Archive · 6 Aug 2026
World Shares Gain as Wall Street Scales Fresh Peak
On Wednesday, stock markets around the world mostly went up.
The reason is that markets in the United States hit record-high prices the day before, thanks to companies reporting big profits.
Computer chip and artificial-intelligence companies were the biggest winners in Asia, including TSMC, Samsung and SK Hynix.
A company called Palantir went up almost 30% because its sales grew by 93%.
Meanwhile, the restaurant chain Chipotle lost value because people worried about a salmonella outbreak tied to jalapenos.
Oil prices also went up again after falling earlier.
Oil has been bouncing between $72 and $102 per barrel in July because of the war in Iran.
Iran and Oman are talking about a deal that could reopen the Strait of Hormuz so oil tankers can sail freely again.
The US government said employers had about 7.4 million job openings at the end of June, which shows the economy is still strong.
Overall, investors are feeling more hopeful, though some risks remain.
Global shares advanced in Europe and Asia on Wednesday after Wall Street rallied to record highs on robust corporate earnings.
The S&P 500 jumped 1.8% on Tuesday to top its prior all-time high, while the Dow added 1.7% and the Nasdaq rose 2.6%.
AI and semiconductor stocks led Asian gains: Japan's Nikkei 225 climbed 3.7% and South Korea's Kospi surged 3.8%, with Advantest and SK Hynix among the biggest advancers.
Palantir Technologies surged 29.5% after CEO Alex Karp reported a 93% leap in revenue in an 'otherworldly' quarter.
Oil prices resumed their climb, with Brent crude up 1.4% at $80.45 a barrel, as Iran and Oman edged toward a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- Who
- Global stock investors, companies including Palantir Technologies, TSMC, Samsung and SK Hynix, and the Reserve Bank of India.
- What
- World shares rallied to records on strong corporate earnings and AI optimism, while oil prices rose on hopes of a Strait of Hormuz deal.
- When
- Wednesday, following Tuesday's record-setting rally on Wall Street.
- Where
- New York, Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Sydney, Mumbai, London, Paris and Frankfurt.
- Why
- Robust earnings, surging AI and semiconductor stocks, and hopes for a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and ease concerns over the Iran war.
- S&P 500 (Tuesday)
- +1.8%, topping all-time high set in June
- Nikkei 225
- +3.7% to 66,300.44
- Kospi
- +3.8% to 6,598.26
- Brent crude
- +1.4% to $80.45 per barrel
- Palantir revenue growth
- +93% in the quarter
- Chipotle shares
- -9.7% on salmonella-related concerns
- US job openings (end of June)
- Nearly 7.4 million
- Reserve Bank of India repo rate
- Held unchanged at 5.25%