The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly investigating how Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei built a global investment portfolio with exposure to Wall Street banks, according to a Bloomberg News report published Thursday, June 18, 2026. Bloomberg cited officials familiar with the matter. The Justice Department had not publicly commented on the reported investigation when Reuters published its account. Mojtaba Khamenei Transactions Under Reported DOJ Review The investigation is reportedly part of a broader examination of allegations involving money laundering and corruption. Investigators are reviewing transactions involving companies overseen by Khamenei and examining the role U.S. financial institutions may have played in processing them, according to the report. JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup are among the banks reportedly under review. The report did not establish that either bank had violated U.S. law. JPMorgan, Citigroup and DOJ Responses Reuters said Citigroup declined to comment on the report. JPMorgan Chase and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment when the story was published. The existence of an investigation does not mean criminal charges will be filed. Bloomberg reported that Khamenei, rather than the banks, was the primary focus of the inquiry. Why the Report Matters As Iran’s supreme leader, Khamenei has final authority over major matters of state, including the country’s foreign policy and nuclear program. The reported investigation could attract further scrutiny of financial transactions connected to Iranian political networks and their potential exposure to U.S. institutions. However, the inquiry remains at the investigative stage. No charges or findings of wrongdoing were announced in the report. Related: Mojtaba Khamenei Approves US-Iran Agreement as Swiss Talks Advance

OpenAI has taken an important step toward a possible stock market debut by confidentially filing draft IPO paperwork with U.S. regulators. The move does not mean the company will go public immediately, but it gives the ChatGPT maker the option to prepare for a public listing when market conditions and business plans are ready. The filing has attracted huge attention because OpenAI is no longer seen only as an artificial intelligence resear

AI Stocks Power Wall Street Rally   AI Rally Pushes Wall Street Higher The S&P 500’s 9-week rally has become the biggest talking point on Wall Street, as AI-linked stocks continue to pull US markets to record levels. In a holiday-shortened week, the Dow, Nasdaq, and S&P 500 all closed higher, showing that investors are still willing to bet on technology-led growt

JPMorgan executive Lorna Hajdini has filed a defamation countersuit against former banker Chirayu Rana in New York state court, denying his sexual misconduct allegations and accusing him of spreading false claims that harmed her reputation. The Lorna Hajdini countersuit follows Rana’s earlier lawsuit against Hajdini and JPMorgan Chase, in which he alleged sexual abuse, harassment and workplace coercion. Hajdini denies the allegations, and JPMorgan has said it does

Wall Street Surges on Tech Strength Global stock markets climbed on Thursday, May 14, 2026, with major Wall Street indices reaching new record highs. Investor enthusiasm centered on technology shares, including Cisco Systems, which soared 13.4 percent following an upward earnings revision. Semiconductor startup Cerebras Systems made a strong Nasdaq debut, rising 68.2 percent on its first day of trading. The S&P 500 and N

JPMorgan Chase is facing renewed scrutiny after former banker Chirayu Rana rejected a reported $1 million settlement offer tied to allegations of sexual assault, racial harassment, and workplace misconduct in New York City. The refiled lawsuit, submitted this week, includes new witness statements

Shares of Alphabet are approaching a historic milestone, with the company nearing a $5 trillion valuation and potentially overtaking Nvidia as the world’s most valuable publicly traded firm. The surge comes after a strong rally in Alphabet’s stock, which climbed 10% on Thursday, extending its one-year gain to approximately 140% and pushing its market capitalization beyond $4.6 trillion. Strong earnings and cloud growth drive Alphabet’s surge The momentum follows a better-than-expected earnings report released on Wednesday, in which Alphabet exceeded analyst forecasts. A key highlight was its Google Cloud division, which generated more than $20 billion in revenue, reinforcing investor confidence in the company’s position within the artificial intelligence and cloud computing sectors. This performance has strengthened Alphabet’s standing among major AI-focused companies and boosted overall investor sentiment. Nvidia faces pressure amid partner concerns and stock decline Meanwhile, Nvidia, currently valued at under $4.9 trillion, has seen its stock decline by more than 6% over two trading sessions. The drop follows a report from The Wall Street Journal indicating that business partner OpenAI missed internal revenue and growth projections. The development has raised concerns about near-term demand and growth expectations in the AI ecosystem, impacting Nvidia’s market performance. Options market signals a potential shift in market leadership Options trading data suggests that Alphabet could soon close the valuation gap. For Alphabet to match Nvidia’s current market capitalization, its stock would need to rise by roughly 4%, reaching about $401 per share. Based on call option premiums around that level, traders estimate a 53% probability that Alphabet could reach that price before Thursday, May 15, 2026. Further projections indicate about a 30% chance that Alphabet will close above $400 on Friday, May 22, 2026, shortly after Nvidia’s upcoming earnings report scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, 2026. Notably, Nvidia’s stock has declined after four of its last five earnings announcements, adding uncertainty to its near-term outlook. Historical context as Alphabet eyes a return to the top   Alphabet has previously held the top position among global companies, most recently in 2016 when it briefly surpassed Apple. A renewed rise to the top would mark a significant shift in market leadership, driven largely by advancements in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure. As both companies approach key earnings milestones, investors are closely watching whether Alphabet can capitalize on its momentum and reclaim the top spot in global market valuation. Alphabet has previously held the top position among global companies, most recently in 2016 when it briefly surpassed Apple. A renewed rise to the top would mark a significant shift in market leadership, driven largely by advancements in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure. As both companies approach key earnings milestones, investors are closely watching whether Alphabet can capitalize on its momentum and reclaim the top spot in global market valuation.

