Oil Markets: WTI Cracks $110 as Iran Conflict Escalates Into Second Week Crude oil futures surged past $110/bbl on Sunday night as shipping remains at a standstill in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump’s Sons Back Drone Startup 'Powerus' in Major Nasdaq Listing Move Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are backing a new drone roll-up company merging with a public entity to meet Pentagon demand.
Hims & Hers (HIMS) Shares Rocket 48% on Novo Nordisk Weight-Loss Pact Report The telehealth platform is reportedly partnering with Novo Nordisk to sell branded obesity drugs after a previous standoff over compounded versions.
Trump Weighs Special Ops Mission to Seize Iran’s Uranium Stockpiles Bloomberg reports the President is considering deploying special forces to secure near-bomb-grade materials inside Iran.
G7 Considers Coordinated Release of Crude Reserves as Global Energy Shock Deepens Leading economies are discussing a massive emergency oil release to stabilize prices as Gulf production falls.
United Therapeutics (UTHR) Board Approves Massive $2B Share Repurchase Program The biotech firm moves forward with an accelerated stock buyback plan as volatility grips the sector.
Alphabet (GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai’s $692M Pay Deal Features Waymo Incentives The massive compensation package is tied heavily to the future success of the company’s autonomous driving unit.
Billionaire ‘Tesla Whale’ Doubles Nvidia (NVDA) Stake to Counter Market Panic A prominent major retail investor is aggressively buying the dip in AI stocks to "calm the nervous market."
OpenAI Hardware Chief Resigns Amid Growing Anthropic Competition and AI Rules Leadership shakeups continue in the AI sector as new federal regulations for orbital data centers are drafted.
Live Nation (LYV) Nears DOJ Settlement; Ticketmaster Sale Off the Table The antitrust lawsuit appears close to a resolution that avoids a forced breakup of the ticketing giant.
Stagflation Fears: Oil Surge Ends Hopes for Market 'Melt-Up,' Analyst Warns Market veteran Ed Yardeni warns that $120 oil could trigger a 10% S&P 500 correction and a 1970s-style recession.
Saudi Arabia Shifts to Spot Market Oil Sales Amid Disrupted Contracts State oil giant Aramco is reportedly offering crude on the spot market as regional conflict breaks traditional shipping agreements.
Agilent (A) Announces Acquisition of Biocare Medical to Boost Diagnostics Portfolio The life sciences giant is expanding its reach into cancer diagnostic technologies through a strategic purchase.
President Trump Vows No Legislative Signatures Until Voter ID Bill Passes Senate A legislative deadlock looms as the administration prioritizes election security reforms.
Gov. Newsom Hires Ousted CDC Officials to Lead California’s Public Health Hub In a direct challenge to federal policy, California has hired former national health leaders to run its independent public health system.
Prepper
Good morning! Here's the latest in trending:
Energy watch: Is Putin the big winner in the Iran conflict?
The picks: Here are the best oil and gas stock plays.
Stepping down: The FDA's vaccine chief is leaving the agency again.
The supply angle
That didn't take long. After topping $70 per barrel early last week in the immediate aftermath of the Iran war, crude oil continued to climb, breaking through $80 and then $90 just before the weekend. The surge didn't stop there. As futures reopened on Sunday night, the WTI benchmark (CL1:COM) took out $100 and then $110, before easing back.
The latest: Many reports suggest the G7 is considering a coordinated release of crude reserves to help tame prices in the current environment. It'd be a big help given that the Gulf shipping remains at a standstill due to the risks of transport through the Strait of Hormuz. A lot has also been going on over the last 48 hours, which has added fresh war premiums and risks of a prolonged supply shock.
Mojtaba Khamenei was elected as the next Supreme Leader of Iran, and looks set to continue in the hardline ways of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Meanwhile, crude production has been reduced across the Gulf, in countries like Kuwait, the UAE, Iraq, and Bahrain, amid shipping troubles and relentless attacks. There are also worries about GDP and resurgent inflation, complicating the picture for the U.S. economy and the globe.
"Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!" President Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Market direction: "The S&P 500's next major move hinges on oil price direction amid geopolitical tensions and supply dynamics," Investing Group Leader James Foord outlined in a new Seeking Alpha article. "A spike to $120 oil could trigger a 5–10% S&P 500 correction via stagflation, higher yields, and margin compression. If oil collapses to $60 as war premiums fade, expect a relief rally and acceleration of the AI-driven bull market." Take the WSB survey.
Here's the latest Seeking Alpha analysis
5 Best Dividend Stocks To Combine Growth, Income, And Defense In 2026
Microsoft: Buy The Dip, Or Regret It Forever
Forget Iran, South Korea Is The Real Threat To Markets
The Conflict In Iran Is Hiding The Truth About S&P 500
Energy, Industrials And Materials: The First Innings Of A Big Market Rotation
What else is happening...
Trump won't sign any legislation until Senate passes voter ID bill.
Live Nation (LYV) nears DOJ settlement without Ticketmaster sale.
Anthropic fallout: OPENAI hardware chief quits; new AI rules drafted.
Alphabet (GOOGL) CEO's $692M pay deal includes Waymo incentives.
Tesla whale doubles Nvidia (NVDA) stake to 'calm nervous market.'
Palantir (PLTR) shares see best week since August amid Iran war.
SA Asks: With WBD deal called off, what's next for Netflix (NFLX)?
Activist Starboard builds stake in french-fry maker Lamb Weston (LW).
Novo (NVO), Hims & Hers (HIMS) eye partnership for obesity drugs.
MacKenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos' ex-wife, donated $7B over one year.
AI space race: These firms may be the first to test orbital data centers.
Today's Markets
In Asia, Japan -5.2%. Hong Kong -1.4%. China -0.7%. India -1.7%.
In Europe, at midday, London -1.4%. Paris -2.3%. Frankfurt -1.6%.
Futures at 7:00, Dow -1.3%. S&P -1.2%. Nasdaq -1.3%. Crude +13.8% to $103.47. Gold -1.3% to $5,089.50. Bitcoin -0.3% to $67,505.
Ten-year Treasury Yield +4 bps to 4.18%.