Oil prices have been fluctuating, with West Texas Intermediate recently falling from $86 to $80 before rising to $82.59. This movement suggests that the predicted average price of around $80 may be accurate. Doomsday predictions of $150 oil have not come to pass, possibly due to alternative routes for oil out of the Middle East.

The major stock indexes have not reached new highs, with some exceptions in the tech sector. Nvidia announced better-than-expected earnings, resulting in a significant stock gain. Palantir also made a new high, standing out in the chip sector. The SOX semiconductor sector has been moving sideways for the past two months, hovering around 12,000. Further details on these market trends are available from the source.