Last updated: September 15, 2026, 6:13 AM ET
Global Bonds and Rates
The global bond selloff intensified as the 10-year Treasury yield hit 5.03%, its highest since 2007, with investors continuing to dump government debt on expectations of a Fed rate increase. The benchmark yield rose to the highest in almost two decades, the latest milestone in a bruising selloff driven by surging energy prices, mounting debt and inflation. The 10-year note touched a level recorded only once since the global financial crisis, as investors rebuffed the Trump administration's efforts to sway the bond market. The yield surpassed 5% for the first time since 2023 on Monday, as mounting inflation angst collided with swelling government and corporate borrowing needs. The 10-year yield moved toward levels not seen in decades as the inflation shock from the Iran war lingered. Yields cooled after topping 5% on Monday, while the German Bund yield hit a 15-year high. Wall Street is confronting a new era, weighing whether the 10-year note's yield will decisively break through the threshold. The bond market rebuked Treasury Secretary Bessent after he dared "Bloomberg terminal bros" to bet against him. UK gilts joined the global selloff, while Japanese government bonds fell on a defense spending report indicating a new mid-term target equivalent to 3.5% of GDP. Indian bonds declined after the central bank said it would sell sovereign notes to drain cash from lenders. The yield premium on Indian bonds over Treasuries hit a 22-year low as August inflation data reduced the scope for the RBI to remain on hold. Citadel Securities said European bond yields could ultimately be capped by weakening regional growth. Hedge funds have filled the void left by pension funds pulling back from Treasurys, and the New York Fed is asking about the potential risks. The Fed said it extended its pause on reserve management purchases to mid-October.
Equities and the AI Slowdown Debate
US stocks fell sharply after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for a slowdown in artificial-intelligence development and another increase in oil futures triggered interest-rate worries. Stocks dropped broadly as elevated oil prices added to pressure on Treasuries, pushing the 10-year yield to levels last seen 19 years ago. Tech stocks tumbled across Asia, Europe and the United States after tech leaders expressed worries about the safety of "frontier" A.I. technology. US tech stocks fell as memory-chip makers and Nvidia slid on Wall Street, combining warnings with rising oil prices and higher borrowing costs. The AI scare threatens fund flows that had been beating the rest of the market 13-to-1. Investors were already fretting about a bubble in AI-inflated stocks. The slowdown debate has rattled markets and drawn pushback in Washington and Beijing. President Trump rejected calls to regulate the industry, even as some leaders speak more openly about the risks. Trump dismissed AI safety concerns during an onstage call to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in Los Angeles. The president pushed back on the need for more AI regulations. He rejected talk of an AI slowdown, calling risks a "hoax." Trump also pushed back on AI industry pleas as 10-year yields faded after touching 5%. Steve Bannon and Bernie Sanders united over AI safety to demand stronger regulation. AI leaders are calling for a slowdown while Wall Street keeps buying. The AI selloff is a different kind, with discourse around risks merging and mutating. Stocks face midterm pressure as an AI slowdown looms. MRA strategist warned the S&P 500 could drop 10% on Fed hikes starting this week. Bof A and Tallbacken lifted S&P 500 views while differing on rate risks. Jacob Coxon, who quit Anthropic, is changing everything with his viral warning. Dario Amodei's essay was gutsy but did not go far enough. The slowdown would reduce the enormous cash lavished on training new models. It is time for a pause on cutting-edge AI as advanced models escape human control. AI companies must relinquish some power, the founders of OpenAI, Anthropic, Grok and Deep Mind have warned. Experts urged focusing on the humans in charge rather than doomsday scenarios. A.I. queries from abroad raise fears of a biological weapons race. China's top spy chief warned A.I. is a threat to party rule. The administration is moving to integrate A.I. into medical care despite safety concerns. Oprah Winfrey will host a live show at the Las Vegas Sphere in April.
