Former special counsel Jack Smith fielded insults from Republicans and questions about his prosecutorial decisions as he sat before lawmakers on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) has been a leading voice in scrutinizing Smith’s twin probes into President Trump, obtaining and releasing reams of documents about the investigations while criticizing his decision to subpoena some lawmakers’ call logs.
Smith defended his work, saying Trump faced criminal charges related to the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case and the case tied to the president’s role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol as a result of his own illegal conduct. He added that he would have brought charges against any president who committed such crimes.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), meanwhile, accused the GOP of “gaslighting” the American public about how damaging the Jan. 6 attack was to democracy.
But Smith largely served as a punching bag for the committee’s Republicans.

#president #lawmakers #documents #case

By Jana Choukeir and Doina Chiacu
DUBAI/WASHINGTON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Iran and the United States exchanged new threats on Sunday, with President Donald Trump warning Iran would fail economically or face its leadership being wiped out if it didn't make a deal, and the Iranian ‌military saying it would retaliate harshly to any fresh attack.
The conflict has looked stalemated for months, with no sign either side was ready ‌for concessions even as it has deepened a global energy crisis, cratered swathes of Iran's economy and spilled over into new regional escalations.
In a phone call with a Fox News reporter, Trump said Iran's leaders should make a deal, rot economically or be wiped out, the reporter said.
However, with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian expected in New York this week for the United Nations General ***** embly, Trump said he would be open to meeting him, the Fox reporter added.

#reporter #Iran #make

Americans have paid about $97 billion more for fuel since the Iran war started in late February, roughly $740 extra per household, according to CNN. President Trump says prices will come down after the midterms. The CEO of Chevron just said publicly he does not see how that happens quickly.
Mike Wirth, Chevron's chairman and chief executive, spoke at a University of Texas at Austin energy conference on September 11. He told the audience that the mechanisms that helped absorb the oil supply shock earlier in the conflict have largely been used up, and that prices are more likely to rise than fall over the next few months.
When the U.S.-Iran conflict began, the oil market had several ways to handle the disruption. Countries could release crude from strategic reserves. Commercial inventories could be drawn down. The U.S. eased restrictions on sanctioned crude stored on vessels at sea. Those measures helped limit the initial price spike.
"Those have largely now played out," Wirth said. The energy system no longer has the buffers it had when the war began.
The loss of flexibility became more acute after attacks knocked out a major Saudi crude pipeline that had been bypassing the Strait of Hormuz. That single disruption put an estimated 2.5 million barrels of oil per day in limbo, tightening a market that was already running short on supply.

#crude #prices #energy #conflict

Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) has been on a strong rally this year, posting gains of over 110% since the beginning of 2026. The outperformance has been driven by an unusually sharp surge in global refining margins amid the war in the Middle East, which has significantly tightened the world's refining capacity and reduced supplies of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
Given Phillips 66's substantial outperformance compared to the wider market, investors may be questioning whether the stock's record-setting run has reached its peak. However, the ****** ysts over at BMO Capital see further upside ahead. On September 17, the firm raised its price target on PSX from $260 to $310, while maintaining an 'Outperform' rating on the shares. The target boost implies an upside of 13% from the current levels and even exceeds the stock's all-time high of over $274 achieved earlier this month.
BMO Capital highlighted Phillips 66's integrated business model, noting that it has gained momentum and outperformed its individual segments, supported by strong execution across the portfolio. While Refining and Renewables remain the cyclical leaders, BMO also sees a favorable medium-term growth outlook for the company's Midstream business.
BMO Capital's vote of confidence comes amid a broader optimism surrounding Phillips 66, with ****** ysts from Morgan Stanley, Raymon James, UBS, and several others also improving their respective outlooks on PSX. This suggests that Wall Street expects the ongoing refining upcycle to last longer than previously expected, particularly following the renewed escalations between Iran and the United States.
The supply disruptions now extend beyond the troubled region, as a recent wave of Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries has further reduced global refining capacity and provided further support to margins.

