USA: Equities Falter Amid Risk Aversion.

US equities finished a rough week lower with the S&P 500 down 0.6%, the Dow losing 0.3%, and Nasdaq 100 shedding 0.7% as they struggled to maintain their footing amid the intensifying regional conflict and persistent energy market volatility. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signaled a further escalation on Friday by announcing the largest wave of US strikes against Iranian targets, cementing the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and stoked fears of a prolonged stagflationary global environment. This pressure drove investors toward the dollar, pushing major benchmarks toward a third straight week of losses while high energy costs forced markets to reprice 2026 rate expectations. Yields climbed despite weak Q4 GDP, heavily pressuring credit-sensitive sectors. Software giants led the decline, notably Adobe plunging 7.6% after a guidance miss and CEO departure, while Meta, Palantir, and Oracle dropped between 3.8% and 1.7%.