Oil and Energy Markets
Brent crude rose to $107.59 but remained below Monday's intraday high as the shutdown of Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline and Houthi territorial gains kept supply concerns elevated. Oil rose for a second day as traders weighed Middle East disruptions with a critical Saudi pipeline still offline. Oil futures settled higher as the pipeline outage and Houthi advances in Yemen kept supply concerns intact. Oil gained as market stabilizers weakened, with China's crude imports edging higher. Oil hit $109 after Saudi Arabia closed a vital export pipeline and Riyadh pulled out of regional talks over the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices jumped as attacks choked off Saudi energy supply. The Saudi relief valve is being closed, with the Houthis' Red Sea blockage largely an oil shock. Saudi Arabia is seeking to boost exports through the Strait of Hormuz after attacks halted a key pipeline. China's benchmark crude oil futures rallied to the highest level on record. The cost of hiring an oil tanker on the benchmark route topped $1 million a day for the first time. Oil executives warned the great fuel crisis is here, with Chevron's Mike Wirth saying global supplies are running low. Diesel prices surged to a record as supply disruptions mounted. Trump blamed Ukraine for the global diesel shortage, while analysts pointed to the Iran war. Two wars are driving diesel prices up, with the Iran conflict probably the bigger factor. Daimler Truck said customers are absorbing high diesel prices for now. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met a U.S. commander after Houthi attacks threatened oil markets. Saudi Arabia faces a worst-case scenario after Iran's attacks and Trump's rebuffs. A spreading war threatens Trump and MBS as energy supplies are hit before winter. US natural gas futures gained ground as summer heat lingered. Trump claimed Russia and Ukraine agreed an energy truce, catching Kyiv off guard. Syrians took to the streets over sharp government increases to diesel and petrol prices.
Metals and Commodities
Copper held near $14,000 a ton after fresh deliveries to exchange-tracked warehouses signaled an easing of a supply squeeze. Gold stayed under pressure below $4,300 an ounce after oil prices and inflation fears drove another rise in bond yields. Gold traded near $4,300 as higher oil stoked rate-hike bets. Russia's MMC Norilsk Nickel is talking with a new Chinese partner about a copper processing deal that would let it shut a polluting Arctic plant. Nickel Industries halted a plant ramp-up in Indonesia due to water shortages linked to an El-Niño drought. The Pentagon will take a near-20% stake in a US tungsten producer for $450 million to counter China. Europe risks losing gallium supply as Metlen warned European buyers favor cheaper Chinese metal.
Deals, IPOs and Private Markets
Aon raised $13.5 billion from a high-grade bond offering to help fund its acquisition of USI Insurance Services. Sysco is seeking $1 billion in a share sale to partially fund its $29.1 billion acquisition of Jetro Restaurant Depot. A consortium led by Michael Dell's DFO Management is taking Baldwin Group private for an enterprise value of $7.7 billion. Dell's DFO Management and Sequence clinched the acquisition of the insurance broker. Private equity's new AI overlords saw Michael Dell's family office best PE giants. Apollo-owned Michaels used $101 million of tariff refunds to cut its leverage. Puig agreed to buy the 50% of Isdin it did not own for €1.2 billion, sending shares lower. Authentic Brands targets the creator economy and could pursue an IPO as early as the first half of next year. Alpinestars, the Italian racing-gear maker, is attracting takeover interest from Asian private equity firms. European exchanges must raise a further $5 billion from IPOs to surpass last year's haul. SB Energy, backed by SoftBank, is aiming to raise $500 million in the Japanese portion of its planned US IPO. Kioxia is considering raising $10 billion by listing American depositary receipts. Bamboo Insurance is seeking up to $700 million in a US IPO. The landmark NSE listing threatens to hollow out India's shadow market for unlisted shares. Dangote Petroleum Refinery's $1.6 billion IPO could draw millions of Nigerians to the stock market. Tata Group companies rallied after the RBI renewed its IPO push for Tata Sons. Gulf bankers who chased IPO deals are looking elsewhere amid a regional slump. Churchill Downs is seeking $500 million to refinance existing debt. Latam Airlines secured about $505 million in financing for 11 new aircraft. Sagen MI Canada plans to raise around C$300 million through a bond sale. The Getty plans to issue $270 million in tax-exempt bonds to refinance debt. Junk-rated borrowers lining up around €3.7 billion in refinancing are accepting higher rates, betting costs will rise further. The US private credit default rate hit a record 6.3% in August, according to Fitch. Asian high-yield debt has emerged as a global winner as cheaper money in China burnishes issuer finances. A hidden risk in private credit involves dividend recap risk. The AI data center boom is reshaping the CMBS market. Bond veteran Harley Bassman escalated a clash with a $14 billion ETF issuer.
