Latest Irish Life weekly markets update

Key talking points include:

• Global equities ended a volatile week higher, with AI-related stocks, Middle East developments, energy prices and Treasury yields driving market moves. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both reached record highs on Tuesday.
• The S&P 500 rose 1.1% (MTD +1.9%, YTD +14.1%), while the STOXX 600 in Europe was broadly unchanged (MTD +0.8%, YTD +6.6%).
• Attention turns to the start of the US earnings season, with analysts expecting  year-on-year growth of just under 30%. A busy economic calendar also includes Wednesday’s US inflation release, a key focus for markets.