The global stage is dominated by Middle East conflicts and their economic consequences, impacting oil prices and supply chains, while China's growing influence and EU efforts for tech sovereignty reshape international trade and political alliances.

• Trump says rising economic costs will not force him into Iran deal — Financial Times -
• Abercrombie & Fitch Faces Weakness in Europe, Middle East Due to Iran War — Wall Street Journal -
• Trump’s Not Worried About How the Iran War Might Affect the Midterms — Wall Street Journal -

• FirstFT: World leaders flock to China to see Xi Jinping — Financial Times -
• The world comes to Xi — Financial Times -
• Oil Prices Fall as Uneasy Truce Holds Between U.S. and Iran — The New York Times Business -
• Israel ratchets up its offensive against Hizbollah in Lebanon — Financial Times -
• Global Supply Shortages Deepen as War Drags On, Risking Jobs and Growth — The New York Times Business -
• US-backed rare earth rivals clash over alleged technology theft — Financial Times -
• Canada Moves Toward Energy Superpower Goal With German LNG Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• EU pushes for ