Iran clash threatens oil, SK Hynix halts after 15% plunge

SK Hynix shares tumbled over 15% on the Seoul exchange, the sharpest one‑day drop in its history, after the company’s U.S. ADR debut sparked a rally‑to‑profit sell‑off. The plunge helped push the Kospi down 9% and triggered a trading halt, highlighting leverage risks amid geopolitical uncertainty.

In the past week the U.S. struck roughly 300 Iranian targets, including 140 in a single surge, after Tehran’s aggressive attacks on commercial ships. The fighting marks the biggest escalation since April and puts the fragile cease‑fire, and smooth oil transit through the strait, at risk.

Costco’s first‑of‑its‑kind warehouse will sit beneath an 800‑unit affordable‑housing complex in Los Angeles, using just five acres instead of the usual 14‑16. The move lets the retailer secure scarce urban land and tap foot‑traffic that’s 20‑30% higher than traditional sites, a model other grocers may soon copy.

The Michael Jackson biopic 'Michael' has topped $1.001 billion worldwide, making it the first biopic ever to breach the billion‑dollar mark and Lionsgate’s biggest ever film. The milestone repositions the independent studio as a box‑office heavyweight and could reshape financing for future music biopics.

The renewed U.S., Iran conflict is driving oil to $90‑$200 a barrel, spiking energy costs and forcing CEOs to brace for consumer backlash and tighter inflation. Executives now scramble to harden supply chains, boost cyber‑security and reconsider pricing as regulators, investors and voters scrutinize energy‑linked profit margins.

Chainalysis’ 2026 crypto crime report shows sanctioned states moved $104 billion in cryptocurrency in 2025, a 694% jump that dwarfs prior years. Russia, Iran, North Korea and others used stablecoins, exchanges and on‑chain networks to bypass financial restrictions, funding weapons programs and evading export controls.

Privately-owned housing starts fell to a seasonally adjusted 1.246 million annual rate in October, 7.8% below the same month a year ago. The drop, especially in multi‑family units, hints at a slowing construction sector, which could weigh on GDP growth and mortgage demand.

State attorneys general are poised to file a multi‑state antitrust lawsuit this week to block Paramount's $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The suit could stall the deal even though the Justice Department already cleared it, raising fresh competition concerns across media and news.

SpaceX priced its IPO at $135 and closed at a $2.1 trillion market value, the largest debut ever and making Musk the first trillion‑dollar individual. The deal relied on Musk’s vision, not market fundamentals, leaving investors to weigh a 112‑times‑revenue multiple against a $41 billion loss history. Wall Street’s appetite for mega‑IPOs is now on trial.

A new PESP report finds over 500 U.S. healthcare facilities run through private‑equity‑nonprofit joint ventures, including 21% of PE‑owned hospitals. The watchdog warns these structures import profit‑driven tactics and outpace existing IRS and state oversight, putting patients, payers and staff at risk. Regulatory reform is urgently needed.

Goldman Sachs’ new 50‑page report ranks Chinese AI model makers using a three‑point framework, pricing power, cost advantage, and financial strength. It crowns Zhipu and DeepSeek as leaders in foundational text models and ByteDance in multimodal AI, while keeping Buy ratings on MiniMax and Kuaishou. The analysis signals where investors can find the most sustainable growth in China’s AI race.