Public Markets 3h Briefing
×Last updated: July 23, 2026, 11:30 AM ET
Oil Prices Surge, Sparking Inflation and Rate Hike Bets
Brent crude futures ft.com a barrel, marking the first time since May, as bloomberg.com and Russia warned of unsafe conditions in its Black Sea waters. The escalation of the war drove haven flows into the dollar, while bloomberg.com to 2026 highs on bets the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates. Despite the immediate price jump, some traders are betting on, anticipating efforts to ease tensions with Iran. The impact of the oil price surge is ft.com and prompting central banks to reassess rate expectations, with the ECB ft.com at 2.25% despite renewed oil price increases.
Corporate Earnings Mixed Amid Geopolitical and Economic Crosswinds
Materials science company Dow Inc. swung to a profit wsj.com of $802 million, or 99 cents a share, in its latest quarter, benefiting from higher prices that shielded its supply chain from rising costs and. However, Tesla Inc. saw its shares tumble 11% ft.com after reporting lower profits, despite a rebound in car sales, due to price cuts and increased capital expenditures as the company accelerates its pivot to AI and robots. Tractor Supply Co. cut its outlook wsj.com for the year, now expecting sales to rise 2.5% to 3.5%, down from a previous forecast of 4% to 6%. Meanwhile, Union Pacific logged wsj.com driven by volume growth, and Norfolk Southern also posted increased revenue as demand trends improved.
Retail Sales and Telecoms Show Resilience, While Government Dealings Face Scrutiny
Canada's retail sales rose 1.0% wsj.com in May, marking the fifth consecutive month of increases, reaching C$73.71 billion. T-Mobile US reported wsj.com in its latest quarter, although postpaid account growth has slowed. In other news, the Trump administration's dealings in companies, including taking equity stakes, are ft.com, indicating a need for clearer rules. The US-Saudi Arabia nuclear pact ft.com by President Trump, who stated its continuation depends on relations with Israel.
AI and Global Influence: China's Strategy and Investor Interest
China is actively nytimes.com through its open, low-cost artificial intelligence software. Concurrently, investors are becoming more selective wsj.com with their artificial intelligence investments, even as oil prices climb back toward $100 a barrel.