Six months into the US-Iran conflict, oil prices remain volatile but below dire forecasts, with China’s 1.4-billion-barrel strategic reserve credited as a global buffer ahead of Xi’s Washington visit.
A 100% tariff sanctions bill targeting Russian energy buyers, a Strait of Hormuz tanker incident, and a Fed rate hike to 3.75%-4.00% are shaking global markets.
President Trump signed the Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act into law, authorizing tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian energy, as Middle East tensions and a Fed rate hike add to market volatility.
AirAsia co-founder Tony Fernandes says the carrier’s fuel-cost crisis is less severe than COVID, but the stock has still lost more than 70% of its value in 2026 amid a 831 million ringgit quarterly loss.
US carriers are trimming marginal routes and slashing capacity growth plans after jet fuel prices more than doubled to $4.71 a gallon, adding $1 billion to American Airlines’ Q4 costs.
Canada’s Industry Minister warns Stellantis (STLA) to reopen its idled Brampton, Ontario plant or repay hundreds of millions in subsidies, as the automaker weighs a sale to defense contractor Roshel.
Economist Peter Schiff argues the 7.76 cents of copper and nickel inside every 5-cent coin beats U.S. Treasuries, but melting coins for profit is federally restricted.
DoubleLine’s Jeff Gundlach warns higher rates could trigger a US recession as the 10-year Treasury yield surpasses 5%, while the Treasury’s $6 billion bond buyback fails to calm markets or mortgage rates.
The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate a quarter point to 3.75%-4.00% in a unanimous vote, the first hike since 2023. Stocks fell, the dollar surged, and traders now price in further tightening.
A UN fact-finding mission says there are reasonable grounds the US committed war crimes in strikes on Iran that killed over 170 civilians, raising fresh Middle East risk for oil markets.
