Macro Fears Intensify as Hawkish BOJ Enters the Fray, Testing Tech's Resilience. The economic headwinds that began brewing late last night are gathering force, with a fresh dose of macro anxiety coming from overseas. New reports indicate some within the Bank of Japan see scope to raise interest rates sooner than expected, amplifying the global hawkish sentiment that traders were fearful of just 24 hours ago.
However, the powerful AI and corporate-deal narrative that drove yesterday's spectacular rally is refusing to back down. Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) is providing a positive counter-current, with news it is set to expand its massive U.S. investment, reinforcing the AI infrastructure theme. Separately, M&A activity is heating up as Netflix (NFLX) is reportedly preparing an all-cash offer for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).
This sets up a clear tug-of-war for the market: Can the undeniable fundamental strength in tech and M&A withstand the mounting pressure from a deteriorating global monetary policy outlook?
