Wall Street Ends Mixed as Tech Stocks Struggle Ahead of Micron Earnings 
Oil Prices Drop as Middle East Supply Recovery Eases Market Concerns 
Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies 
US Delivers $13M Autonomous Maritime Drones to Philippines 
Oil Prices Drop as Strait of Hormuz Shipping Recovers 
Gold Falls Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Weigh on Prices 
US Seeks Gulf Support for Iran Peace Deal Amid Regional Tensions 
South Korea Remains MSCI Emerging Market Despite Reform Progress 
Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oil Rebounds Amid Fed Rate Hike Fears 
New Zealand Fast-Tracks Gold Mining as Industry Revival Gains Momentum 
White House Seeks $87.6 Billion Emergency Funding for Iran War, Farmers, and Ebola Response 
Cait Conley Wins Democratic Nomination, Sets Up Key House Battle Against Mike Lawler in New York 
US Senate Approves War Powers Resolution Urging Trump to End Iran Military Action 
Wall Street Slides as AI Stocks Tumble Following South Korea Tech Sell-Off 
BOJ Hawk Signals Faster Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Risks 
Crimea Power Outage After Ukrainian Drone Attack, Russian Authorities Say 
President Donald Trump announced Saturday that a large number of empty oil tankers are currently sailing toward the United States, intending to load American crude oil and natural gas. Trump made the claim via Truth Social, describing the vessels as some of the largest in the world and praising U.S. oil as the finest available globally.
The announcement coincides with high-stakes diplomatic negotiations between senior U.S. and Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, where intermediaries are facilitating peace talks. The ongoing conflict, which erupted on February 28 following U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, has since escalated as Iranian forces launched retaliatory attacks on neighboring countries. The war has effectively shuttered the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world's most critical oil shipping corridors — triggering the most severe disruption to global energy supplies in recorded history.
Earlier in the week, Trump publicly urged Iran to stop imposing transit fees on tankers passing through the strait. The closure has driven crude oil prices sharply higher, with U.S. oil now trading at a premium above the international Brent benchmark. On Friday, U.S. crude settled at $96.57 per barrel compared to Brent's $95.20.
Energy market analysts acknowledge that the Hormuz closure could naturally drive higher demand for American oil exports. Jake Dollarhide, CEO of Longbow Asset Management, noted that U.S. production levels are significantly higher than they were a decade ago, positioning the country well to meet rising international demand. However, he cautioned that resolving the strait situation could take months even under the most optimistic peace scenarios.
Investors, meanwhile, remain primarily focused on the outcome of the U.S.-Iran negotiations. Robert Pavlik of Dakota Wealth noted that financial markets are watching the diplomatic talks closely, viewing a peaceful resolution as the most meaningful catalyst for global energy market stabilization.
