Oil surged, stocks fell and investors sought safety in the U.S. dollar and government bonds after Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military targets in an attack that raised the risk of all-out war between them.

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Wall Street's "fear gauge," the CBOE Volatility Index, is on the rise. The VIX jumped 17% early Friday to above 21 after Israel launched an attack on Iran’s nuclear program and military leadership overnight.

Oracle's strong earnings and accelerated cloud growth highlight AI-driven momentum, though higher CapEx for AI could pressure margins. Nebius and Circle Internet Group exemplify surging AI and crypto IPO enthusiasm, but high valuations and dilution risks warrant caution.

Wall Street seems to agree with Brent Thill where Palantir is concerned. The median target price among 28 analysts is $110 per share, which implies 19% downside. But Jay Goldberg has the lone sell rating on Nvidia, and the median target price among 69 analysts is $175 per share, which implies 22% upside.

Global shares are mixed as investors focus on the result of the ongoing trade talks between Washington and Beijing

Dividend stocks are one way to shield yourself from the market volatility. While all stocks carry a certain element of risk, dividend stocks generate steady income for you, ensuring you’re making your money work even if the market is in a slump.

Asian shares mostly rose Wednesday after China and the U.S. said they had reached agreement on a framework for following up on the trade truce reached last month in Geneva.Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 surged 0.