WS #7852

The dominant signal in this window is the escalation of US-Cuba tensions, with the US charging former Cuban President Raúl Castro with conspiracy to kill US nationals and destruction of aircraft, and the USS Nimitz carrier strike group arriving in the Caribbean. This is a new geopolitical flashpoint that could impact travel, tourism, and sugar/commodity stocks, though direct US market impact is limited. Separately, Nvidia raised its dividend to $0.25 and announced an $80B buyback, a bullish signal for NVDA and semiconductors. SpaceX disclosed $1B in Bitcoin holdings ahead of its IPO, boosting crypto sentiment. Samsung reached a tentative deal with its union, easing chip supply fears. Goldman Sachs said global oil stockpiles are falling at a record pace due to war, supporting energy stocks. The UAE pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz is 50% complete, a long-term counter to oil supply disruption. The US-Iran tension narrative is stable with no new escalation in this window. The Nvidia China concession narrative is stable (Huang said Nvidia has 'largely conceded' China's AI chip market to Huawei).