Morning Edition · Friday, June 26, 2026
Markets
Tech and AI Selloff Deepens as a Stronger Dollar Pressures Gold, Silver and Bitcoin
South Korea's market fell again after an automatic trading halt on Tuesday, and precious metals and bitcoin fell as investors priced in a firmer dollar and the prospect of Federal Reserve rate increases.
Markets
Volkswagen Weighs Up to 100,000 Job Cuts and Plant Closures in Deepest Overhaul of Its History
Europe's largest carmaker is reported to be planning to close four plants and reduce investment as Chinese competition and the shift to electric vehicles reduce profitability.
Markets
Oil Stays Volatile After Tanker Is Struck Near the Strait of Hormuz
Brent crude moved sharply in both directions as a vessel reported being hit by an unidentified projectile, even as shipping through the waterway continued to recover.
World
Venezuela's Earthquake Toll Reaches 235 as Rescuers Search Collapsed Buildings
Two powerful tremors exposed how decades of underinvestment left Caracas vulnerable, and geologists warned the toll could rise much higher.
Geopolitics
Ukraine Launches One of Its Largest Drone Attacks as Zelensky Pressures Belarus
Russia said it intercepted 660 drones across twelve regions and Crimea, while Kyiv reported renewed strikes on a Russian chemical plant and accused Minsk of aiding the war.
Geopolitics
US and Allies Stage Multi-Front Military Drills Around China
Japanese paratroopers exercised in the northern Philippines and regional navies gathered for the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) naval exercise in Hawaii, signs of an accelerating Indo-Pacific buildup.
Markets
Gazprom Deepens Gas Talks With China as Russia Promotes Non-Western Integration
Russia's state gas company said it is discussing new supply opportunities with Beijing, while Putin praised Russia's union with Belarus as a model, underlining a shift away from Western markets.
Crypto
Ether Treasury Firm Resumes Buying as Crypto Falls With Risk Assets
SharpLink received ether for the first time in eight months even as bitcoin fell toward 59,000 dollars, showing how corporate crypto treasuries concentrate exposure to the market cycle.
Macro
Indonesia Injects 400 Trillion Rupiah Into State Banks to Support Growth
Jakarta's capital injection, worth about 22 billion dollars, and its decision to delay a planned bond sale in China underscore a wider emerging-market push to stimulate credit.
Macro
A Decade of Cheap Credit Drives a Western Housing Affordability Crisis
Rents and prices rising faster than wages have provoked a global debate over whether housing is a basic right or an investment asset, with political consequences increasing.
Markets
China Sets Target for Half of Its Power From Non-Fossil Sources by 2030
Beijing's goal points to a structural limit on its long-term fossil-fuel demand growth, with implications for global oil and coal markets.
World
Japan's Parliament Deadlocks as Wage and Reform Fights Sharpen
Opposition parties refused to take part in deliberations over electoral and capital-relocation bills, while the government weighed delaying a minimum-wage target, signs of fiscal and political uncertainty.