#further #margins #amid

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) has substantially outperformed the wider market this year, supported by an unusually sharp surge in global refining margins as the prolonged Iran crisis has significantly tightened global refining capacity and reduced supplies of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
With Marathon up by over 150% since the beginning of 2026, there are now concerns that the stock may have topped out. However, the ****** ysts over at Morgan Stanley are convinced that the rally still has further room to run. On September 14, Morgan Stanley ****** yst Joe Laetsch significantly raised the firm's price target on MPC from $265 to $453, while reaffirming an 'Overweight' rating on the shares.
The target boost reflects an upside of over 9% from the current price level and even exceeds the stock's record high of just under $411 per share achieved earlier this month. The Morgan Stanley update comes amid broader Wall Street optimism surrounding the American refining giant, with ****** ysts from Raymon James, UBS, and several others also improving their respective outlooks on MPC.
Morgan Stanley's vote of confidence suggests that Wall Street expects the ongoing refining upcycle to last longer than previously expected, especially given the fresh wave of attacks between Washington and Tehran. Even if the conflict in the Middle East subsides, the region's refined fuel output is expected to remain relatively tight, since the damaged or idled refineries in the Middle East are likely to take some time to return to full operations.
As the largest refiner by volume in the United States, Marathon has significant operating leverage to capitalize on the current high-margin environment. The company already demonstrated its ability to translate the high crack spreads into material earnings when it delivered an almost fourfold increase in profits in the second quarter.

#morgan #marathon #stanley #middle

Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) has been on a strong rally, posting gains of over 140% since the beginning of 2026. The strong performance is fuelled by an unusually sharp surge in global refining margins as the ongoing disruptions have significantly reduced the world's refining capacity and tightened supplies of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
While there are now investor concerns that the stock may have topped out, Wall Street sees further upside ahead. On September 14, Morgan Stanley ******* yst Joe Laetsch significantly boosted the firm's price target on VLO from $255 to $411, while maintaining an 'Equal Weight' rating on the shares. The revised target implies an upside of almost 4% from the current levels and even exceeds the stock's all-time high of just under $400 per share.
The higher price objective is supported by the possibility that Valero can translate the favorable refining environment into material earnings and cash flows. The company did exactly that in the second quarter, when it posted its highest-ever Q2 profit and topped Wall Street expectations.
It seems like the high-margin environment is here to stay following a fresh wave of attacks between the US and Iran. Even if the attacks stop and a potential peace agreement is achieved, the damaged or idled refineries in the Middle East are likely to take some time to return to full operations, keeping refined-fuel markets relatively tight. Notably, the supply disruptions also extend beyond the troubled region, as a recent series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries has further constrained global refining capacity.
Valero's FCC Unit optimization project at its St. Charles Refinery will allow it to capitalize even further on the high-priced environment. Expected to be completed in the third quarter, the $230 million initiative will help enhance the facility's ability to produce high-value products.

#even #environment #wall #strong

Ukrainian forces fired more than 1,000 drones at Russia overnight, including hundreds that were launched toward Moscow, officials said Sunday as the Kremlin was wrapping up the third and last day of its parliamentary elections.
Moscow's mayor described the wave of drones as the "largest ever" attack on the Russian capital and said there had been damage to a Moscow oil refinery and a residential building.
Across the wider Moscow region, the attack killed two people and wounded 20, local Gov. Andrei Vorobyov said. The dead were a 74-year-old man and a 44-year-old woman, he said.
Writing on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv had used a range of missiles and drones in the attack — including Ukraine's domestically made Flamingo and Pelican missiles — to hit oil and logistics facilities.
"These are billions of dollars that sustain the war machine," Zelenskyy said, referring to the financial pressure that Kyiv hopes to put on Russia's economy.

#Russia

The United States warned Saturday that hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthis could "escalate rapidly" after a missile attack targeted Riyadh for the first time since the Yemen conflict resumed.
US President Donald Trump cut short a weekend at Camp David, a secluded presidential complex in rural Maryland, to return unexpectedly to the White House on Saturday.
The White House gave no explanation for the early return, which comes as a new threshold was crossed in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who control a large part of Yemen and are fighting government forces backed by a coalition led by Riyadh.
Loud explosions rang out twice on Saturday in the Saudi capital, where AFP journalists saw a fuel tank bearing the logo of oil giant Aramco on fire near the airport.
"This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly," the US State Department warned, adding American citizens outside the Middle East should "seriously reconsider travel to and through the region".

