Public Markets 8 Hours

Last updated: June 7, 2026, 8:31 AM ET

Space & Tech NYU valuation expert Aswath Damodaran expressed skepticism about SpaceX's artificial intelligence unit, questioning whether the company's astronomical valuation can be justified by its AI prospects. Meanwhile, OpenAI is readying a major platform overhaul ahead of its anticipated IPO to better compete with rivals like Anthropic, while Walmart is telling workers that AI will improve their jobs rather than steal them, an approach that contrasts with growing anti-AI populism as political backlash against the technology mounts.

Geopolitics & International Relations A government tender in Argentina underscored tensions between Washington and Beijing as President Javier Milei's administration awarded a 25-year contract to upgrade a key trade artery, highlighting US-China rivalry in Latin America. Meanwhile, the US and Iran appear far from peace 100 days since war began, with fresh attacks piling pressure on a fragile ceasefire, while President Trump's claims that Iran made a "big" nuclear promise puzzled nuclear experts who note Tehran has made that pledge for more than 50 years.

Financial Markets Big-name investors like JPMorgan AM and Pictet are staking out a contrarian "one and done" stance before Thursday's European Central Bank meeting, while Partners Group co-founder Alfred Gantner blamed the firm's recent share-price decline on unfounded attacks by short-seller Grizzly Research. European stock traders prepare for rate hike impacts as the ECB begins tightening, while South Korea unveiled measures to curb pressure on the won after the currency slid to its weakest level since 2009.

Energy & Commodities Malaysia's national petroleum company Petronas seeks access to a major gas field in Turkmenistan, potentially securing new energy supplies as oil price spikes trigger concerns about "demand destruction" – the sustained loss of demand caused by high prices. British Airways chief Sean Doyle warned that air fares will rise again if fuel costs stay high, noting jet fuel prices have doubled since the Iran war began in February.

Deals & M&A Telecom companies agreed to buy Patrick Drahi's SFR for $23.5 billion in a deal that marks a major shift for the French-Israeli billionaire's business portfolio and will test regulators' openness to further industry consolidation. Meanwhile, midsized drug manufacturer Incyte is nearing a deal worth up to $2 billion for blood disorder biotech Star, as smaller pharmaceutical companies supplement pipelines and scale up to compete with Big Pharma.

Economy & Business US voters soured on Trump's handling