Last April, Allbirds, a U.S. shoe company, decided to cash in on the AI frenzy by changing its name to Newbird AI.
ECONOMIC UPDATE
As the Ukraine and Iran Wars ramp up, the world is on the precipice of World War III becoming “official.”
BIG STOCK SALES OVERWHELM INVESTORS, THREATEN THE BULL MARKET
In the last few weeks, equity markets have been swamped by deals of a size rarely seen.
COMPANIES SCRAMBLE TO COPE WITH WAR’S FALLOUT
For businesses, the Iran War’s twin legacies will be higher prices and lingering uncertainty.
IRAN ENGAGED IN FULL-SCALE WAR WITH U.S., PRESIDENT SAYS
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that Iran is engaged in a “full-scale” war with the U.S., which includes military strikes and economic punishment.
WASHINGTON IS PREPARING FOR A PROLONGED SUPPLY WAR/SCARCITIES/AND SHORTAGES…
Something fundamentally has changed. For decades, the assumptions made by the people was this… almost anything America required could be obtained through the global marketplace.
CHINA IS VIEWED MORE POSITIVELY THAN U.S. IN 25 OF 36 COUNTRIES, ACCORDING TO SURVEY
A newly released survey found that China is viewed more positively in 25 out of 36 countries, which is the first time in 20 years that Beijing is more popular than Washington in the majority of countries involved in the survey.
Global Economy
SPOTLIGHT: BIGS GETTING BIGGER
BlackRock, the world’s richest private equity firm, became even richer in the second quarter when it posted $192 billion in net second-quarter income, 31 percent ahead of the second quarter in 2025.
CHINA CLAMPS DOWN ON RARE EARTH EXPORTS
China, which dominates mining and production of the rare earth elements essential in high-tech manufacturing, tightened their exports to Japan in recent weeks after prime minister Sanae Takaichi commented on Japan’s response to an attack on Taiwan.
CHINA’S CAR EXPORTS TOP ONE MILLION FOR THE FIRST TIME
In June, China’s carmakers exported 1.06 million passenger vehicles, a 71.2-percent increase from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported.
U.S. Economy
MARKET OVERVIEW
A weakness in semiconductor stocks earlier in the week broadened later as investors once again became leery of risk in general after the Mideast war reignited, oil prices jumped, and worries about a future central bank interest rate increase flared.
AI ADDS $13 BILLION TO HOUSEHOLD POWER BILLS IN 13 STATES
On 14 July, grid operator PJM accepted bids from electricity generators for the prices they would charge to supply PJM with power during peak demand periods.
BENEATH THE SURFACE, TREASURY MARKET IS CRACKING
At first glance, the market for U.S. treasury securities seems healthy.
The Iran War
MORE LIES: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION INSISTS THAT IRANIANS ARE DESPERATE FOR A DEAL
The White House said last week that Iran “very much continues to talk” with U.S. negotiators and has expressed that they “want to make a deal” because of the “devastating blows” absorbed by the U.S. military.
WHAT CEASEFIRE? ISRAEL CONTINUES TO CARRY OUT STRIKES ON SOUTHERN LEBANON
The IDF did not slow its attacks on southern Lebanon over the weekend, and witnesses told news outlets that they heard explosions and saw the Israeli military cut down trees in the region, according to Anadolu.
TRUMP RE-IMPOSES NAVAL BLOCKADE OF ALL IRAN’S PORTS AS MOU CRUMBLES
The Trump administration announced last week that it would reimpose the naval blockade outside the Strait of Hormuz on all ships with connections to Iranian ports to choke Tehran economically and reimpose its will in the region.
The Israel War
ISRAEL ISSUES NEW EVICTION, DEMOLITION ORDERS ON HOMES NORTH OF EAST JERUSALEM
The IDF last week ordered the eviction of residents in a town north of East Jerusalem as Tel Aviv continued to extend its reach into the occupied territories.
GAZA/LEBANON DEATH TOLL
Israel killed at least 72,283 Palestinians and injured 173,864 since the genocidal war started in October 2023. The death toll includes the 1,168 Palestinians who were killed since the so-called ceasefire took effect on 10 October 2025.
TWO-STATE-SOLUTION DOA: ISRAEL SIGNS NEW $2.3B AGREEMENT TO EXPAND ILLEGAL SETTLEMENTS IN OCCUPIED WEST BANK
Israeli media reported last week that the government signed a new $2.3 billion framework deal to build 12,000 new housing units and suitable infrastructure in the occupied West Bank, as any hope for a two-state solution fades.