, reflected in stock sell-offs for companies like AMD and Corning, and are further weighed down by broader macro concerns, including slowing U.S. job growth and significant declines in Asian markets. Meanwhile, the legal and regulatory landscape remains active, marked by a Supreme Court ruling permitting partisan gerrymandering and ongoing investigations into the origins of SARS-CoV-2.