Morning Edition · Sunday, October 18, 2026
Markets
Trump suspends Russia oil tariffs for 60 days as Brent crude nears $110
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the waiver a pause to study the economic cost, a week after the White House eased sanctions in exchange for Russian diesel.
Geopolitics
Tankers hit near Hormuz as Trump rejects Iran's terms for reopening the strait
Tehran wants the US naval blockade lifted, oil export curbs eased and frozen assets released in exchange for a seven-day reopening. Riyadh's main airport has been shut since a deadly Houthi attack on October 10.
Macro
US interest bill tops $1 trillion as hotter inflation revives Federal Reserve hike bets
Net interest rose more than 8% in fiscal 2026 to $1.05 trillion, and after September consumer prices rose 3.7% from a year earlier, traders nearly doubled their odds of an October rate increase.
Tech
Credit markets turn against AI builders as CoreWeave bond yields approach 15%
The Nasdaq Composite fell 2.1% on Friday to 26,140.03, extending a sharp weekly decline, as the cost of insuring debt of AI-linked companies against default rose sharply.
Geopolitics
Ukrainian drones set fire to a St. Petersburg oil terminal as Russian strikes halt a car-parts plant in Lutsk
The governor of the Leningrad region said air defenses shot down 126 drones. Ukrainian media say a factory that makes wiring for BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz stopped work after an October 16 attack.
World
France arrests 1,200 as cost-of-living protests turn to looting and arson
About 550,000 people marched against rising prices and poor school conditions, and rioters burned Limoges' 143-year-old town hall, while Paris pushes a 2027 budget meant to cut the deficit to 5% of output.
World
Flávio Bolsonaro leads Lula 51% to 49% in Datafolha poll a week before Brazil's runoff
The October 25 contest is a statistical tie. Meta admitted that "technical failures" hit Lula's campaign, and a university study warned that cuts to social benefits would hurt towns in Brazil's interior.
Crypto
Circle defends its USDC revenue split as Coinbase backs a rival that pays partners more
Open USD passes reserve income to its partners after a management fee. Bitcoin traded near $81,500 on Saturday, and gold held above $4,160 an ounce.
Macro
India delays its UPI merchant fee as cash use rebounds ahead of Jio's share sale
The National Payments Corporation of India postponed a 0.4% charge on some payments above Rs 2,000 until after Diwali, and Jio Platforms opens its initial public offering on October 21.
Macro
Caputo says Argentina has a dollar surplus as unemployment claims rise nearly 30%
Retail prices rose 1.9% in September and wholesale prices 3.2%, and analysts warn that Brent crude near $110 will force further fuel price increases.
Geopolitics
Takaichi makes her trip to the APEC summit in China depend on parliament as Tokyo weighs tax rises for defense
A senior aide to the prime minister visited Yasukuni Shrine, and the International Monetary Fund welcomed a temporary tax cut that Japan will finance alongside a larger military budget.
Geopolitics
Every candidate to lead the United Nations drew a permanent-member veto in the latest Security Council poll
Former Senegalese President Macky Sall withdrew the next day, leaving the council without a consensus choice for a term that starts January 1.