#saturday #arabia #riyadh #white

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the cybersecurity landscape, and CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) believes the threat is no longer theoretical. CEO George Kurtz recently described the situation as the "genie's out of the bottle," underscoring that AI capabilities are now widely available and can be exploited by attackers. CrowdStrike's 2026 Global Threat Report found that AI-enabled adversary activity surged 89% year-over-year, while the company has also observed attacks moving at machine speed.
Kurtz said AI agents should be secured like privileged users, with strict permissions, temporary credentials, and emergency shutdown capabilities, while humans retain control over critical decisions. He also urged AI companies such as Anthropic and OpenAI to work more closely with cybersecurity firms and independent evaluators to address emerging AI-related threats.
Mark Cuban Says He Was Dizzy for Months, So He Built a VR Fix That Does at Home 'Much Of What A 180k Machine' Does
Bank of America Just Declared a 'Generational Entry Point' in U.S. Bonds. Why Investors Should Be Backing Up the Truck on Treasuries Here.
Nvidia, OpenAI, and Oracle's $745B Financing Circle Just Hit Its First Stress Test: A Fed Rate Hike

#openai #year #crowdstrike

On September 8, 2026, CNBC reported that Novartis' failed pelacarsen trial has raised the stakes for rival experimental cholesterol drugs from Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY), both of which are racing to prove that lowering lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a). It can meaningfully reduce heart attacks and strokes.
Analysts said Amgen's olpasiran faces the clearest negative read-through given its similar trial design. Lilly's lepodisiran is being tested in a broader patient population that could limit how directly Novartis' failure applies. It is also described as less material to Lilly's overall valuation than pelacarsen was for Novartis.
Copyright: stocking / 123RF Stock Photo
Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) could still succeed where Novartis failed. Pelacarsen's failure does not establish that lowering Lp(a) cannot reduce cardiovascular events. **** ysts noted that Novartis' trial faced a high statistical hurdle and that Amgen's olpasiran and Lilly's lepodisiran have produced stronger Lp(a) reductions in earlier studies. Both companies also continue testing their drugs in specific patient populations with high Lp(a). It leaves room for their trials to produce different outcomes from Novartis' study.
Lilly's lepodisiran faces a less direct read-through than Amgen's olpasiran. **** ysts view Amgen's olpasiran as the closest comparison to pelacarsen because the programs use similar trial designs. Lilly's lepodisiran is being tested in an overall patient population. It could make Novartis' failure less directly applicable. **** ysts also view lepodisiran as less material to Lilly's overall valuation than pelacarsen was to Novartis. It reduces the potential financial impact of an unsuccessful outcome.

#lepodisiran #less

On September 7, 2026, Reuters reported that Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) halted two additional trials of its experimental cardiovascular drug ziltivekimab, further denting the Danish drugmaker's efforts to diversify beyond its blockbuster obesity and diabetes franchise.
The move follows a July disclosure that ziltivekimab failed to reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in a late-stage trial. An independent data monitoring committee found a "low likelihood" that the two additional heart-failure studies would produce a different result from that earlier failure, prompting Novo to end them ahead of schedule.
Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) still has one opportunity to create value from its cardiovascular program. The company will continue testing ziltivekimab in patients recovering from a heart attack, with results expected in the first half of 2027. A successful outcome could give Novo another growth opportunity outside its obesity and diabetes franchise.
Novo's core obesity and diabetes business remains the much larger driver of its financial performance. The oral Wegovy pill has already generated more than 2 million prescriptions shortly after its January 2026 launch. It gives Novo an important growth opportunity as the company competes with Eli Lilly in the oral GLP-1 market.
The company can also preserve capital by ending trials that show limited prospects for success. An independent data monitoring committee found a low likelihood that the two heart-failure studies would produce different results from the earlier failed trial. Novo can redirect the resources it would have spent on those studies toward higher-potential programs.

#obesity #diabetes

The temporary closure of the key onshore pipeline Saudi Arabia uses to bypass the Strait of Hormuz has added another shock to an oil market already struggling with six months of Middle East supply disruptions.
And the damage now appears to be more extensive than initially believed.
Three pumping stations along Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline were damaged in last week's attack, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing satellite imagery and industry sources. Earlier ***** sments had identified damage at two stations. Three sources told Reuters that repairs could take five to six weeks, although partial pumping could resume sooner.
Before the attack, the system was moving between 4 million and 5 million barrels per day (bpd), equivalent to roughly 4%–5% of global oil supply. Its total capacity is around 7 million bpd, including approximately 2 million bpd supplied to refineries.
Saudi Arabia shut the pipeline following multiple attacks on September 10. Satellite imagery previously published by MizarVision showed extensive fire and structural damage around pumping stations along the route.

