Markets Take a Breather After Records: Investors Assess Oil, Iran, and US Labor Market Data

Global financial markets on June 2, 2026 show mixed dynamics and take a pause after a series of historical highs. Investors are locking in some profits while assessing the situation in the Middle East, the prospects of the Fed's monetary policy, and fresh macro data. Nevertheless, the global trend remains positive due to the ongoing boom in artificial intelligence and strong reports from the tech sector.

📈 US: Market Maintains Upward Trend

American indices are holding near record levels despite moderate profit-taking: Dow Jones — 51,099 (+0.09%) · Nasdaq Composite — 27,104 (+0.41%) · S&P 500 remains steadily above 7,500 points. The main driver continues to be the AI sector — chip and cloud infrastructure manufacturers are attracting the bulk of capital flows.

Investors are focused today on the publication of important statistics JOLTS on the US labor market, which could adjust expectations for the Fed's next steps.

🌏 Asia: Mixed Dynamics

Trading in the Asia-Pacific region ended without a single direction. The Japanese index Nikkei 225 corrected by -1.80% (65,727 points) after a strong rally in previous weeks. At the same time, the Hong Kong Hang Seng gained +1.45%, receiving strong support from tech companies related to AI, while the Shanghai Composite closed steadily.

Regional investors continue to analyze May's manufacturing PMIs to assess the industry's prospects in the second quarter.

🇪🇺 Europe Shows Resilience

European markets maintain a positive outlook amid strong corporate earnings: the German DAX rose by +1.45%, the French CAC 40 gained +0.99%, while the British FTSE 100 fell by -0.68%.

The leaders of growth in Europe are semiconductor companies, which continue to monetize the sustainable global AI trend.

🛢️ Oil Volatility · 🥇 Gold Holds Levels

The energy sector is reacting sensitively to news surrounding Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, and OPEC+ policy: the North Sea blend Brent is trading in the $92–94 per barrel range, while Texas WTI is holding at $91.67. Geopolitical pressure is balanced by market hopes for a possible diplomatic agreement between Washington and Tehran.

Safe-haven assets are in demand amid uncertainty: Gold is holding around $4,510 per ounce, while Silver is priced at $75.49, maintaining key technical levels despite a strong dollar.

💱 Currency Market and ₿ Cryptocurrencies Under Pressure

The US currency is holding strong due to risks of sustained high Fed rates: the index DXY is trading near local peaks, while the pair EUR/USD is around 1.16. Inflation in the States still exceeds the target, prompting investors to price in a tighter monetary policy trajectory.

The digital asset market has entered a correction amid outflows from ETFs: Bitcoin (BTC) has dropped to $71,200 (-3.5%), Ethereum (ETH) has decreased to $1,993, and Solana (SOL) — to $80.9. The industry's capitalization has fallen to $2.52 trillion, and the fear and greed index has moved into the Extreme Fear zone.

📅 Key Events and Main Risks of the Day

Today, the macroeconomic calendar is focused on the publication of the JOLTS report on job openings in the US. This is a crucial leading indicator ahead of the official unemployment data (Non-Farm Payrolls) coming out this Friday. Meanwhile, global investors are finishing their assessment of May's manufacturing PMIs from the largest economies on the planet.

Critical risk factors for the markets remain: geopolitics surrounding Iran (threat to oil supply stability), sticky inflation fueled by commodity prices, uncertainty about the Fed's rate trajectory, and a sharp decline in risk appetite in the alternative digital asset sector.

⚡ In Focus Today: Consolidation after records · Dow Jones at 51,099 and Nasdaq at 27,104 · S&P 500 above 7,500 · Brent $92–94 amid Iran geopolitics · Gold at $4,510 · Bitcoin correction to $71,200 amid Extreme Fear · Awaiting JOLTS macro statistics in the US.