Bloomberg — 2026-05-15#

Lead Story#

Global bond markets are facing a relentless selloff as surging oil prices tied to the Iran war exacerbate inflation fears, pushing yields to multi-year highs and driving the US 30-year Treasury yield to its highest level since 2007. The historic rout has stalled a record-breaking global equities rally and sets up an immediate, critical test for incoming Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh, as traders brace for central banks to keep interest rates elevated for longer than previously anticipated.

CNBC — 2026-05-15#

Lead Story#

Following a week of surprisingly hot inflation data—with wholesale prices hitting a 6% annual rate—Treasury yields spiked, driving traders to abruptly flip the script and price in a Federal Reserve rate hike by December.

Markets & Economics#

The S&P 500 notched its first-ever close above 7,500 and the Dow reclaimed 50,000 on Thursday, buoyed by optimism surrounding the Trump-Xi summit and strong Cisco earnings. However, the rally stalled Friday as inflation fears returned to Wall Street with a vengeance. Consumer prices rose 3.8% annually, and top economic forecasters now project the inflation rate will reach 6% in the second quarter. Consequently, the 30-year Treasury yield topped 5.12%, and fed funds futures are now pricing in a roughly 51% probability of an interest rate hike by December. Meanwhile, the South Korean Kospi retreated 6% from record highs amid a broad tech sell-off and labor union strikes at Samsung.

Bloomberg — 2026-05-18#

Lead Story#

NextEra Energy Inc. has agreed to acquire Dominion Energy Inc. for approximately $67 billion in stock, marking the largest power-sector acquisition in history. The mega-merger will create a utility colossus spanning from Florida to Virginia, explicitly targeting the massive electricity demands of hyperscale data centers clustered in the mid-Atlantic. The transaction underscores how artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping US energy infrastructure and forcing rapid industry consolidation to handle grid constraints.

Bloomberg — 2026-05-19#

Lead Story#

Yields on the US Treasury’s longest-dated bond surged to their highest level since 2007 as accelerating inflation fears fueled a massive selloff in global debt markets. The spike in yields—with traders increasingly zeroing in on the 5.5% mark—is unravelling Wall Street’s crowded artificial intelligence and chipmaker trades. This global bond market rout is complicating the landscape for central bankers, particularly incoming Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh and the European Central Bank, as they grapple with the persistent energy price shock stemming from the conflict in Iran.

Bloomberg — 2026-05-21#

Lead Story#

Elon Musk’s SpaceX has pulled back the curtain on its highly anticipated initial public offering, revealing a $4.28 billion net loss on $4.69 billion of revenue in the first quarter. Pitching itself as a multi-sector disruptor targeting a $26.5 trillion artificial intelligence market opportunity, the space and satellite enterprise is gearing up for the largest stock-market debut in history while formalizing a super-voting share structure to preserve Musk’s tight control.

Bloomberg — 2026-05-23#

Lead Story#

President Donald Trump announced that a peace deal with Iran has been “largely negotiated,” signaling an imminent agreement to reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The breakthrough follows a six-week US blockade that redirected over 100 commercial vessels, as Gulf allies pushed aggressively for a resolution to halt the conflict’s steady drain on their petrodollar wealth.

Bloomberg — 2026-05-28#

Lead Story#

The United States and Iran have reached a tentative agreement to extend their ceasefire by 60 days, though the pact remains pending final approval from President Donald Trump. The proposed memorandum of understanding guarantees unrestricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, causing oil prices to pare their earlier gains, even as fresh US airstrikes on Iranian targets earlier in the week underscored the fragility of the truce.

CNBC — 2026-05-28#

Lead Story#

The AI trade roared back to life, overshadowing geopolitical anxiety and sticky inflation, as blowout earnings from Dell Technologies and Snowflake sent both stocks soaring 30% or more. Meanwhile, the private AI race escalated dramatically with Anthropic reaching a staggering $965 billion valuation to officially surpass OpenAI.

Markets & Economics#

The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge offered mixed signals; Core PCE rose 0.2% for April and 3.3% annually, matching expectations, but overall headline inflation stubbornly held at 3.8%. First-quarter GDP was revised down to a sluggish 1.6%, fanning stagflation fears among investors. Geopolitics dominated the energy tape, with crude oil plunging 5% on ceasefire hopes before violently reversing higher as the U.S. and Iran traded fresh military strikes. The volatility prompted Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee to warn of a persistent “stagflationary shock” in Asia, while Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari stressed that the inflation fight takes priority over a decent labor market.

CNBC — 2026-05-29#

Lead Story#

Dell Technologies delivered a blockbuster quarter that sent its stock skyrocketing 32% for its best day on record, proving that the artificial intelligence hardware boom is far from over. AI server revenue exploded 757% year-over-year to $16.1 billion, reigniting market enthusiasm and lifting the broader tech sector to new all-time highs.

Markets & Economics#

Core inflation hit an annual rate of 3.3% in April, aligning with expectations for the Federal Reserve’s preferred gauge, though PIMCO’s Richard Clarida warned on-air that disinflation is not imminent. In the energy pits, global oil prices tumbled 20% from their 2026 peaks on optimism surrounding a potential 60-day ceasefire deal between the U.S. and Iran, though President Trump is still deliberating his final determination. Despite the geopolitical uncertainty and inflation data, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon noted that current market exuberance is actually healthy and “not bad” for the economy. Additionally, the White House continues to push its technology initiatives, with U.S. CTO Ethan Klein discussing the administration’s broader AI ambitions and strategic roadmap.

Bloomberg — 2026-06-01#

Lead Story#

Global equities are pushing to record highs on the back of an artificial intelligence melt-up, even as geopolitical risks continue to threaten energy markets. As Nvidia Corp. pushes into the PC market with its new RTX Spark chip and Anthropic files for a blockbuster IPO, oil prices are simultaneously surging. The energy spike comes as Iran suspends peace talks with the US to protest Israel’s expanding ground assault in Lebanon, casting doubt on an interim deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.