As Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers look to reload their passing attack, all eyes are on marquee addition Mike Evans. While Shanahan's offense has long been hailed as one of the NFL's premier schemes, the turnover in last season's receiving corps left a distinct void on the perimeter.
Last year, San Francisco pieced together a receiver room centered around Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, Demarcus Robinson, and Ricky Pearsall. While that group offered versatility and grit through a grinding campaign, the offense frequently lacked a true boundary "X" receiver capable of consistently winning pure, unassisted one-on-one battles outside the numbers.
That is precisely where Evans changes the equation.
According to data from Sumner Sports cited by Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar, Evans has been the league's gold standard for isolation efficiency when healthy. Over the past two seasons, Evans generated an Expected Points Added (EPA) per play of +0.379 on isolation targets—the highest mark of any receiver in the NFL with at least 50 such targets. Across 180 isolation routes, he pulled in 328 yards and six touchdowns on 50 targets, boasting a remarkable 62.0% catch rate in true one-on-one scenarios.
For quarterback Brock Purdy, adding a legendary perimeter threat like Evans provides an entirely new dimension. Shanahan's system relies heavily on motion, scheme-created ****** e, and intermediate rhythm throws. But when opposing defenses load the box to stifle the run or drop safety help inside to blanket crossers, Evans becomes the ultimate counterpunch.

#targets #last #offense

July 23 (Reuters) - U.S. energy shares rose in premarket trading on Thursday as Brent crude briefly touched $100 a barrel, extending a ‌five-day rally after attacks on two Saudi oil tankers intensified ‌Middle East tensions and heightened concerns over global oil supply disruptions.
Houthi forces in Yemen have widened the conflict by targeting vessels carrying Saudi oil in the Bab el-Mandeb strait, after declaring a naval blockade on Saudi shipments.
The attacks have heightened fears that disruptions to Middle East oil exports could spread beyond the Strait ‌of Hormuz, tightening global ⁠crude supplies and supporting higher energy prices.
Here are more details:
• Brent crude futures rose as much as 6.3% to $100 ⁠per barrel by 1302 GMT for the first time since May 26. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was up 5.2% at $91.30 per barrel.

#east #strait #attacks

Argus
•
Jul 24, 2026
Intermediate Term
Long Term

#term #argus #intermediate #long

By Caroline Valetkevitch and Ankur Banerjee
NEW YORK/SINGAPORE, July 21 (Reuters) - Major stock indexes rose on Tuesday with the Nasdaq and chipmaker shares surging, while oil prices climbed to a five-week high amid rising tensions in the Iran conflict.
The **** anese yen ‌weakened 0.41% against the greenback to 163.14 per dollar, breaching the 163 mark for the first time since December 1986 as ‌traders braced for possible intervention in the currency by the **** anese government.
Two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude to Asia reversed course in the Red Sea after threats from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis.
Brent futures rose $1.79, or 2.0%, to settle at $91.01 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained $1.68, or 2.0%, to settle at $84.91. It was the highest close for Brent since June 10 and for WTI since June 11.

#caroline

By ******* hree Mukherjee
July 22 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose to their highest in almost six weeks on Wednesday, with Brent crude surpassing $95 a barrel, on mounting concerns about disruptions to Middle Eastern supply routes because ‌of escalating hostilities between the U.S. and Iran and threats to shipping by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in ‌Yemen.
Brent crude futures were up $2.23, or 2.45%, at $93.24 a barrel by 1323 GMT, after hitting a session high of $95.47.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $2.18, or 2.18%, to $86.18.
Both benchmarks touched their highest levels since June 11.

#Iran #mukherjee #july

Argus
•
Jul 22, 2026
Intermediate Term
Long Term

#term #argus #intermediate #long

NASCAR Cup Series teams won't be racing on the exact same tire combination they used the last time they visited Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Goodyear confirmed Tuesday that Cup teams will receive a new right-side tire for Sunday's Brickyard 400 while continuing to use the same left-side tire from the previous oval race. The updated tire comes after a June test at Indianapolis featuring Ross Chastain, Ryan Preece and John Hunter Nemechek: representing Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota.
The change adds another variable heading into one of NASCAR's most prestigious races as teams continue preparing for the final stretch of the regular season.
According to Goodyear, the new right-side tire features an updated construction and a new tread compound developed specifically for Indianapolis' unique layout.
Unlike many intermediate tracks, Indianapolis Motor Speedway's long straightaways and flat corners place different demands on the tires and reward teams willing to experiment with aggressive setups.