#million #pumping #arabia

President attacks insiders who revealed details of Iran briefing with Tulsi Gabbard to Wall Street Journal last month, threatening repercussions
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President Donald Trump has lashed out at leakers in his own administration after a series of behind-the-scenes reports on the Iran war.
As the conflict Trump claimed would be over in six weeks drags into its seventh month, insiders have repeatedly claimed the president was warned against taking action by his own advisors.

#Iran #claimed #street

Democrats' wary optimism about the midterms gave way to growing confidence this week.
The party has seen strong post-Labor Day polls in key battlegrounds - and even in traditionally red areas. Recent escalations in the war in Iran, including an attack on a major pipeline in Saudi Arabia, mean the rising gas prices bedeviling Republicans will not be going down anytime soon. Republicans have not been able to bring prices under control more generally. And President Donald Trump's unpopularity is at near-record levels.
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Considering all this, Democrats now think conditions are right for the party to retake control of the House and possibly the Senate later this year.
"If the election were held today, we would win the majority," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York) said in an interview with The Washington Post.

#labor

CAIRO (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied Friday in a government-organized show of defiance after months of war, pledging their readiness to take up arms in the biggest such demonstration since the United States and Israel attacked in February.
Iran's government has sought to rally the people and stress national unity, even as the economy worsens under a U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and new U.S. sanctions. On Friday, it claimed another attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway it has sought to control since the start of the war.
Estimates varied of the number of people volunteering to receive limited military training and defend the country in an effort described as "Janfaday-e Iran," or the "ones who sacrifice their lives for Iran." They marched through downtown Tehran in combat uniform, carrying flags, as onlookers cheered.
For days, state media have encouraged Iranians to join the campaign, saying training with **** ault rifles would begin soon. The volunteers would be an additional layer of security to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and the Basij militia, which has played a key role in quashing anti-government protests.
Tehran's Guard chief, Gen. Hassan Hassanzadeh, told the state broadcaster that over 600,000 people had registered to participate, with over 1 million expected to take part in the training. On Friday morning, the broadcaster estimated over 300,000 people were on the streets.

#government #training #since

Saudi Arabia's oil supply crisis is rapidly becoming Europe's problem.
The September 10 attacks on Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline struck the system at multiple locations and damaged at least one pumping station, forcing Riyadh to shut down the Kingdom's critical alternative to the Strait of Hormuz.
The 1,200-kilometer Petroline can carry around 7 million barrels per day from Saudi Arabia's eastern producing regions to Yanbu on the Red Sea. Since the war effectively closed Hormuz, it has become one of the most important pieces of energy infrastructure in the world.
Kpler estimates the pipeline had been moving roughly 4 million bpd around Hormuz before the attack. A prolonged outage could ultimately threaten 3.5–4 million bpd of Saudi crude exports. The figure is below Petroline's nameplate capacity because Saudi Arabia can still export some crude from eastern terminals such as Ras Tanura, despite the severe constraints on Gulf shipping.
The immediate problem is storage.

#hormuz #crude

U.S. diesel prices have moved into record territory. The national average price of diesel climbed to a record $6.23 per gallon on Sept. 14, after first breaking above the $6 threshold last week. And diesel is hitting new highs again today at around $6.31. According to AAA data, the national average diesel price reached about $6.05 per gallon on Sept. 11, 2026, surpassing the previous record established in June 2022. The latest price is roughly 68% higher than the level of about $3.71 per gallon a year ago, highlighting the extraordinary speed of the rally.
The surge is being driven by a global shortage of refined petroleum products rather than crude oil alone. Disruptions to Middle Eastern energy infrastructure, sharply reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, and attacks on Russian refineries have reduced the availability of diesel and other middle distillates. The situation has become serious enough that diesel prices are now adding to broader inflation concerns while simultaneously creating a potentially attractive environment for U.S. refiners.
Crude Oil Prices Sharply Lower as Middle East Disruptions Ease
Crude Oil Prices Retreat as Supply Fears Ease
Why UBS Just Turned Bearish on NuScale Power Stock

