Iran's peace negotiations and the potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz are significantly impacting global oil and gas prices, while regional tensions with Israel's actions against Hizbollah and US consumer spending are closely watched.

• Iran’s top negotiators travel to Qatar amid intensified efforts to secure deal — Financial Times -
• Oil Prices Fall Sharply on News of Possible Iran Deal — The New York Times Business -
• FirstFT: Iran’s top negotiators travel to Qatar amid push to secure deal — Financial Times -

• Opinion | Peace May Not Be at Hand in Iran — Wall Street Journal -
• Mexico agrees to host Iranian World Cup squad as US-Iran tensions simmer — Financial Times -
• Netanyahu orders Israeli military to step up attacks on Hizbollah — Financial Times -
• Opinion | Will Trump Bail Out Iran’s Regime? — Wall Street Journal -
• The energy shock is not over yet — Financial Times -
• Even After a Strait of Hormuz Deal, Moving 1,500 Ships Won’t Be Easy — The New York Times Business -
• Two LNG tankers pass through Strait of Hormuz — Financial Times -
• Oil Slides as Ships Move Toward Hormuz — Wall Street Journal -
• Iran is beating Trump at the art of the deal — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Trump strikes more cautious tone on peace talks with Iran — Financial Times -
• Global Markets Gain and Oil Prices Retreat as U.S-Iran Peace Talks Continue — Wall Street Journal -
• Rubio says Washington will find ‘another way’ if Iran talks fail — Financial Times -
• European Gas Prices Down 5% on U.S.-Iran Talks Optimism — Wall Street Journal -
• US consumers face looming spending squeeze as Trump tax rebates fade — Financial Times -

AI's expansive growth from large enterprises to small businesses is fueling venture capital interest and market speculation, alongside calls for ethical oversight from figures like Pope Leo and the highly anticipated SpaceX IPO dominating bond markets.

• SpaceX’s IPO Is a Bet Gravity Doesn’t Apply to Elon Musk — Wall Street Journal -
• Venture Capitalist John Doerr Says AI Is the Biggest Tech ‘Tsunami’ Ever — Wall Street Journal -
• AI Expands From Multibillion-Dollar Enterprises to Main Street — Wall Street Journal -

• Musk, SpaceX and the world’s most far-out IPO — Financial Times -
• Pope Leo says AI ‘needs to be disarmed’ — Financial Times -
• AI guardrails stripped from Meta and Google models in minutes — Financial Times -
• It’s not just SpaceX: Big Tech is dominating bond markets too — Financial Times -
• Tech giants need oversight to protect national security — Financial Times -
• AI fever and off-exchange boom grip Japanese retail traders — Financial Times -
• Meet Mark Zuckerberg’s Right-Hand Man Who’s Unleashing AI at Meta — Wall Street Journal -

Retail innovation is evident with rapid grocery delivery in India and 7-Eleven's legacy in Japan, while luxury markets see new entries like Ferrari's electric car and China's homegrown brands, alongside evolving consumer preferences for products like beach shades and the resurgent art auction market.

• In India, You Can Get Milk Delivered Faster Than It Takes to Make Coffee — Wall Street Journal -
• The $255 Beach Shade Dividing America’s Coastal Towns — Wall Street Journal -
• Japanese Retail Pioneer Who Transformed 7-Eleven Dies at 93 — Wall Street Journal -

• Where Did the Rows of Couches Go? Ethan Allen Tests the Limits of Showroom Downsizing. — Wall Street Journal -
• Uber’s $11.6 Billion Takeover Approach Lifts Delivery Hero Shares — Wall Street Journal -
• Ferrari Unveils Luce, Its First Fully Electric Car — The New York Times Business -
• Ferrari Launches $640,000, Jony Ive-Designed, Glass-Clad Electric Speedster — Wall Street Journal -
• How Art Auctions Choreographed a $2.5 Billion Comeback — The New York Times Business -
• Toshifumi Suzuki, Who Made 7-Eleven a Giant in Japan, Dies at 93 — The New York Times Business -
• Counting the cost of New York’s sky-high food bills — Financial Times -
• Toshifumi Suzuki, Japan’s ‘God’ of Convenience Stores Dies at 93 — The New York Times Business -
• Prize draw businesses have better luck than the average punter — Financial Times -
• $140,000 E.V.s and Heritage Gold: The Rise of China’s Homegrown Luxury Market — The New York Times Business -

UK political stability is under scrutiny following SNP financial scandals and calls for a 'Buy British' policy in critical sectors, amidst broader economic concerns like falling bank lending to businesses and high-profile infrastructure spending on projects like HS2.

• How the SNP survived scandal to keep ruling Scotland — Financial Times -
• Reeves urges ministers to ‘buy British’ in critical sectors — Financial Times -
• Peter Murrell pleads guilty to embezzling £400,000 from SNP — Financial Times -

• UK defence secretary’s plane has GPS jammed near Russian border — Financial Times -
• The infantilism of an ‘ungovernable’ Britain — Financial Times -
• The Labour Party’s four tribes — Financial Times -
• HS2 paid consultancies £65mn last year in run-up to project ‘reset’ — Financial Times -
• Bank lending to UK businesses falls to lowest level in nearly 30 years — Financial Times -
• Duke of Norfolk to host Reform donors as Farage seeks to widen appeal — Financial Times -

**Significant M&A activity is underway with Jardines' radiology acquisition and a takeover approach for payments group Nexi, while regulatory bodies like Singapore's work to streamline financial processes and European competition rules** face scrutiny.

• Italian bank CDP to raise stake in payments group Nexi after CVC weighs bid — Financial Times -
• Singapore tells banks to speed up account openings for wealthy clients — Financial Times -
• Jardines signals pivot with $2.4bn Australian radiology deal — Financial Times -

• Investors can no longer rely on a ‘policy put’ — Financial Times -
• Europe’s dealmakers warn of EU merger policy confusion — Financial Times -
• How Europe learnt to love subsidies — Financial Times -

Labor movements are gaining traction, highlighted by Massachusetts ride-share drivers formally unionizing, marking a significant step for app-based workers, and political discussions surrounding the 'New Big Labor GOP'.

• Ride-Share Drivers in Massachusetts Formally Unionize — The New York Times Business -
• Opinion | The New Big Labor GOP — Wall Street Journal -

The geothermal power sector is experiencing a boost from a hot IPO driven by tech demand, while Exxon's ambitious carbon capture business faces environmental and community scrutiny in the US Gulf Coast.

• A Hot IPO Lifts Geothermal Power Companies — Wall Street Journal -
• Can Exxon build the world’s biggest carbon capture business? — Financial Times -

Canada's political landscape is seeing warnings from Prime Minister Carney against Alberta separatists, likening the potential economic fallout to the Brexit-style regret.

• Carney warns Alberta separatists of Brexit-style regret — Financial Times -