Three months after artificial intelligence euphoria lifted global markets to historic heights, a convergence of forces — war in the Middle East, overextended tech valuations, and government bond yields unseen since the eve of the 2008 crisis — has transformed investor confidence into something closer to dread. The world's central banks are raising borrowing costs to contain inflation stoked by oil above $100 a barrel, even as the very growth story that justified record stock prices shows signs of outrunning reality. History offers uncomfortable precedents: the canal booms, the railway manias,
Storm clouds gather as AI bubble risks, Iran war and soaring bond yields threaten market crash
South Korean retail investors hit by margin calls; households and businesses facing rising energy costs and potential job losses from rate hikes.
Economy & Finance