#Diesel

An **** ysis of recent filings from American politicians shows that Accenture (NYSE: ACN) and Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) saw an uptick in purchases from notable politicians. Rep. Gilbert Ray Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA) bought Boston Scientific shares, according to a filing earlier this month. The trade was made on August 18, 2026. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) also bought the stock twice, on August 3 and August 10, 2026, according to a filing filed on September 4, 2026. Neither politician sold Boston Scientific shares in the same period. Cisneros and Khanna were also the two buyers of Accenture shares in July and August.
This is based on data from Quiver Quantitative, a platform that tracks congressional stock trades from politicians.
Let's focus on BSX in this article.
BSX is down about 50% so far this year amid a cyberattack that disrupted manufacturing, order processing and shipments, forcing the company to withdraw its previous third-quarter and full-year outlook. Bulls say the market has priced in too severe an outcome. By Sept. 8, the company said its major distribution centers were shipping at or above normal levels, sterilization facilities were operating, and manufacturing had restarted at most plants. Bulls believe much of the disrupted revenue could be delayed rather than permanently lost as hospitals wait for products, reschedule procedures and the company works through its backlog.
Bulls also point to a business that was still growing. Second-quarter revenue rose 7.5% year over year and organic growth was 7%. Several core franchises delivered double-digit organic growth, including Interventional Cardiology and Vascular Therapies, Interventional Oncology and Embolization, and Neuromodulation.

#august #NYSE

Alluvium ******* et Management, an ******* et management company, released its "Conventum – Alluvium Global Fund" second-quarter 2026 investor letter. The letter can be downloaded here. The second quarter reflected a sharp shift from geopolitical uncertainty and oil market volatility to a powerful equity rally led by semiconductor companies. Despite the broader market strength, the Fund declined 1.4% in EUR terms, 2.2% in USD terms, and 3.9% in AUD terms. Portfolio results were mixed, with Alphabet benefiting from strong Cloud growth, while Robert Half, H&R Block, and other holdings posted solid gains. However, cable businesses and several healthcare and consumer holdings weighed on performance. Also, check the fund's top five holdings to see its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Conventum – Alluvium Global Fund highlighted LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB). LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) is a multinational chemical and plastic manufacturing company. On September 15, 2026, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) closed at $65.43 per share. Over the past month, LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) declined 0.95% while its shares gained 22.25% over the past 52 weeks. LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) has a market capitalization of $21.14 billion, and its stock has traded within a 52-week range of $41.58 and $83.94.
Conventum – Alluvium Global Fund stated the following regarding LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
"LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB), the plastics producer gave back some of that 88.3% return of last quarter, and fell 34.0%, We are continually amazed by the market's response to the war in Iraq. It seems that this so called "ceasefire" (the one where Iran keeps attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the US keeps bombing) has led to expectations that all is well for the affected commodity markets. Management provided results in early May, and reported expectations that the higher prices will be sustained for some time. That makes sense to us. But since then, Polyethylene and Polypropylene prices, for example, have fallen by around 15%. After we sold around two thirds of our holding during the March quarter, we ceased as the price fell to levels below our valuation. It currently accounts for 2.1% of the Fund and we are comfortable with maintaining this position."
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) is not on our list of the 40 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 57 hedge fund portfolios held LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) at the end of the second quarter which was 59 in the previous quarter. While we acknowledge the potential of LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (NYSE:LYB) as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trum

Some refiners in ******* an this week rushed to buy Oman's crude for earlier loadings after Saudi Arabia shut down its key pipeline bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, traders with knowledge of the purchases told Bloomberg on Wednesday.
Late last week, Saudi Arabia was forced to temporarily shut down the East-West oil pipeline following drone attacks launched from the territory of Iraq close to the Iranian border on Thursday. The shutdown of the pipeline is a precautionary measure, after the attacks resulted in a number of injuries, the world's top crude oil exporter said.
The 750-mile-long East-West pipeline became Saudi Arabia's vital oil route to bypass the Strait of Hormuz after the Middle East conflict started and Hormuz was closed to shipping traffic. Thanks to the East-West pipeline, the Kingdom has managed to re-route most of its crude loadings from the western ports in the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea port of Yanbu.
Apart from announcing the shutdown of the pipeline and condemning the attacks, Saudi Arabia has not officially updated the market either on the extent of the damage or the timelines for repairs.
The repairs could take three to five weeks, two regional officials briefed on the matter told The ******* ociated Press.

