Finance

In contrast to the tech-heavy indexes, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.2% on Friday, snapping its three-week winning streak. The decline was attributed to weakness in cyclical stocks and financials, which dragged on the blue-chip index even as technology shares hit new peaks.

Investors are closely monitoring the conflict involving Iran, which has caused oil prices to fluctuate and created a cautious atmosphere for defensive assets. While major stock indexes have shown resilience, higher energy costs continue to drive inflation concerns, keeping West Texas Intermediate crude near $95 per barrel.

The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note ended the week around 4.31%, while the 30-year yield rose to approximately 4.91%. These elevated levels reflect market adjustments to persistent inflation and the expectation that central banks may maintain higher interest rates for a longer period.

Bitcoin maintained a narrow trading range around $78,000 on Friday, outperforming gold for a third consecutive week. Despite the steady performance of leading cryptocurrencies, some analysts noted a cooling of momentum in the broader digital asset market as traders assess macroeconomic risks.