Public Markets 3 Hours

Last updated: June 30, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

Public Markets Briefing

Equities & ETFs

U.S. stocks advanced Tuesday, with major indexes tracking their best quarterly performance since 2020, as investors parsed the latest economic data. Retail investors are buying dips at a record pace this year, according to Citadel Securities. The Securities and Exchange Commission is signaling a rethink of its oversight of exchange-traded funds, prompted by a recent surge in filings for prediction-market ETFs. Microsoft's Irish operations have proven to be a profit powerhouse, with country-by-country reporting requirements forcing greater tax disclosures.

Energy & Commodities

U.S. natural gas futures picked up steam amid the hottest summer weather so far, while Russia has boosted crude oil exports to record levels despite a concurrent drop in earnings to the lowest since March. BP's deputy chief executive, Carol Howle, who also heads trading, plans to retire later this year, adding to recent management shifts at the energy major. Oman is reportedly proposing a plan to collect fees from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, in conjunction with Iran, following a hypothetical U.S.-Iran conflict according to officials.

Fixed Income & Currencies

The Brazilian real is heading for its worst month this year, becoming "collateral damage" as a resurgent dollar and shifting interest-rate expectations prompt investors to unwind favored carry trades. Venezuelan bonds are tumbling sharply as investors price in a bleaker financial outlook, exacerbated by two recent earthquakes that compound challenges from a debt restructuring. Meanwhile, South Africa's Constitutional Court has dismissed Credit Suisse from a lawsuit alleging manipulation of the rand-dollar exchange rate for six years.

Global Markets & Regulation

The UK government is "minded to intervene" in Paramount's proposed $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, citing concerns over media ownership according to the culture secretary. In aviation, the FAA is moving toward mandating technology that would assist pilots in detecting nearby aircraft, following a fatal crash in Washington D.C. as regulators prepare mandates. Mongolia's Oyu Tolgoi copper mine project, the nation's largest, has seen new financial terms agreed upon for its estimated $18bn scope.

Policy & Legal

The Supreme Court has lifted spending limits on political parties and candidates, a decision stemming from a challenge brought by Republicans seeking to remove restrictions on coordinated campaign spending. In a significant development for medical research, the NIH has announced the world's largest integrated health, containing genomes, clinical records, and wearable tech data for over half a million individuals. Federal student loan limits for certain graduate students, including nursing students, have effectively doubled to $50,000 annually due to a legal challenge to a new law as borrowing limits rise.