GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks get a boost from tech dip-buying; bonds flag

S&P 500 index

S&P 500 index

SPX

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Tech stocks rebound on dip buying, led by ASML, Infineon, Nvidia

Rising bond yields and sticky inflation prompt caution among investors, BofA analysts note

Oil prices fall as Israel and Iran agree to halt attacks, Brent drops 1.75%

Updates throughout

By Amanda Cooper

- Global stocks rallied on Tuesday as investors rushed to buy the latest dip in tech stocks, while oil prices fell after Israel and Iran agreed to halt attacks on one another for now.

In Europe, the STOXX 600 .STOXX edged up 0.5%, led by tech heavyweights ASML ASML.AS and Infineon IFXGn.DE. U.S. stock futures ESc1, NQC1 rose 0.4% to 0.6%, as a broad range of shares gained in pre-market trading, including Nvidia NVDA.O, Eli Lilly LLY.N and Goldman Sachs GS.N, all of which were up around 0.6%.

Excitement about artificial intelligence was front and centre, with ChatGPT maker OpenAI confidentially filing for a U.S. initial public offering on Monday, days before SpaceX's hotly anticipated market debut this week.

"Wall Street bankers and CEOs are beside themselves with excitement about these mega-cap listings, however, on the street there is some caution setting in," XTB research director Kathleen Brooks said.

"Although we fully expect the SpaceX IPO to be successful, the IPO itself is probably the least interesting event; what is far more interesting will be SpaceX’s future earnings reports, which will need to be big to justify a valuation that is 56 times forward earnings."

The next big test for tech will be results from Oracle ORCL.N on Wednesday. Apple AAPL.O shares, meanwhile, failed to get a boost from a long-delayed AI overhaul of Siri, unveiled at the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

Investors are also wary about the risks stemming from rising borrowing costs. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields US10YT=RR are above 4.5% and, crucially, 30-year yields US30YT=RR have spent more days north of 5% this year than in any year since 2007, according to LSEG data.

In the Middle East, tensions are running high and maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is well below normal levels, which is keeping oil prices above $90 a barrel.

"Inflation remains sticky enough that 46 of 68 global central banks are overshooting targets, which helps explain why bond markets are repricing for tighter policy, and why long-duration assets, private credit, and several EM currencies are struggling," analysts at Bank of America said in a note.

"Our Global Breadth Rule shows nearly half of equity markets already overbought, led by Korea, Taiwan and Finland."

The prospect of the Federal Reserve raising rates this year to curb unwelcome pickups in inflation has dented bonds and boosted the dollar =USD, which has gained about 2% in the last four weeks. Friday's May payrolls report helped cement the view that at least one hike this year is a possibility. Data on U.S. consumer prices, due Wednesday, are expected to show surging energy costs kept pushing headline inflation higher in May.

Futures imply around a 60% chance of a Fed rate rise as soon as October, and a quarter-point move is almost fully priced for December. 0#USDIRPR

Markets are also fully priced for a quarter-point hike to 2.25% by the European Central Bank when it meets on Thursday, and they see the key rate at 2.5% or 2.75% by the end of the year. 0#EURIRPR

The surprising strength of U.S. employment kept the dollar underpinned at 160.2 yen JPY=, above the 160 mark that many believe could trigger more buying by Japanese authorities.

Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama on Tuesday said officials are "always prepared to take decisive measures."

The euro was last up 0.1% at $1.1546 EUR=, just above a nine-week low of $1.15, while the pound GBP= edged up off a three-week trough to trade at around $1.338.

In commodity markets, Brent LCOc1 crude futures fell 1.75% to $92.60 a barrel. The price of oil has retreated from late April's four-year high of $126, but it is still nearly 30% higher than where it was in late February, while futures for the delivery of crude in six months' time are 21% above those levels LCOc6.