Strong US Jobs, rising oil weigh on sentiment; tech spared… for now

Strong US jobs data, rising oil prices and higher Treasury yields are increasing pressure on global markets — but tech stocks don’t seem to care. The latest US employment report strengthened expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise rates in September, while escalating Middle East tensions keep crude oil prices elevated and inflation risks alive. Yet AI enthusiasm continues to support tech valuations. OpenAI’s latest model launch boosted sentiment across the sector, with the rally spreading to Asian chipmakers and technology stocks. Meanwhile, bond markets remain under pressure as the US Treasury prepares bigger buybacks and some of the world’s largest institutional investors reconsider their sovereign bond allocations. This week brings another series of important tests: US inflation data, a potential 25bp ECB rate hike, and earnings from Oracle and Adobe that could reveal whether the AI boom is translating into stronger revenues and profits beyond the chipmakers. Listen to find out more! Ipek Ozkardeskaya has begun her financial career in 2010 in the structured products desk of the Swiss Banque Cantonale Vaudoise. She worked at HSBC Private Bank in Geneva in relation to high and ultra-high net worth clients. In 2012, she started as FX Strategist at Swissquote Bank. She worked as a Senior Market Analyst in London Capital Group in London and in Shanghai. She returned to Swissquote Bank as Senior Analyst in 2020, and launched her own website ipekScope.com in 2025.