Central Banks and Economy
The Bank of Japan is weighing another rate increase on Friday as a divide over how Japan should confront inflation widens. India's inflation accelerated in August, narrowing the scope for policymakers to remain on hold. President Prabowo Subianto's economic team overhaul is seen by investors as a return to more stable policymaking. S&P warned of rising credit and earnings risks at Indonesia's state-owned banks after government-driven lending pushed loan growth to more than twice the industry pace. The IMF is preparing a debt analysis for Senegal under its current framework for low-income countries. UK fiscal realities are closing in on Downing Street. Canada's Mark Carney is courting global investors at a Toronto summit to reduce reliance on the US. TD Bank pledged more than $108 billion over five years for Canadian infrastructure. The Help to Buy scheme was "very high value for money," an official review found. India's SEBI auction revamp may benefit bourses and brokers. US manufacturers were hit by fresh cost inflation as Trump's war in Iran and tariffs pushed up input prices. Foreign investors now favor US stocks over Treasuries for the first time this century outside crises. The Thai baht's recent decline is set to bolster exports and tourism. The Singapore dollar weakened as rising US Treasury yields improved the appeal of dollar assets. South Korea plans to cut new transmission towers by as much as 40%. Volatility surged in the first after-hours session on Korea's main exchange. The Nikkei fell 0.2%, dragged by chip-related stocks and trading houses. China's AI listings glut dragged Hong Kong stocks lower. Hong Kong's five-year plan will likely target yuan expansion. A South Korean hedge fund is urging Samsung to buy back and cancel preferred shares. Euronext and Deutsche Boerse shares rose on merger hopes after CEO Stephane Boujnah's comments. Moody's agreed to buy a minority stake in Philippine Rating Services Corp.
Corporate and Regulatory News
AXA set new growth targets, saying earnings should keep growing as it seeks market share. Next Era reaffirmed 2026 guidance at the top end of its range as its $67 billion Dominion merger progresses. Next Era and Dominion offered Virginia more aid to ease deal fears. Dave & Buster's swung to a loss of $12.5 million as entertainment sales kept falling. Ferretti's asset math was queried by Italy's watchdog after the yachtmaker cut its outlook. Crispin Odey lost his appeal against an industry ban, though his fine was reduced to £1.5 million. Odey also lost his bid to overturn a lifetime ban on managing money. Revolut handed nearly 700 customers' data to scammers posing as government officials. Luxembourg is probing Gazprombank ex-managers after an FT investigation into a sanctions-busting scheme. The US sanctioned Russia's VTB Bank over Iran ties under Operation Economic Outcast. Treasury added sanctions on VTB to pressure foreign banks to cut ties. France mounted an astonishing push to lift EU sanctions on a Russian oligarch. The UK government is set to take over insolvent steelmaker Speciality Steel UK. Germany told Andrea Orcel to keep Commerzbank's Frankfurt HQ after a takeover. JLR is targeting Nato military budgets with a revamped Defender. An Oxford spin-off is building low-cost jet engines for drones. Italy's Exein raised $270 million to fight AI hackers with AI. OpenAI bought Glass Imaging, a smartphone-camera startup valued above $300 million. Amazon suspended flights with 21 Air after a Boeing 767 cargo plane crashed in Miami. Amazon, Netflix and YouTube formed a coalition to advocate for consumer choice in online content. A rig collapsed at Citadel's Miami site, injuring four. Mixue built the world's biggest fast-food chain with 45-cent soft-serve cones. The NFL's Sunday Ticket is getting smaller without getting cheaper. The NFL's shrinkflation era leaves YouTube paying more for less. Driscoll's gave China its blueberries, then China swiped the secret to growing them. Brazilian beef gained US market share amid Trump tariff cuts. A company linked to Traxion's executive president plans a tender offer for up to 100% of the logistics company's shares. A trial breakthrough produced a weight-loss drug with fewer side effects. A brain implant helped a paralyzed patient speak even when she imagined words.
