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Markets & Finance Daily Brief · July 15, 2026 · preview

Geopolitics and AI Demand Drive Markets Amid Inflation Jitters

2 min read 7 sources Every claim cited

Global markets are navigating conflicting signals, with soaring demand for advanced semiconductors fueling massive investment in tech giants like ASML and driving an IPO boom in China. However, this optimism is tempered by persistent geopolitical risks—including escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz and Beijing's resource controls—and ongoing inflation concerns from both India and the U.S.

Markets

  • Stripe and Advent International reportedly submitted a joint offer to acquire PayPal, valuing the payments firm at over $53 billion [4, 14]. The deal proposes buying shares at $60.50 per share, which represents a 28% premium to PayPal's closing share price on Tuesday [4, 14]. Following the report of this bid, PayPal jumped 16% in premarket trading on Wednesday [4, 6]. [4][14][6]

Equities

  • ASML raised its full-year sales forecast for a second time this year, predicting net sales between 43 billion and 45 billion euros and a gross margin of 54% to 56%, significantly increasing from previous estimates of 36 billion to 40 billion euros in net sales and 51% to 53% in gross margin [7]. The company attributed the hike to strong demand driven by customers accelerating capacity expansion plans for AI chips, with CEO Christophe Fouquet noting that order intake remained "extremely strong" in the first half of the year [7]. This momentum has led ASML to target adding 30% to its 2026 low NA EUV capacity and 30% to its 2026 Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) immersion capacity, reflecting sustained demand for advanced semiconductor equipment [7]. [9][12][7]
  • SK Hynix led a broad rally in Asian technology shares on Wednesday, closing over 8% higher in Seoul after its U.S. shares rose over 27% overnight [11]. This performance was part of a broader tech rebound that included domestic rival Samsung Electronics gaining 6.27% and Seoul Semiconductor rising 6.19% [11]. The rally also spread across Japan's chip sector, with Advantest climbing 5.83% and Lasertec gaining 10.18% [11]. These Asian gains followed a rebound on Wall Street, where the VanEck Semiconductor ETF rose 2.5%, and Micron Technology climbed about 5% [11]. [11]
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Sources

  1. 4CNBC · 2026-07-15 — PayPal jumps 16% in premarket on report of Stripe, Advent $53 billion takeover offer
  2. 6MarketWatch · 2026-07-15 — Stripe and Advent reportedly team up to bid for battered PayPal. Michael Burry says the offer isn’t enough.
  3. 7CNBC · 2026-07-15 — ASML rises 4% after hiking sales forecast for second time this year on strong AI chip demand
  4. 9MarketWatch · 2026-07-15 — ASML is scrambling to build more capacity after blockbuster beat-and-raise quarter
  5. 11CNBC · 2026-07-15 — SK Hynix South Korean shares jump 8% as Asia tech stocks rally
  6. 12Financial Times · 2026-07-15 — ASML raises forecasts as AI boom drives chipmaking demand
  7. 14Financial Times · 2026-07-15 — Stripe and Advent make $53bn bid for PayPal