Fewer than 20 ships transited key Strait of Hormuz over weekend
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffi...
Wall Street closed higher on Tuesday, boosted by optimism over artificial intelligence (AI) and a strong rally in Moderna shares, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average approaching a record high.
Moderna jumped almost 11% after BofA Global Research raised its price target, lifting the S&P 500 healthcare index by 1.96%. Memory and storage technology stocks also surged following Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on upcoming AI processors. SanDisk rose 27%, Western Digital 17%, Seagate 14%, and Micron 10%, all hitting record highs. The PHLX chip index gained 2.75%, bringing its early 2026 gains to roughly 8%.
Investors are awaiting fresh U.S. economic data as the effects of a 43-day federal government shutdown fade.
Key reports this week include ADP job figures and job openings on Wednesday (7 January), followed by December’s official employment report on Friday. Weaker-than-expected data could bolster arguments for central bank rate cuts.
The S&P 500 ended up 0.62% at 6,944.82 points, the Nasdaq gained 0.65% to 23,547.17, and the Dow rose 0.99% to 49,462.08. Trading volumes were relatively heavy, with 18.7 billion shares changing hands compared with a 20-session average of 16.1 billion.
Energy shares slipped after strong prior gains, with Exxon Mobil down 3.4% and Chevron 4.5%. Concerns over cooling demand for data centres following Nvidia’s AI chip comments saw Johnson Controls fall 6.2% and Trane Technologies 2.5%. AIG shares tumbled 7.5% after CEO Peter Zaffino announced his resignation.
Within the S&P 500, advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a ratio of more than three to one, with 62 new highs and 8 new lows. The Nasdaq recorded 126 new highs and 42 new lows.
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, according to regional authorities and the company.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for a wartime election, arguing that holding a vote while Russia's full-scale invasion continues would divide the country and undermine national unity.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of August, covering the latest developments.
AnewZ Business Europe, a new weekday programme, takes viewers inside companies driving growth and innovation across the continent, with Brickken CEO Edwin Mata joining the programme for its first episode with host Chief Global Editor Guy Shone. The show airs every Friday.
Once associated mainly with Muslim-majority countries, Islamic finance has become a global industry. Its assets reached around $5.98 trillion in 2024, according to ICD–LSEG, as more countries explore Shariah-compliant finance.
Fuel restrictions have returned to parts of Moscow and the surrounding region, adding another strain to Russia’s economy as refinery outages and rising imports weigh on the rouble.
Azerbaijan exported goods worth $17.372 million to Armenia between January and July 2026, according to data from the State Customs Committee, as commercial ties between the two South Caucasus neighbours showed signs of expansion.
Online fast-fashion platform Shein lost a London copyright lawsuit against rival Temu on Thursday over photographs used to promote some products.
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