#hormuz #strait

Video released by the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office shows Timothy Reaggle allegedly slipping out of his handcuffs, punching a bailiff and racing toward the courthouse exit before deputies stopped him.
Wild courthouse video appears to show a newly sentenced Ohio man slipping out of his handcuffs, punching a bailiff and making a desperate run for the exit before deputies stopped his escape.
Timothy J. Reaggle, 20, of Wellsville, allegedly attacked two Columbiana County Sheriff's Office deputies Monday shortly after learning he would spend a year in prison in a separate case, according to local reports.
Columbiana County Sheriff Brian McLaughlin told WFMJ that both deputies suffered broken bones but have since been released from the hospital.
Video released by the sheriff's office shows a deputy escorting Reaggle down a hallway after his sentencing. Reaggle then suddenly breaks free of his handcuffs and allegedly punches the deputy before sprinting away.

#columbiana #handcuffs

GENEVA (AP) — Human rights experts commissioned by the U.N.'s top human rights body say they have found "reasonable grounds" to believe the United States committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran, including on a school in the southern city of Minab.
The international fact-finding mission on Iran says the findings center on a pair of airstrikes that killed at least 178 civilians, including women and children.
At the start of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran in February, at least one U.S. missile hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, according to an ****** ociated Press investigation. There has been no final accounting of what happened. Iranian state media have said 168 people were killed in the strike, most of them children.
"Following the United States and Israeli attacks on 28 February, the mission found reasonable grounds to believe the United States committed the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in the loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects," the fact-finding team said in a statement.
The Trump administration has yet to directly accept the blame or release findings of a Pentagon investigation into the school bombing.

#school

US stocks fell for a second day in a row on Tuesday as investors braced for the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision on Wednesday and monitored the fallout from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's essay on AI safety fears.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) declined 0.8% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) dropped 0.7%. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) tumbled more than 0.4%.
Oil prices ticked back up, with Brent crude (BZ=F) and WTI crude (CL=F) changing hands at $108 and $105 per barrel, respectively. Prices have remained elevated since Saudi Arabia shuttered its East-West pipeline and the Iranian-backed Houthis launched fresh attacks in the Middle East.
Bond yields have also shot up as investors await the next Fed policy decision. The yield on the 10-year note (^TNX) hovered around 5%. The move follows the key interest rate briefly rising overnight to its highest intraday level since 2007, underscoring concerns about rising borrowing costs, global deficits, and inflation.
The Federal Open Market Committee began its September meeting on Tuesday, with traders overwhelmingly expecting a rate hike. The release of the so-called dot plot, along with Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh's press conference, could offer investors clues about the prevailing winds in the Fed's monetary policy.

#federal

As markets anxiously await the outcome of the current FOMC meeting, Treasury yields notched new 19-year highs in trading Tuesday. The closely watched 10-year surpassed 5.0% Tuesday morning in a high not seen since July 2007. Even the 30-year Treasury yield rose sharply, hitting 5.4%, its highest since June 2007.
In addition to worries over persistent, rising core inflation (one of the Fed's preferred inflation measurements), skyrocketing oil prices and shortages create further pressure on Treasuries. Currently, the rolling one-month correlation between the 10-year Treasury yield and front-month WTI (West Texas Intermediate) crude sits at 0.96 per BMO Capital Markets ****** ysis.
Bond yields and oil prices have moved in tandem for much of this year as investors position for the longer-term inflationary impact of higher oil prices. And with major oil execs sounding the alarm on global supply cache shortages and strategic reserves depletion that help to temporarily soften spiking oil prices for consumers, these pricing pressures are likely to continue in the near-term. Saudi Arabia announced the closure of its East-West pipeline that bypassed the Strait of Hormuz after it came under attack late last week, and cancelled some shipments to Europe, reported Reuters.
"Normally, the relationship isn't as clean as it is now, but the geopolitical drivers behind the price of oil and global inflation are so prominent that the normally modest correlation has become much tighter," Steve Sosnick, Chief Strategist, Interactive Brokers told CNBC. "As long as oil prices remain firm and continue to drift higher, this will add pressure to interest rates."
As macro uncertainty continues and inflation persists, bonds and oil/energy will be categories to keep a weather eye towards and could see renewed ETF investor attention. Currently, investors are seizing the opportunity in longer-term bonds, with $9.7 billion flowing into the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) in the last three months though the fund is only up $3.4 billion net YTD according to FactSet data. It will be a category likely to see action in the wake of the FOMC rate decision. As bond yields climb, prices fall as they move inverse to each other, and should yields climb higher, investors may choose to scoop up longer duration bonds at depreciated prices for future gains. However, an exodus is more likely until the path of rate hikes becomes more certain.