#indianapolis #tire #motor #right

By Scott DiSavino
NEW YORK, July 21 (Reuters) - Oil prices climbed about 2% on Tuesday to a five-week high, on worries that energy supply disruptions could worsen in the Middle East due to more attacks ‌between the U.S. and Iran and a threatened naval blockade of Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Houthis.
Brent futures ‌rose $2.12, or 2.4%, to $91.34 a barrel at 10:53 a.m. EDT (1453 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.80, or 2.2%, to $85.03.
Brent was on track for its highest close since June 10, WTI for its highest since June 11. Brent was in technically overbought territory for a seventh day in a row.
Two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude to Asia reversed course in the Red Sea on Tuesday after threats from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis. U.S. forces bombed targets in the south and west of Iran overnight, Tehran targeted U.S. sites in ‌Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan and at least ⁠one tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz.

#west #rose #crude

Venture Global climbed by 12.7 percent week-on-week, as investors rotated their portfolios into energy stocks amid the surging prices of oil and gas driven by escalating geopolitical tensions.
As of Friday, Bloomberg data showed that August Henry Hub natural gas futures traded up by 1.85 percent to $2.91 amid concerns over tighter global gas supplies.
Crude benchmarks also jumped sharply. Brent climbed by 4.59 percent to $88.10, while West Texas Intermediate increased by 4.48 percent to $82.49—both at their highest levels in about a month.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels
The latest surge in energy prices was sparked by the renewed tensions between the US and Iran.

Crude oil inventories in the United States fell by 1.7 million barrels during the week ending July 10, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Commercial crude stockpiles now stand at 409.7 million barrels, leaving inventories 6% below the five-year seasonal average despite ongoing uncertainty in global energy markets.
The latest government data followed the American Petroleum Institute's (API) report released a day earlier, which estimated a more modest crude inventory draw of 564,000 barrels over the same reporting period.
Oil prices moved lower in Wednesday morning trading even as geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran intensified. At 10:45 a.m. in New York, Brent crude was trading at $84.08 per barrel, down $0.65 (0.77%) on the day, although it remained approximately $7 per barrel higher than the same time a week earlier. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also edged lower, slipping $0.21 (0.26%) to $79.13 per barrel.
The EIA reported that U.S. gasoline inventories declined by 1.5 million barrels, following the previous week's draw of 1.9 million barrels. Average gasoline production also eased, falling to 9.6 million barrels per day.
Meanwhile, middle distillate inventories increased by 4.6 million barrels, with daily production averaging 5.3 million barrels. Even after the latest build, distillate inventories remain 11% below the five-year average for this time of year.

Two-day chart shows the Nasdaq led major indexes lower Friday.
Stocks were headed for a losing week Friday amid disheartening earnings from Netflix (NFLX) and the latest updates from the housing sector. ****** e Exploration Technologies (SPCX), known as ****** eX, was an early loser on the stock market today after a canceled test flight while Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) tumbled as a key metric disappointed investors.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was flat as the S&P 500 fell 0.6%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq faced the brunt of a sell-off in tech and sank 1.2% in morning trading.
West Texas intermediate crude oil futures climbed to around $81.80 per barrel. The 10-year Treasury yield was down at 4.52%. Meanwhile, bitcoin fell near $63,300.
News from the housing front was mixed with housing starts beating economist expectations for June, yet the number of building permits issued missed forecasts.

A less invasive therapy for prostate cancer is just as effective as surgery or radiotherapy but with a lower risk of side effects, a major study suggests.
The treatment, named focal therapy, uses high-intensity ultrasound or freezing cryotherapy to destroy cancerous tissue.
A 10-year NHS study led by Imperial College London followed nearly 3,500 men who received the therapy, providing long-term data that medical regulators had previously said was missing.
Researchers say the results are "excellent" and they are likely to add to pressure for focal therapy to be made more widely available.
Nearly all the men had intermediate or high-risk prostate cancer - but 10 years after treatment only two had died from the disease.

