BlockBeats report: On August 5, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent stated that the U.S. and Iran may reach an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as early as Wednesday, fueling market expectations of restored energy transportation and driving gains in U.S. and Asian markets.
Bessent said in an interview that, if an agreement is reached, the goal would be to ensure "free passage" through the Strait of Hormuz. When asked whether Iran might charge fees for vessels passing through the strait, he responded: "This would be a matter of freedom of navigation." Before the war, approximately 20% of global oil shipments passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Central Command stated that the southern shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz remain open, and all commercial vessels may pass through.
However, U.S.-Iran relations remain uncertain. Reports indicate that Iran has accused the Trump administration of potentially "igniting the spark of World War III," following U.S. warnings that the current moment represents Iran's "last chance" to reach an agreement.
On the market side, investors are closely monitoring technology companies' earnings reports and AI-related capital expenditures.
SpaceX's first earnings report since its IPO showed that the company's second-quarter revenue exceeded expectations, but a sharp increase in capital expenditures sparked market concerns, causing the stock to drop about 7% after hours. Second-quarter capital expenditures reached $18.4 billion, with approximately $16 billion allocated to AI computing infrastructure.
AMD's Q2 earnings also exceeded market expectations, but capital expenditures rose to $808 million, a significant increase from $282 million in the same period last year, causing the stock to decline after hours.
Analysis suggests that as investment in AI infrastructure enters an acceleration phase, the market is reassessing whether large-scale capital expenditures by tech giants can quickly translate into revenue growth. Additionally, Paramount Skydance raised its full-year profit guidance due to revenue performance exceeding Wall Street expectations and growth in its streaming business.