#treasury #longer #higher

Steel and materials markets fluctuated between rallies and pullbacks as the US-Canada trade relationship shifted from near agreement to open dispute. Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) and Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF) rose on August 25, after discussions between the two countries broke down, a turnaround from the week before, when several of the same stocks fell on hopes that a new deal would decrease steel and aluminum tariffs. The VanEck Steel ETF gained 1.6% on the day, while the State Street Materials Select Sector SPDR reached an intraday high. The rise didn't last: by the end of the week, the materials ETF had slipped to negative territory, while the steel ETF was about flat, though, both remain substantially up for 2026.
The volatility traces a rapid escalation. On August 19, Bloomberg reported that the US and Canada had tentatively agreed to reduce tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 25% and vehicle charges to 15%. That optimism was dashed within days: on August 22, the US imposed 50% tariffs on a wide variety of Canadian exports, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded by declaring Canada officially "at war" with the United States, saying "You're at war when you're attacked, and we got attacked."
On August 25, Ottawa announced counter-tariffs of C$27.6 billion on American goods, which took effect on September 8 at rates ranging from 15% to 50%. The dispute has continued to escalate since then, with Washington announcing additional restrictions and tariffs on Canadian goods in September, reinforcing the view that a quick resolution remains unlikely.
Atsi Sheth, Moody's chief credit officer, put it bluntly: "Expect much more of this uncertainty for some time to come." Investors initially welcomed tariffs as good news for US steelmakers facing less Canadian competition, but the back-and-forth negotiations, as well as Canada's reaction, have made predicting a steady outcome difficult.
The more intriguing story is how differently the aforementioned companies are positioned. Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) relies primarily on scrap-based electric arc furnace steelmaking, while Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF) operates a vertically integrated model with internally sourced iron ore, scrap and other raw materials. Both have meaningful domestic raw-material exposure, although their production models differ substantially. Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) is up more than 50% year-to-date, while Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF), despite similar structural insulation, remains negative for 2026, which **** ysts attribute to balance sheet stress rather than tariffs.

#august #nucor #corporation #cleveland

A Virginia-based defense contractor known for its Switchblade attack drones and, more recently, laser weapons and ****** e hardware, saw its BlueHalo unit win a Pentagon contract worth up to $99.8 million for ****** e systems research, according to Seeking Alpha.
Shares climbed more than 4% in the next session, the same report showed. Six months earlier, a far larger ****** e bet from that same unit collapsed and erased more than half the company's market value.
That contrast, not the $99.8 million figure, is the real story behind AeroVironment's (AVAV) Sept. 14 rally. It shows how hard the company has had to work to rebuild trust with the same customer in less than a year.
AVAV shares closed Sept. 14 at $153.40, up 4.56% from Friday, Sept. 11's close. That still leaves the stock about 63% below its all-time high of $417.86, a level reached on Oct. 9, 2025, which also marks AVAV's 52-week high.
The 52-week low is $135.20, meaning the stock has spent most of 2026 far closer to its floor than its ceiling. Wall Street has not given up on it.

