Public Markets 24 Hours

Last updated: July 18, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Middle East Tensions Escalate, Impacting Oil Markets

The conflict between the U.S. and Iran, with reports of strikes on infrastructure including bridges and water plants in Iran damaging infrastructure. Kuwait also on an oil facility and a power plant. In response to the escalating conflict, hedge funds on Brent oil at the fastest pace in nearly a decade, pushing oil prices to their highest level in a month as shipping in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. emergency oil reserve, underscoring the strategic importance of the reserve in blunting the impact of oil shocks.

AI Dominates Tech and Market Conversations

Artificial intelligence, with a surprise breakthrough from Chinese startup Moonshot AI on Friday. China’s Moonshot AI also that appears to narrow the gap with U.S. tech companies, adding fuel to Wall Street's chip selloff. Apple briefly as the world's most valuable company, with its shares escaping the AI sell-off that has hit chipmakers. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna, as the tech giant's place in the new cycle is in disarray. Big Tech firms like Oracle are turning to bonds to finance AI data centers, with Oracle's credit risk measure amid concerns about its cash burn and AI profitability.

Global Economic and Corporate Developments

Telecom Italia from state-controlled Poste Italiane, which would give the postal service full control of the telecoms group. In India, ICICI Bank Ltd. posted better-than-expected for its first quarter, benefiting from healthy loan growth. Hungary's $20 billion electric-vehicle industry is facing a reckoning as the new leadership cracks down on environmental regulations. China's solar cell exports fell for a second month in June, indicating weakening overseas demand. Shenzhen Inovance Technology Co. Ltd. is considering acquisitions in Europe to compete with industrial incumbents like Siemens AG.

US Markets and Political Landscape

The WSJ Dollar Index fell 0.11% for the week. In the U.S., President Trump over wildfire smoke affecting American cities. Discussions are ongoing between SpaceX and the Pentagon regarding a data-center deal. The bond markets' patience regarding the potential market reckoning over Trump's impact. Meanwhile, traders are increasingly weeks after its IPO, with shares slipping below their listing price.

Regulatory and Legal Scrutiny

The UK regulator's new short-selling disclosure rules were marred by data errors, raising questions about the quality of the Financial Conduct Authority's information. Big Law firms with Trump over capitulation deals, as the Department of Justice demands depositions over agreements reached over a year ago. The London IPO market is performing better than it appears, on track for its best year for new listings since 2021.

Consumer and Retail Trends

Costco's gas pumps that the retailer is building stand-alone stations. Lego is with new Smart Play sets featuring motion sensors, lights, and sound. The rise of delivery apps is for large pizza chains, as services like Door Dash and Uber Eats level the playing field. Taylor Farms has to 27 states amid a cyclospora outbreak.