Weekly Market Recap | May 25 – May 31

Analyst Highlights

• AI infrastructure spending surged, with ByteDance’s potential $70B capex marking one of the largest single-year AI investments globally.
• Semiconductor momentum intensified, as Samsung’s HBM4E shipments and Nvidia’s Vera CPU adoption reinforced the hardware arms race powering frontier models.
• Equity markets extended gains, supported by AI-driven chip rallies and easing geopolitical tensions, though bubble concerns resurfaced in semiconductors.
• Energy markets weakened, with WTI and Brent falling sharply as Iran deal optimism and supply expectations pressured crude.
• Crypto markets pulled back, with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana all posting weekly declines amid shifting risk appetite.
• Macro signals mixed, as falling Treasury yields, record money‑market inflows, and upcoming labor data shaped expectations for Fed policy direction.

IPO’s in the week

• Tribeca Strategic Acquisition Corp. priced its IPO on the Nasdaq under the ticker BIDWU, raising $140 million by offering 14 million units at $10.00 per unit. The blank check company began trading on May 29, 2026, with a focus on pursuing an initial business combination.
• Disciplined Growth Acquisition Corporation priced its IPO on the NYSE under the ticker DGACU, raising $150 million by offering 15 million units at $10.00 per unit. The SPAC began trading on May 27, 2026, targeting potential opportunities across fintech, aerospace, defense, and clean technology.

Markets Weekly

1. S&P 500 closed at 7,580.06, up 60.94 points or 0.81% for the week.
2. Russell 1000 closed at 4,119.12, up 33.89 points or 0.83% for the week.
3. Russell 2000 closed at 2,919.34, down 1.20 points or 0.04% for the week.
4. Russell 3000 closed at 4,296.98, up 33.63 points or 0.79% for the week.
5. Cboe VIX closed at 15.81, down 1.00 points or 5.95% for the week.
6. Dow Jones closed at 51,032.46, up 452.76 points or 0.89% for the week.
7. Nasdaq closed at 26,972.62, up 316.44 points or 1.19% for the week.
8. Bitcoin closed at 73,579.69, down 3,700.24 points or 4.79% for the week.
9. Ethereum closed at 2,004.34, down 107.03 points or 5.07% for the week.
10. XRP closed at 1.3313, down 0.0181 points or 1.34% for the week.
11. Solana closed at 82.30, down 2.71 points or 3.19% for the week.
12. Gold closed at 4,560.50, up 60.20 points or 1.34% for the week.
13. Silver closed at 75.62, down 0.69 points or 0.90% for the week.
14. WTI Crude closed at 87.36, down 6.53 points or 6.96% for the week.
15. Brent Crude closed at 92.05, down 7.53 points or 7.56% for the week.

• Bond traders await May jobs data to test Fed hike bets as resilient labor markets could weaken expectations for future cuts.
• Treasury yields fell nine to 12 basis points as oil retreated, with Iran deal hopes lifting bonds for the week.
• The S&P 500 extended its ninth weekly gain after a nearly 20% rally, supported by Iran ceasefire hopes and AI momentum.
• Chip stocks extended a historic AI-driven rally, raising bubble concerns as semiconductor names drove most S&P 500 gains.
• SpaceX’s planned record IPO is forcing Wall Street to adjust indexes, ETFs, and passive-flow models around its expected mega-listing.
• S. money-market assets hit a record $8.3 trillion as investors favored cash-like funds amid Fed policy uncertainty.
• ECB’s Panetta said persistent Iran-war inflation risks could justify a rate hike, while avoiding any pre-set policy path.

Politics Weekly

• The U.S. and Iran exchanged draft deal revisions as talks focused on nuclear suspension, frozen funds, ceasefire extension, and Hormuz access.
• The U.S. barred safe-passage deals with Iran through Hormuz, warning shippers of sanctions risks tied to Tehran’s toll authority.
• Trump pushed Saudi Arabia and Qatar to recognize Israel, linking Abraham Accords expansion to broader Iran peace negotiations.
• Russia urged U.S. diplomats and citizens to leave Kyiv as Moscow signaled continued heavy strikes on Ukraine’s capital.
• The EU weighed freezing Russia’s oil price cap as Middle East tensions complicated sanctions policy and crude-market stability.
• Germany’s defense chief said Europe needs clearer U.S. guidance as it rearms, warning security shifts require time and transparency.
• The U.S., U.K., and Australia deepened AUKUS cooperation with underwater drones, expanding subsea defense capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth avoided Taiwan remarks, urging allies to support a quieter U.S. approach as Washington seeks steadier China ties.

Technology Advancements in the week

• ByteDance plans up to $70B in AI capex, signaling an aggressive race to dominate global AI infrastructure, chatbots, and video innovation.
• Samsung ships 12‑layer HBM4E samples, tightening its AI‑memory lead and highlighting the rising importance of ultra‑high‑bandwidth chips for accelerators.
• Nvidia’s new Vera CPU gains early adoption from Anthropic, OpenAI and SpaceX, underscoring its push to reshape data‑center computing and AI infrastructure.

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