Tech Slide Weighs on Nasdaq; Oil Prices Gain

Group 1 - Oil prices increased, with Brent crude futures approaching $60 per barrel following President Trump's blockade on sanctioned tankers in Venezuela [1] - Shares of energy companies, including BP and Shell, experienced a rally as a result of the rising oil prices [1] Group 2 - U.S. indexes showed slight gains early Wednesday, indicating a positive market sentiment [2] - Warner Bros. Discovery rejected an unsolicited bid from Paramount, asserting that its planned deal with Netflix is superior, leading to a decline in shares for both Paramount and Warner, while Netflix shares rose [2] - The dollar strengthened against various currencies, with the British pound falling due to U.K. inflation data showing a slowdown to an eight-month low, increasing the likelihood of a rate cut [2]