Dow, S&P 500 Slip From Records as Retail Sales Unexpectedly Drop
US stocks pulled back from record highs after a surprise decline in retail sales and a jump in oil prices, even as Reddit surged 12.6% on S&P 500 inclusion news.
US Vows ‘Never-Seen-Before’ Sanctions on Iran as Drone Losses Mount in Six-Month War
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says unprecedented economic measures against Iran are coming, as officials estimate the US lost 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones worth over $1 billion in the conflict.
Wall Street Hovers Near Record Highs as Retail Sales Miss, Reddit Soars 14.7%
S&P 500 stays near record levels despite weak retail sales data. Reddit jumps 14.7% on S&P 500 inclusion news while Applied Materials falls 4% on high expectations.
India Eyes 5-8 New Semiconductor Plants as Modi Unveils AI Skilling Push
PM Modi’s Independence Day speech signals India’s next chip manufacturing wave, backed by a $15B+ Semiconductor Mission 2.0 and a plan to train 10 million youth in AI.
Pentagon Launches ‘Force Falcon Strike’ Multinational Drone Task Force After Iran, Ukraine Lessons
US Central Command unveils a new multi-domain drone task force, Force Falcon Strike, drawing on lessons from the Iran conflict and Ukraine’s billion-dollar drone strikes.
Norway’s $2.4 Trillion Fund Sees Bitcoin Exposure Hit Record 11,549 BTC
Norges Bank Investment Management’s indirect Bitcoin exposure climbed 21.2% in H1 2026 to a record 11,549 BTC, driven almost entirely by its stake in Strategy.
Applied Materials Earnings: Can AMAT Reignite the Chip Rally?
AMAT is down 26% from its June peak ahead of earnings, with EPS seen up 36.3% to $3.38. See the numbers, price targets and what it means for chip investors.
US Vows Indefinite Iran Blockade as Houthi Strike Sends Oil Higher
Hegseth says the US can sustain its Hormuz blockade indefinitely as Houthi drones hit a Saudi Aramco refinery and Iran reorganizes for a longer conflict.
US Says It Can Blockade Iran ‘Indefinitely’ as Houthis Strike Saudi Aramco Again
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US Navy can sustain its Strait of Hormuz blockade indefinitely as Houthi drones hit a Saudi Aramco refinery, spiking oil prices and deepening the standoff with Iran.
Goldman Sachs Pays Up to $2.25B for NEOS, Gaining Crypto Income ETFs
Goldman Sachs is acquiring NEOS Investments and its $30 billion options-ETF lineup for up to $2.25 billion, adding Bitcoin and Ethereum income products including the $1.1 billion BTCI fund.