Global markets rise amid AI gains and oil-driven inflation fears

Global stock markets saw gains last week, led by the technology sector, despite cautious trading due to inflationary pressures from high oil prices. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones rose 0.3 percent, the S&P 500 increased 1.2 percent, and the Nasdaq climbed 2 percent. Meta Platforms saw a significant 13 percent jump following the introduction of Muse, an AI assistant capable of performing tasks like sending emails and managing transactions.

High oil prices, driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the status of the Strait of Hormuz, remain a concern for investors. These prices may sustain inflation, potentially prompting the U.S. Federal Reserve to implement further interest rate hikes.

In Croatia, the bakery company Klara has announced plans to delist from the Zagreb Stock Exchange. The company has set a fair value of 99.49 euros per share for shareholders. Management cited the lack of significant benefits from being publicly traded, noting that the costs associated with listing and trading represent a substantial burden on operations.