Global Stocks Fall as AI Concerns Grow, Oil Rises

Global stocks fell as investors questioned whether costly AI investments can deliver returns quickly enough, with disappointing guidance from chip-equipment maker Lam Research and mixed results and spending plans from Meta and Tesla weighing on technology shares. The selloff spread across Asia, Europe and the US, as investors shifted toward defensive assets and Treasuries; Chinese equities approached bear-market territory. Oil rose above $110 a barrel, reaching its highest level since May, after Houthi attacks on Saudi targets and broader Middle East tensions heightened fears of supply disruptions. The US ordered some personnel and family members to leave Saudi Arabia. Regional and sector performance varied, with Irish and UK shares under pressure while defensive stocks and some individual companies gained.