Laughing Water Capital, an investment management company, released its second-quarter 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. The second quarter was exceptionally good for the portfolio, with Class A investment in Laughing Water Capital returning approximately 39.8% net of all fees and expenses, bringing the YTD return to approximately 33.6% net. The SP500TR and R2000 returned approximately 15.0% and 21.5%, respectively, in the second quarter. The impressive performance was driven by three of the top five positions being acquired, with its largest position nearly doubling during the quarter. The letter emphasizes that patience can often lead to profits in an inefficient market characterized by fluctuations, suggesting that investing in undervalued stocks can yield good long-term returns. In addition, please check the portfolio's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its Q2 2026 investor letter, Laughing Water Capital highlighted NextNav Inc. (NASDAQ:NN). Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, NextNav Inc. (NASDAQ:NN) is a technology company that specializes in positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) solutions that offer Pinnacle, an accurate altitude service for public safety applications. On July 14, 2026, NextNav Inc. (NASDAQ:NN) closed at $15.30 per share, reflecting a market capitalization of $2.09 billion. NextNav Inc. (NASDAQ:NN) posted a one-month return of -17.34%, while its shares gained 0.66% over the past 52 weeks.
Laughing Water Capital stated the following regarding NextNav Inc. (NASDAQ:NN) in its Q2 2026 investor update:
"NextNav Inc. (NASDAQ:NN) – NextNav, our terrestrial backup to GPS / spectrum play remains in limbo as we await a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that will allow Nextnav to use its wireless spectrum for 5G communication. Despite the regulatory delay, the company has made significant progress in cleaning up its balance sheet. Notably, during the quarter the company's ****** warrants were called and convertible debt was converted to equity. In the near-term events such as these can weigh on share price due to arbitrage opportunities and hedging. However, in the intermediate term when the quants that dominate the markets next see a Nextnav balance sheet they will be looking at a cash rich company rather than a highly levered company. It would not surprise me to see short covering on this change.
Moving away from trading dynamics and toward political tea leaves, during the quarter Nextnav CEO Miriam Sorond testified in front of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications & Technology, alongside representatives of several of the groups that oppose Nextnav's plan. Not surprisingly the opposition warned of interference risks if Nextnav's plan is granted, while Sorond noted that recent real-world testing showed no interference. Following this meeting Nextnav asked the FCC for permission to run tests that

By ******* hree Mukherjee
July 16 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose over 1% on Thursday as concerns over Middle East energy supplies increased after Iran asked Yemen's Houthis to stand ready to close ‌the Red Sea oil route.
Brent crude futures were up 88 cents, or 1.04%, to $85.83 a barrel ‌at 1237 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up 94 cents, or 1.18%, to $80.54 a barrel.
"Simultaneous disruptions affecting Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb would significantly amplify supply chain stress, increase tanker availability constraints, and raise insurance premiums," said Wael Makarem, financial markets strategist lead at Exness.
Iran has asked Yemen's Houthi movement to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the United States strikes Iranian power infrastructure, three sources told Reuters on Thursday, posing a ‌potent new threat to global energy supplies.

Argus
•
Jul 16, 2026
Intermediate Term
Long Term

The Buffalo Bills offensive formational tendency in 2025 was straight out of an Avengers movie: perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
Buffalo utilized a 2×2 offensive formation (two eligible receivers to the left of the left tackle, two eligible receivers to the right of the right tackle) on 40.67% of their regular season offensive plays last season, per SumerSports. That represented the plurality of all of their 1082 charted plays. They utilized 1×3 and 3×1 formations combined on 33.54% of their offensive plays. This was the 23rd and 31st highest rate in the NFL, respectively, for those formations.
Although the Bills have retained a man notably responsible for the offensive design in former offensive coordinator and now head coach Joe Brady, there are two main changes from last year to this year that should make this specific phenomenon one worth keeping an eye on: the departure of former head coach Sean McDermott and the arrival of wide receiver DJ Moore.
We'll never know exactly how much influence McDermott had on the offensive design for sure. He was the head coach, so his hand was at least partially in all aspects of the team, but was he primarily concerned with situational play calling and run/pass ratio, or did the balanced v unbalanced philosophy also get his input and/or direction? We do, however, know Moore represents the truest X receiver the Bills have had since the departure of former #1 wide receiver and current free agent Stefon Diggs. Teams can be more hesitant to run unbalanced formations without a player isolated on the backside they believe can win one-on-ones, particularly in the intermediate and deep parts of the field. In unbalanced 3×1 or 1×3 formations, teams frequently start the progression on the front side route combination before coming back across the formation to a backside dig. Not having an X receiver they trust to win on the horizontal intermediate plan could make a team less inclined to run those formations.
Despite the Buffalo passing attack once again being a top unit in 2025, even the most ardent Bills personnel defender would likely agree that the team didn't have a high-quality true X perimeter receiver who could be consistently counted on to fill the role mentioned above. The team was likely hoping Keon Coleman would evolve into that type of player, but going into 2026, they don't have to hope on that anymore. Moore likely slots into that role from the jump, although he'll certainly be used across the formation as well.

