WhatsApp testing age confirmation, and new features for Google Maps
Oil gained as prospects for a lasting agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz remained elusive. Bonds fell on inflation concerns as traders awaited the US jobs report for clues on the path of interest rates.
Global benchmark Brent rose 1.6% to $83.80 a barrel amid tensions in the Middle East and a lack of clarity on a deal to reopen the crucial waterway.
Even so, oil is down about 5% for the week, having declined earlier on expectations for an agreement between the US and Iran.
Treasury futures edged lower as higher energy prices revived concerns that the Federal Reserve may need to keep interest rates elevated.
The Treasury 10-year yield held at 4.68% after climbing seven basis points during the US session. Government bonds of similar tenor in Japan, Australia and New Zealand all fell.
Asian stocks slipped 0.2%, led by a 1% drop in South Korea. European stocks were set for a modest loss after closing at an all-time high.
Equity-index futures for Wall Street gauges were flat after the S&P 500 Index edged lower for a second day, having hit a record high earlier in the week.
The lack of a deal in the Middle East risks keeping energy prices higher, further weighing on a market already volatile on the artificial intelligence trade.
In geopolitical news, Iran will seek to restrict US and Israeli ships from the Strait of Hormuz and require compensation from countries it considers hostile before allowing passage.
The reports came as officials in both Washington and Tehran have signalled that an accord may be close.
President Donald Trump, who recently stepped back from threats to resume military strikes on Iran, said things are “moving along good” when asked for an update.
In the tech space, Alphabet is set to raise $25 billion from a bond sale after generous yield payouts helped secure one of the year’s largest order books for AI-related debt.
SK Hynix is expanding its own investments into local corporate bonds and DeepSeek has resumed its second funding round, seeking close to $8 billion, with Monolith Management in talks to contribute.
In cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin fell 0.3% to $64,196.68, and Ether declined by 0.5% to $1,895.76. [Bloomberg]
5 important things happening in tech today
WhatsApp testing age confirmation in its largest market: WhatsApp is testing a new feature in India that will let users add their date of birth to help verify their age under the country’s upcoming regulations under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act. [Bloomberg]
Meta ordered to pay $567 million (R9.2 billion): A New Mexico court has ordered WhatsApp and Facebook owner Meta to pay $567 million (R9.2 billion) to fund supporting youth online safety programmes. This came after the court ruled that its platforms constituted a public nuisance. [Engadget]
Police disarm explosive drone at a German airport: German police disarmed a drone loaded with explosives that was spotted hovering near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig airport. Authorities believe the detonator was faulty, preventing an explosion. [Ars Technica]
Google Maps adds agentic feature that helps order food and book hotels: Google is adding new AI-powered features to Maps to assist users in ordering food, buying event tickets, and booking hotels. The “Ask Maps” assistant can complete parts of multi-step tasks, such as finding a restaurant and adding a selected meal to your cart when ordering food online. [Gizmodo]
Removable smartphone batteries making a comeback: A new European Union law that will take effect in February 2027 will require most new phones and tablets sold in the region to have easier-to-replace batteries. Some premium devices may qualify for exemptions, but the rules are expected to make user-replaceable batteries more common. [Engadget]
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