Morning Edition · Monday, August 3, 2026
Markets
Trump Halts Iran Strike and Sets Monday Talks on Hormuz, and Oil Falls Nearly 5%
Brent crude fell to about $83.85 a barrel as OPEC and its partners finished reversing one set of voluntary output cuts, adding supply as the war risk premium eased.
Macro
Warsh Holds Rates, and the 30-Year Treasury Yield Climbs Above 5.2%
Prices on long-dated bonds fell even as the Federal Reserve held rates steady, a sign investors doubt the new chair can contain inflation without tighter policy later.
Macro
Japan and the United States Intervene Jointly to Support the Yen for the First Time Since 2011
The coordinated dollar selling followed a sharp fall in the yen against the dollar, driven by the gap between Japanese and US interest rates.
Macro
US Senate Reaches Stopgap Funding Deal as Bond Markets Tolerate Rising Deficits
Senators unveiled a bill to fund the government through December 11, avoiding a third shutdown in under a year even as the deficit itself goes uncorrected.
Geopolitics
Ukraine and Russia Widen Strikes, Killing at Least 14 as Attacks Reach Russian Logistics
Russian forces struck Ukrainian transport infrastructure overnight while Ukrainian drones hit a warehouse complex in Russia's Vladimir region, setting off a fire.
Tech
US Business Groups Warn a Ban on Chinese AI Models Could Cost $12 Billion a Year
As American firms adopt cheaper Chinese open-weight systems, a proposed US ban runs counter to Europe's effort to avoid depending on either technology sphere.
World
Lula Launches Reelection Bid in Brazil Amid Foreign-Interference Concerns
At 80, the incumbent faces Flávio Bolsonaro in a rematch of Brazil's polarized left-right divide, with external influence on the vote a stated worry.
World
Cuba Suffers Another Nationwide Blackout as US Fuel Restrictions Bite
The island's aging grid collapsed after a weekend of outages, the latest failure in an energy crisis deepened by the cutoff of Venezuelan oil.
Crypto
Wall Street Moves to Put Markets on the Blockchain
Financial firms are adopting the technology to modernize trading and settlement, even as regulators and analysts warn the shift concentrates new systemic risks.
World
Anwar's Coalition Loses Control of Another Malaysian State
The defeat to the once-dominant Barisan Nasional bloc raises fresh questions about the prime minister's standing before the next general election.
World
Hungary Halts Its Only Nuclear Plant as Heat and Drought Shrink the Danube
Prime Minister Peter Magyar said the country faces a critical five days after its only nuclear station was shut down.
Markets
A Smuggling Bust Freezes Vietnam's Diamond Trade and Shakes Buyer Trust
Investigators allege more than 30,000 stones worth about $57 million entered the country illegally, leaving customers unsure their gems are genuine.