FN2 Research

Markets, explained.

Cited, no-noise breakdowns of why stocks move — earnings reactions, macro shifts, and the data behind the headlines.

Aerial view of a Middle Eastern coastal lagoon and mountain range, illustrating the strategic geography of the Gulf waterways where the US-Iran ceasefire is now fracturing.
Geopolitics · Energy · Oil · Strait of Hormuz · Iran · Middle East · Shipping · Market Risk

Hormuz Traffic Collapses as US-Iran Ceasefire Unravels: Oil Holds Near $78, Energy Stocks Diverge

The US-Iran ceasefire is fracturing after a second day of mutual strikes. Hormuz transits have collapsed to 14 vessels, Brent crude holds near $78, and the equity response is splitting along oil-consuming and oil-producing lines — with airline and logistics stocks absorbing the spillover.

Monochrome close-up of computer motherboard circuitry with intricate electronic components and copper traces, representing semiconductor technology
Semiconductors · AI Infrastructure · Oil · Iran · Federal Reserve · Consumer Sentiment · Market Breadth · NVDA

Semiconductors Are the Cleanest Tell in a Bifurcated Tape

The SMH fund outperformed the Dow by roughly three percentage points on July 8 as NVDA rallied on Beijing's H200 chip approval and AI infrastructure demand. Meanwhile, the Iran ceasefire collapse sent oil up 8%, the Fed revealed a committee split on rates, and consumer sentiment fell to 44.8 — its lowest level in years.

Close-up view of a computer motherboard with microprocessor and electronic components, representing semiconductor manufacturing.
IPO · Market Structure · AI · Semiconductors · ECM · SK Hynix · SpaceX · Data Centers

SK Hynix's $28 Billion Nasdaq Debut Marks the Largest IPO Since SpaceX — and the Pipeline Is Getting Deeper

SK Hynix's $28.1 billion ADR offering — the second-largest share sale ever — is multiple times oversubscribed and pricing this week, capping a first half that saw 194 US IPOs raise $156 billion. Anthropic, OpenAI, Jersey Mike's, and Brookfield-backed Csquare are queued in the pipeline, while SpaceX lockup expirations and Rivian's $1.16 billion secondary test the market's capacity to absorb new supply.

Aerial view of a coastal settlement beside a mountain range along a calm blue ocean, evoking the geography of the Strait of Hormuz.
Geopolitics · Oil · Iran · Strait of Hormuz · Energy · Sanctions · Shipping · Middle East

Iran Ceasefire Collapses as Hormuz Tankers Hit — Brent Surges 4%, Energy Stocks Lead Risk-Off Rotation

The fragile US-Iran ceasefire unraveled on July 8 as Trump declared the memorandum 'over,' CENTCOM struck 80+ targets, and Treasury revoked Iran's oil waiver after tanker attacks in Hormuz. Brent jumped 4.2% to $77.24, energy stocks rallied, and the IMO urged ships to avoid the strait — yet Polymarket puts the odds of formal war at just 5.5%.

Industrial oil pumpjack in a desert landscape under a clear sky, symbolizing petroleum extraction and energy markets
Market Pulse · Iran · Oil · Semiconductors · Nasdaq · Apple · Broadcom · Treasury Yields

Nasdaq Decouples From the Dow as Apple's $30B Broadcom Deal Outmuscles the Iran Oil Shock

Trump declaring the Iran ceasefire "over" sent Brent crude up 5% and the Dow down 577 points, but the Nasdaq closed green on a semiconductor rally anchored by Apple's landmark $30 billion Broadcom deal. The bifurcation is the story.

Assorted RAM memory modules arranged on a white surface, showing circuit components and green board material.
IPOs · Market Structure · Semiconductors · SEC · Extended Hours · SK hynix · Crypto Regulation

Market Plumbing Rewired: SK hynix's $28 Billion Listing Meets 23-Hour Trading and a New SEC Agenda

SK hynix's $28.1 billion Nasdaq listing, the SEC's green light for 23x5 equity trading by December, and Chairman Atkins's 2026 regulatory agenda converge in a single week that rewrites market structure on three fronts simultaneously.

A complex network of red and gray industrial pipes and valves inside a petroleum processing facility.
Geopolitics · Oil · Iran · Strait of Hormuz · Market Risk · Energy · Sanctions · Macro

Iran Ceasefire Collapses: Oil Spikes 5%, Dow Drops 500 Points

President Trump declared the US-Iran ceasefire 'over' at the NATO summit, triggering US military strikes and an oil sanctions revocation. Brent crude surged above $77, the Dow fell 500 points, and prediction markets put odds of Hormuz normalizing by July 31 at just 45.5%.

Macro view of electronic circuit components on a green substrate, showing intricate semiconductor design and layout.
IPOs · Market Structure · Secondary Offerings · Semiconductors · Electric Vehicles · Liquidity

The Issuance Window Is Wide Open — But It's Doing Two Things at Once

Over $32 billion in equity issuance priced the week of July 6, 2026, led by SK hynix's record $28.1B Nasdaq listing. The window is open — but premium IPOs and discount secondaries tell two different stories about what that means.

A large cargo container ship sailing across open ocean under a vibrant orange sunset, representing global maritime supply chains.
Geopolitics · Oil · Iran · Strait of Hormuz · Defense · Energy · Macro · Market Risk

Ceasefire Collapse Sends Brent Above $80 as Hormuz Tankers Turn Back

The June 17 US-Iran ceasefire collapsed after Iran attacked three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting US strikes and an oil-sanctions revocation. Brent surged 8% to $80, the Dow fell 831 points, and four tankers turned back from the strait.

Close-up of a digital financial display showing market data and indices in blue and amber tones.
IPOs · Market Structure · Liquidity · Semiconductors · AI

The IPO Supply Wave Meets Its Lockup Cliff

SK hynix prices a $28B Nasdaq listing this week while SpaceX insider lockups begin expiring in July — the first real stress test of whether record corporate buybacks can absorb a $200B+ IPO supply wave, or whether the inelastic-markets multiplier turns new issuance into a trillion-dollar market-value drag.

Container ships in a busy port loaded with cargo, illustrating commercial shipping traffic through a critical maritime chokepoint.
Iran · Oil · Strait of Hormuz · Geopolitics · Energy · Shipping · Ceasefire · Middle East

Ceasefire Collapses: US Strikes Iran After Hormuz Tanker Attacks, Oil Surges 6%

The US-Iran ceasefire is collapsing in real time: US strikes hit Iranian military sites after three tankers were attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump declared the interim deal 'over,' and Washington revoked Iran's oil sales license. Brent crude surged 6% to $78.50, erasing the market's de-escalation discount.

Nighttime city skyline of illuminated skyscrapers and buildings, representing a modern Asian financial and technology hub.
IPOs · Market Structure · Semiconductors · AI Infrastructure · Capital Markets

SK hynix Tests the Record IPO Window With a $28 Billion Nasdaq Listing

U.S. issuers raised a record $251 billion in the first half of 2026. SK hynix's $28.1 billion Nasdaq ADS listing this week is the largest deal since SpaceX, and the first test of whether investor appetite for new issuance extends beyond June's mega-deals.