By ***** hree Mukherjee
July 14 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Tuesday to their highest in four weeks, as the U.S. reimposed a naval blockade of Iran and renewed attacks between Washington and Tehran heightened concerns ‌over energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures were up $2.74, or 3.29%, at $86.04 per barrel at ‌0751 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $2.21, or 2.83%, to $80.35 a barrel.
Brent crude rose to its highest since June 12 and WTI to its highest since June 16. The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to end the conflict on June 17.
"Despite signing the memorandum of understanding and having a deal, this did not last for even a few weeks. So that's the concern the market is trying to price right now," said ANZ ***** yst Soni ***** ari.

By ******* hree Mukherjee
July 13 (Reuters) - Oil prices surged more than 3% on Monday after renewed military strikes between the United States and Iran reignited concerns over energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent ‌crude futures were up $2.47, or 3.25%, to $78.48 at 1145 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was ‌up $2.35, or 3.29%, to $73.76 a barrel.
"The focus will remain on the number of inbound tankers as a lower number could impact production, so currently we see a risk premium but as well a disruption risk supporting prices," said UBS ******* yst Giovanni Staunovo.
Fresh U.S. and Iranian strikes over the weekend fueled fears of a renewed escalation. Tehran targeted U.S. facilities across the Gulf on Sunday and said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Monday they had attacked U.S. military ‌bases in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Oil prices were little changed on Friday, but both major benchmarks remained on track to post solid weekly gains as investors weighed renewed military tensions between the United States and Iran against expectations that the conflict will remain limited and avoid disrupting crude exports from the Persian Gulf.
At 14:18 ET (18:18 GMT), U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures edged down 0.1% to $72.01 per barrel, while Brent crude futures slipped 0.07% to $76.25 per barrel.
Although trading was subdued during the session, Brent was still heading for a weekly gain of around 5%, with WTI up roughly 4%. Prices surged earlier in the week after renewed attacks near the Strait of Hormuz revived concerns over supply disruptions before easing as traders concluded the conflict was unlikely to broaden significantly.
The United States carried out another round of airstrikes against military targets in Iran on Thursday, saying the operations were intended to further reduce Tehran's ability to threaten commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks aimed at U.S.-aligned countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan, marking one of the most extensive military exchanges since last month's temporary agreement.

Ringmahon Rangers AFC have been handed a five-year ban from the FAI Senior Cup and fined €5,000 after withdrawing from their upcoming second round fixture against Bohemians FC.
An Independent Disciplinary Committee has also imposed a three-year ban on the club from participating in the FAI Intermediate Cup.
Ringmahon Rangers and Bohemians, who sit second in the Premier Division, were due to meet on 19 July.
The fixture was to be played at Cobh Ramblers' home ground, St Colman's Park, due to the Cork side's home ground not meeting the requirements for FAI Cup matches.
"The Football ***** ociation of Ireland (FAI) would like to remind all clubs of their obligations to fulfil fixtures in accordance with FAI Disciplinary Regulations and competition rules," a statement from the FAI read.

IAMGOLD Corporation (NYSE:IAG) is one of the top mid-cap stocks to own for decades, according to hedge funds. On June 18, IAMGOLD Corporation (NYSE:IAG) amended its secured revolving credit facility. It increased its total available commitments to $850 million from $650 million. It also extended the maturity date of the credit facility to June 17, 2030, from December 20, 2028.
Gold bars. Photo by Zlaťáky.cz on Pexels
The amended credit facility comes with an accordion feature of up to $250 million that allows IAMGOLD to further increase available liquidity, subject to lender approval. The much bigger credit facility will strengthen the company's financial position while also lowering its cost of capital. In addition, it should provide meaningful flexibility as the mining giant advances its operating portfolio and pursues internal growth opportunities.
The strengthening of the financial position comes on the heels of IAMGOLD Corporation announcing 12% increase in mineral resources at its Côté Gold Mine in Ontario, Canada. The updated mineral resource now shows 20.3 million ounces of gold in measured and indicated categories.
IAMGOLD Corporation (NYSE:IAG) is a Canadian-based intermediate gold producer and developer with active mining operations and exploration projects across North America and West Africa. The company's core activities focus on the exploration, development, and mining of gold.

