DDP ⏻

Tasnim: "Unconfirmed reports of a U.S. aircraft being targeted off the coast of Oman."

US AND IRAN NEAR POTENTIAL BREAKTHROUGH IN PEACE TALKS The US and Iran are moving closer to a potential agreement to end the war, according to Bloomberg. Tehran is reportedly willing to discuss nuclear issues previously considered off-limits, signaling a possible shift in negotiations.

PROTESTERS STORM MICROSOFT DATA CENTER IN THE NETHERLANDS Around 100 protesters entered Microsoft's data center near Amsterdam on Friday, opposing the expansion of AI infrastructure. Activists from Geef Tegengas accused AI data centers of consuming local resources and harming the environment.

SOFTBANK PLUNGES 59% AS DEBT-FUELED AI BETS UNRAVEL SoftBank shares fell another 10.8% Friday, extending losses to 59% since early June. The company added $40.4 billion in debt over 12 months to fund AI investments, including $64 billion in OpenAI. Meanwhile, Arm shares have plunged 51% since June 30, weakening SoftBank's asset backing as credit-default swaps rise and bond prices fall. SoftBank's reported leverage was 13%, below its self-imposed 25% limit, suggesting a substantial remaining cushion.

TAIWAN STOCKS DROP MORE THAN 6%

JAPAN'S NIKKEI AVERAGE DOWN 6.2%

SOUTH KOREA’S KOSPI PLUNGES OVER 8%, TRIGGERING CIRCUIT BREAKER South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI index ($KS11) crashed more than 8% in early Friday trading, triggering a 20-minute market-wide trading halt. The sharp decline comes amid a broader global selloff in technology stocks.