#same #Stock

Oil prices spiked on Tuesday, climbing back toward recent highs as headlines from the Middle East — in particular, Saudi Arabia — intensified growing pressure on the physical market.
Futures on Brent crude (BZ=F), the international benchmark, picked up more than $2.80 to cross back over $108.50 a barrel and approach the $109 mark seen on Monday. Meanwhile, those on US benchmark WTI crude (CL=F) jumped by roughly $3.50 to trade above $104.50.
Worries about oil exports from the Persian Gulf continued to grow on Tuesday, with Saudi Arabia in focus as market watchers attempt to ****** s damage to the kingdom's oil infrastructure, critical to moving oil out of the Persian Gulf while the Strait of Hormuz remains wracked by the US-Iran conflict.
Saudi Arabia has faced a series of attacks on critical energy infrastructure from the Yemeni Houthi militia group and other Iran-backed proxy forces operating in Iraq, the most pressing of those being strikes that over the weekend forced Saudi authorities to shutter the kingdom's East-West pipeline.
The East-West line carries oil to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, where it is loaded onto tankers that can take oil south through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which runs along Yemen, or north to the Suez Canal and the adjacent SUMED pipeline to the Mediterranean Sea.

#gulf

Brent crude climbed above $108 a barrel on Tuesday as traders grew increasingly uncertain about when Saudi Arabia's East-West Pipeline would reopen, with fresh Houthi attacks on the kingdom and suspended oil loadings at its Red Sea export terminal adding to supply fears.
By 1:00 p.m. ET, Brent futures had climbed 3% to $108.88 per barrel, with U.S. West Texas Intermediate up 4.7% at $106.12. A close at those levels would mark the highest settlement for either contract in close to four months, according to Reuters. Prices have risen around 20% this month as fighting in the Persian Gulf has escalated.
According to shipping industry sources who spoke with Reuters, crude loadings at the Yanbu terminal on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast had been halted as of Tuesday. Separately, sources told Reuters that Saudi officials had notified European buyers that certain crude shipments scheduled for late September would not proceed.
Saudi Arabia shut down the East-West Pipeline after drone attacks originating from Iraq struck it last week, forcing the kingdom to halt the export route it had been using to bypass the Strait of Hormuz during the U.S.-Iran war. The pipeline can move up to 7 million barrels per day. Saudi officials have described the closure as a precautionary measure but have not provided a damage ******* sment or a timeline for resuming operations. U.K. authorities fear the pipeline may remain mostly shut for six weeks, according to Bloomberg.
Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen carried out additional strikes on Saudi Arabia on Monday. According to a spokesperson for the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen, the group fired drones and ballistic missiles targeting the cities of Khamis Mushait, Abha, and Taif. According to Reuters, the Houthis claimed to have struck a military air base in Khamis Mushait, with their stated targets including hangars, radar installations, runway infrastructure, and stores of ammunition.

#west #east

The yuan-denominated crude oil futures trading in China hit this week their highest level since the contract was launched in 2018 as escalating threats to Middle East's oil supply and increased purchases by Chinese refiners push prices higher.
Launched in March 2018, the INE crude oil futures contract (SC) is a physical-settlement contract priced and traded in Chinese yuan on the Shanghai International Energy Exchange.
The crude futures soared to as much as 929.4 yuan, or $138.50 per barrel, on the exchange, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The price spike followed the intensified concerns about supply from the Middle East after the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia was attacked by drones late last week, forcing the Kingdom to temporarily shut it down.
The international crude oil benchmarks also rallied at the start of this week. As of Tuesday, no timeline has been given as to when the pipeline would come back and continue helping Saudi Arabia bypass the Strait of Hormuz with shipments out of the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

#contract #east #saudi

The yuan-denominated crude oil futures trading in China hit this week their highest level since the contract was launched in 2018 as escalating threats to Middle East's oil supply and increased purchases by Chinese refiners push prices higher.
Launched in March 2018, the INE crude oil futures contract (SC) is a physical-settlement contract priced and traded in Chinese yuan on the Shanghai International Energy Exchange.
The crude futures soared to as much as 929.4 yuan, or $138.50 per barrel, on the exchange, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
The price spike followed the intensified concerns about supply from the Middle East after the East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia was attacked by drones late last week, forcing the Kingdom to temporarily shut it down.
The international crude oil benchmarks also rallied at the start of this week. As of Tuesday, no timeline has been given as to when the pipeline would come back and continue helping Saudi Arabia bypass the Strait of Hormuz with shipments out of the Red Sea port of Yanbu.

#crude #futures #middle #saudi