WS #10738

The dominant signal in this window is the ESCALATION of the Asian tech selloff, driven by Apple's price hikes due to surging memory chip costs. Apple (AAPL) fell over 6% after hiking MacBook and iPad prices by 20% or more, citing an extraordinary surge in AI-driven memory demand. This has spilled over to Asian tech stocks, with Samsung Electronics plunging and Alibaba sliding. Microsoft (MSFT) also fell to its lowest closing price since November 2023, corroborating the broad tech weakness. The IAEA provided updates on Iran nuclear inspections and Zaporizhzhia power line repairs, but these are not market-moving. The UN suspended Hormuz ship evacuations after a vessel came under fire, but oil is declining, suggesting supply fears are easing. Starlink's planned mobile service could disrupt telecoms (VZ, T). The narrative arc is ESCALATING for the tech selloff, with Apple's price hikes adding a new negative catalyst. The oil decline despite geopolitical tensions is a notable counter-signal.