Major indexes finished lower, dragged down by chip stocks, while oil prices surged after the U.S. revoked Iran's license to sell its crude.
The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite, benchmark S&P 500, and blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average closed Tuesday down a respective 1.2%, 0.5%, and 0.3%. The Dow had set a new record high in morning trading before reversing course.
Yesterday, major stock indexes started the week higher behind AI-tied shares like Western Digital (WDC), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Qualcomm (QCOM), with the Dow setting intraday and closing records above 53000. However, memory and chip stocks fell Tuesday after Samsung shares dropped 7% in South Korean trading despite strong quarterly results. Intel (INTC), Sandisk (SNDK), Western Digital, AMD, and Marvell Technology (MRVL) closed down between 6.5% and 10%.
Most of the Magnificent Seven mega-cap tech stocks were in the green Tuesday, although Tesla (TSLA) declined 4% after leading the septet with a nearly 7% rise yesterday. Shares of ***** e Exploration Technologies (SPCX), or ***** eX, fell about 7% as the Elon Musk-led company made its Nasdaq 100 debut.
Oil prices jumped as the Treasury Department revoked the waiver that allows Iran to sell its oil, which followed reports that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had fired upon vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. West Texas Intermediate futures, the U.S. benchmark, were up 4.9% to $71.90 per barrel at 4 p.m. ET, while global benchmark Brent crude futures were 5.1% higher at $75.70 per barrel.

Oil prices moved modestly higher on Tuesday after renewed security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz revived concerns over potential disruptions to global energy shipments, offsetting expectations of stronger supply from OPEC+ producers.
By 04:41 ET (08:41 GMT), Brent crude futures had risen 1.1% to US$72.77 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 1.1% to US$69.30 a barrel.
According to Axios, citing two US officials, Iran's military launched at least two missiles at commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Monday night, ending a week-long pause in attacks under an informal understanding between Washington and Tehran.
The report added that the United States is expected to respond with strikes against Iranian targets.
Earlier on Tuesday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency confirmed it had received a report that a tanker travelling near the coast of Oman had been struck by an unidentified projectile, causing a fire onboard. Although Iran has not officially claimed responsibility, anonymous sources cited by Iranian state television suggested the target was a tanker carrying liquefied natural gas from Qatar.

US stock futures fell as oil surged and President Trump declared that the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran was "over," raising the likelihood of a reescalation in the Middle East war.
Futures tied to the Dow (YM=F) fell 1%, or nearly 600 points, while contracts on the S&P 500 (ES=F) dropped 0.8%. Nasdaq 100 futures (NQ=F) slipped 1.3% following a down day for US markets.
Markets are digesting a sharp escalation in US-Iran tensions after American forces carried out a "series of powerful strikes" against Iran late Tuesday in response to attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
President Trump, speaking in Ankara ahead of a NATO summit, stated that the US-Iran ceasefire agreement was over amid the flare-up in hostilities. "As far as I'm concerned, it's just a waste of time dealing with them," Trump said of Iran.
Energy markets have been shaken after the Treasury revoked a license that had allowed Iran to export oil globally, adding to concerns over potential supply disruptions. Crude prices climbed more than 5%, with West Texas Intermediate (CL=F) trading above $74 a barrel and Brent (BZ=F) at $78 a barrel.

By ****** hree Mukherjee
July 8 (Reuters) - Oil prices jumped more than 5% on Wednesday, hitting a two-week high after U.S. President Donald Trump said the memorandum of understanding to end the conflict with Iran was "over", renewing ‌fears of disruptions to Middle East oil supplies.
Brent crude futures were up $4.27, or 5.76%, to $78.43 a barrel at ‌1127 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $3.91, or 5.55%, to $74.35 a barrel. The benchmarks are at their highest levels since June 22.
Both rose about 3% on Tuesday after the U.S. revoked the general licence authorising the sale of Iranian crude.
Trump said on Wednesday that the memorandum of understanding signed with Iran to end the conflict was "over", adding he didn't want to engage with Tehran.