Strong market reaction to earnings and AI momentum Shares of Intel surged more than 20% during trading hours on Friday, reflecting renewed investor confidence driven by rising artificial intelligence demand and stronger-than-expected financial results. By early afternoon, the stock had climbed approximately 22%, putting it on track for its best single-day performance in d

US stock markets surged to fresh record highs as easing geopolitical tensions triggered a sharp decline in oil prices, boosting investor confidence across global markets. Sentiment improved after reports of the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns over potential disruptions to global oil supply. The rally was led by the

U.S. stock markets opened lower on Monday, April 13, 2026, as investor sentiment weakened following the collapse of high-stakes negotiations between the United States and Iran and a sharp rebound in global oil prices. The downturn reflected rising geopolitical uncertainty after talks aimed at easing tensions ended without agreement over the weekend. As of 9:40 AM ET on April 13, 2026, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.72 percent, while the S&P 500 declined 0.33 percent and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.36 percent. At the same time, oil markets surged, with Brent crude rising nearly 6 percent to above $100 per barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate also climbing past the $100 mark, signaling renewed pressure on global energy markets. Market volatility increased as the CBOE Volatility Index rose to 20.61, indicating heightened investor caution. Analysts noted a shift toward a “risk-off” environment, as traders reacted to escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical channel for global oil supply. The market reaction followed the U.S. Navy’s move to begin restricting maritime activity linked to Iran after negotiations held in Islamabad failed to produce a ceasefire or nuclear agreement. The blockade targets vessels associated with Iranian ports, intensifying concerns over potential disruptions to global trade and energy flows. Despite the geopolitical strain, some analysts said the market response remained relatively contained compared to the scale of the crisis. However, the continued rise in oil prices and uncertainty over supply routes could pose longer-term risks for both equity markets and the broader global economy.  

 US stocks opened sharply lower on Monday, wiping out more than $900 billion in market value within minutes of the opening bell as investors reacted to a sudden spike in oil prices and mounting geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Crude oil briefly surged above $100 per barrel, intensifying concerns that escalating conflict in the region could disrupt supply and push global energy costs higher, potentially reigniting inflation pressures across major economies. The Dow Jones Industr

U.S. stocks mostly advanced on Friday after the Supreme Court struck down former President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, delivering a major boost to Wall Street and companies exposed to international trade. The ruling, which found that the tariffs exceeded presidential authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, triggered a broad market rally and lifted investor sentiment across multiple sectors. In a 6–3 decision, the Supreme Court determi

Amazon shares fell sharply on Friday, sliding more than 9% after the company outlined an aggressive capital spending plan that unsettled investors already wary about the sustainability of the artificial intelligence boom. The drop added to a broader technology selloff, as market participants questioned whether escalating investments in AI infrastructure could outpace future returns and create excess capacity across the sector. The e-commerce and cloud computing group disclosed in it

Nvidia shares declined on Monday as uncertainty surrounding the chipmaker’s potential investment in OpenAI weighed on investor sentiment. The stock slipped in early trading after reports suggested that previously announced plans involving a massive financial commitment to the artificial intelligence company may not yet be finalized. The market reaction underscored growing sensitivity around large-scale AI investments and the evolving relationships among major technology players. T

Apple is scheduled to report its fiscal first-quarter earnings after the market closes on Thursday, with investors closely monitoring whether strong holiday demand for iPhones can offset rising costs and uncertainty around artificial intelligence investments. The company’s fiscal first quarter, which concludes in December, is traditionally its most important period of the year due to seasonal consumer spending. According to consensus estimates compiled by LSEG, analysts expect App

The Supreme Court did not issue a decision Friday on the legality of broad tariffs imposed during President Donald Trump’s administration, extending uncertainty for financial markets and trade policy observers who have been closely watching the case for its potential economic and fiscal implications. Expectations had grown that the ruling might be released before the end of the week, but the court issued only a single opinion on Friday, unrelated to tariffs or trade authority. The

The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged to another record close on Tuesday, buoyed by a series of strong corporate earnings reports that reinforced investor optimism about the resilience of major U.S. companies. Gains from household names such as Coca-Cola, 3M, and General Motors helped the blue-chip index climb even as technology shares lagged, reflecting a rotation from growth stocks into more traditional sectors. The 30-stock Dow rose 218.16 points, or 0.47%, to finish at 46,924.

Asia-Pacific markets retreated on Wednesday, following overnight declines on Wall Street after comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell unsettled investors. Powell noted that equity prices appeared to be “fairly highly valued” and cautioned that the rate-cutting outlook remained unclear, adding that the central bank faces a “challenging situation” as it navigates inflationary pressures and economic growth concerns. In Australia, the S&P/ASX

Asia-Pacific markets moved lower on Wednesday as investors reacted to disappointing trade data from Japan and awaited China’s loan prime rate decision. The trend followed overnight losses in the United States, where a broad decline in technology stocks put pressure on indices. The movement across regional exchanges highlighted a cautious mood among global investors balancing weak export demand in Japan with uncertainty around Chinese policy actions.

Global financial markets came under pressure on Friday as Iran launched hundreds of missiles toward Israel in retaliation for earlier airstrikes on its nuclear and military facilities. The geopolitical escalation sparked fears of a wider Middle East conflict, leading to a steep sell-off on Wall Street and sharp gains in oil and gold. The S&P 500 fell 1.1%, while crude oil futures jumped 7.5%, their largest single-day gain in over two years. The VIX fear g