Climate, Energy Transition and Policy
The EPA will roll back power-plant emission rules, unwinding Biden-era policies on coal and new gas plants. Trump is set to scrap Biden-era climate protections on power plant pollution. Zach Dell's Base Power hit a $13 billion valuation building a battery fleet to solve America's AI power crunch. Tidal power struggles to scale up despite its predictability. Clean ammonia and methanol are key to greener shipping. Geothermal developers are borrowing oil and gas techniques to tap previously inaccessible heat. Money is flowing into space start-ups, with Open Cosmos raising about $346 million. The US military revealed it has weapons in space, prompting proliferation warnings. Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink's comments were the first public acknowledgment of American weapons in orbit.
Politics and Policy
The Supreme Court blocked the Trump administration's plan to screen mail-in ballots weeks before the midterms. Another judge blocked the mail ballot plan as the Supreme Court weighs it. Trump's effort to assert control over elections continues despite the Supreme Court loss. A judge blocked a Trump rule limiting international student and journalist stays. States and cities sued over a policy restricting green cards for people using public benefits. A whistle-blower said federal agents may have broken state laws searching for voter fraud. Immigrants' lawyers said the US is redacting documents proving legal status. Senator Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate after a three-month absence. Gavin Newsom said he won't run in 2028 if Kamala Harris does. Alaska's Dan Sullivan walks a tricky line on tariffs as he seeks re-election. A Russian businessman with Putin ties paid for Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding party. Key West is feeling the pain of Trump's decision on Haitians. A DHS watchdog report detailed small cages at "Alligator Alcatraz." A New York Democratic House candidate admitted to a bondage photo shoot. CFDA chief Steve Kolb was placed on leave after a PETA protester confrontation. China tightened control of overseas travel in a sweeping new law.
Media, Culture and Society
The 2026 Emmys saw "Widow's Bay" dominate with 14 wins, including best comedy. A full winners list captured the 78th Emmy Awards. Three writers assessed the Emmys, asking whether peak TV has passed. Readers joined a red carpet discussion on the night's styles. Red carpet photos showed the looks at the 78th Emmy Awards. Designer Bob Mackie, who dressed every spangly woman in show business, died at. A life in pictures recalled his flashy designs for Cher and Diana Ross. Mackie, Cher and the ultimate revenge dress made waves at the 1986 Oscars. Jimmy Fallon mocked Trump's AI comments, saying he doubts Trump can beat Wordle. Hong Kong launched a dog-friendly dining scheme with 1,000 permits. Danny Meyer revisits business blunders in a new memoir. Taryn Simon's Guggenheim exhibition tells the story of America through one FBI agent. A teen autopsy marked the arrival of cychlorphine in San Francisco. Influencers are pushing shock content for views. Self-employed workers find rewards and challenges building their own businesses. The Times explained how it covers "60 Minutes" and other journalists. Hyrox's new owners hope to turn burpees into billions. Mahmoud Khalil sued Columbia, saying it failed to protect pro-Palestinian students. The EEOC found Cisco likely allowed harassment of pro-Palestinian workers. A Thai beer heir accused his brother of sexual abuse, prompting a reckoning.
Opinion and Analysis
WSJ opinion argued the current expected credit losses model burdens small banks. Another opinion piece said the Treasury's bond strategy hurts taxpayers. WSJ opined that AI's boom and doom may both be self-dealing but not wrong. The NYT asked why American elites submitted to Trump. Europe's immigration obsession was examined as a prism for the continent's ills. The great British and American fork in the road was explored. Liechtenstein's Prince Michael warned EU disclosure rules have gone too far. The FT asked how much lenders should charge hyperscalers. FT opinion said AI companies must relinquish some power. Silicon Valley's call for a slowdown amid rogue-behavior fears was detailed. The AI warnings and the rise of a deadly new street drug were covered together.