The starting lineup is officially set for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway, and teams now know where they'll be making every pit stop during the eero 400.
Following Saturday's qualifying session, NASCAR released the official pit stall ***** ignments for all 38 drivers. While qualifying determines the starting grid, pit selection is another critical advantage, especially at a 1.5-mile intermediate track where green-flag pit cycles often shape the outcome of the race.
Drivers who qualified near the front earned the first opportunity to choose their preferred pit stalls, with teams weighing factors such as opening availability, clear entry and exit lanes, and proximity to pit road traffic.
Not every team had the chance to choose its ideal pit stall.
The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet driven by Kyle Larson failed pre-race inspection twice before passing on its third attempt. As a result, the team lost pit stall selection, and car chief Jesse Saunders was ejected for the remainder of the race weekend.

By Amanda Stephenson and Robert Harvey
CALGARY/LONDON, July 3 (Reuters) - Oil prices were little changed for the week as traders held on to hopes for a successful outcome from attempts to secure ‌peace between the U.S. and Iran.
Brent futures were up 14 cents, or 0.19%, at $71.94 a barrel ‌by 2:31 p.m. ET (1831 GMT), ending the week just 5 cents lower than last Friday's close. West Texas Intermediate was up 9 cents, or 0.13%, at $68.78 a barrel.
Trading was light as U.S. markets were closed ahead of the U.S. Independence Day holiday on Saturday. On Thursday, the two oil benchmarks had hit their lowest levels since before the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began in late February.
Investor hopes for a full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz are being buoyed by peace ‌talks between the U.S. and Iran, ⁠Commerzbank ****** ysts said.

HOUSTON, July 2 (Reuters) - Oil prices made small gains on Thursday as buyers sought to ****** ure supply over the long U.S. Independence Day weekend.
"We're seeing a little short-covering here," said John Kilduff, partner with Again Capital. "The focus has shifted to how much ‌supply are we going to see in the markets from how much supply are we going to lose."
Brent futures settled at $71.80 ‌a barrel, up 23 cents or 0.32%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude finished at $68.69 a barrel, up 11 cents, or 0.16%.
During the session, both benchmarks hit their lowest levels since before the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began in late February. For the week, Brent finished down 0.60%, while WTI was down 0.78%.
Mediator Qatar said the U.S. and Iran made progress in talks toward a permanent peace agreement ending the four-month war that shut the key oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Dow Inc. (NYSE:DOW) is one of the best value stocks to buy right now. On June 1, Dow and Univar Solutions entered a long-term agreement to distribute Dow's Decarbia low-carbon product portfolio. The partnership leverages Univar Solutions' global distribution network to provide these products, which include high-integrity Product Carbon Footprint/PCF certificates, to industries such as beauty, personal care, food, and pharmaceuticals.
The initiative aims to address rising demand for sustainable supply chain alternatives and **** ist customers in meeting Scope 3 emissions reduction targets. Dow Inc.'s (NYSE:DOW) low-carbon footprint calculations are based on its Carbon Footprint Ledger methodology, which is **** ured under international standards like ISO14067 and the GHG Protocol Product Standard.
Both companies view this deal as a strategic expansion of their long-standing collaboration to accelerate value chain decarbonization. By combining verified environmental data with a broad distribution reach, the partners aim to provide customers with scalable, reliable options to advance their corporate sustainability goals.
Dow Inc. (NYSE:DOW) is a global materials science company. Based in Michigan, the company operates through three primary segments: Packaging & Specialty Plastics, Industrial Intermediates & Infrastructure, and Performance Materials & Coatings.
While we acknowledge the potential of DOW 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 Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.

Up next in Silver and Black Pride's Mendoza Mania series is the only 300-yard performance from Fernando Mendoza's final College Football season , as the Indiana Hoosiers took down the Michigan State Spartans 38-13 in Week 8.
Statistically, this was the No. 1 pick of the 2026 NFL draft's best performance of the season, completing 24 of 28 pass attempts (85.7 percent) for 332 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. According to Pro Football Focus , one of those incompletions was due to a drop, and he tossed a couple of "big-time" throws to make the outing even more efficient and impressive.
So the negative plays were few and far between in this outing, allowing us to focus on the positives in this breakdown of the new Las Vegas Raiders quarterback's performance and to dive into how his arm strength stood out in East Lansing, Michigan.
Beyond bombing the ball down the field, one way that Mendoza showed off his arm strength in this game was by putting velocity on his short to intermediate throws to beat coverage.
It's third and 12 here, and Indiana runs a variation of four verts from a two-by-two formation. The outside receivers run go routes that they can convert into curls, as Elijah Sarratt does at the bottom of the screen, and the slot receivers run seam routes. However, Michigan State plays quarters coverage, which is a good defense for the offense's play call.