Key insights
- Geopolitical tensions surrounding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz are causing volatility in oil prices and equity markets. Trump's statements create uncertainty. Separately, South Korean AI chip startup Rebellions secured funding for US expansion, posing a potential long-term challenge to Nvidia's dominance in AI inference, but the immediate impact is overshadowed by geopolitical concerns.
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South Korean startup Rebellions secured $400 million at a $2.34 billion valuation to fuel a U.S. expansion ahead of its IPO. Positioned as a "K-Nvidia," the firm specializes in AI inference chips—the hardware used to run, rather than just train, applications. While Nvidia (NVDA +0.35%) remains the training gold standard, Rebellions claims its Rebel100 NPU offers superior energy efficiency for clients like Meta Platforms (META +1.76%). With backing from Samsung (SSNLF +55.02%) and SK Hynix, the company believes its close ties to the world's largest memory producers provide a vital supply chain advantage amidst global shortages that are currently hampering rivals like Micron (MU 4.28%).
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The Dow jumped 406 points Monday after President Trump claimed "serious discussions" with a new Iranian regime to end military operations. Despite the S&P 500 and Nasdaq rising on news that Tehran accepted most of a 15-point peace plan, Trump threatened to "obliterate" oil wells and power plants if the Strait of Hormuz isn't reopened immediately. This geopolitical whiplash sent Brent crude above $114, even as equities attempted to recover from a five-week losing streak that saw the Dow and Nasdaq slip into technical corrections.
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By Morning Show host Nick ScipleTeam Rule Breakers
When the first strikes hit Iran on Feb. 28, a part of me wanted to pull up the brokerage account. Rebalance. Hedge. Sell the losers before they got worse. I didn't do any of that. But the urge was real, and if you felt it too, you're not alone.
The problem is that acting on that urge is, historically speaking, expensive.
Vanguard founder Jack Bogle spent decades repeating a piece of advice so simple it sounds like a joke: "Don't do something, just stand there." He meant it.
And right now, a month into the Iran war, with Brent crude well above $100 a barrel, the S&P 500 posting five straight losing weeks, and the Nasdaq entering correction territory, this is exactly the kind of moment where that advice earns its keep.
Let me be clear about what I'm not saying. I'm not saying this doesn't matter. It matters enormously.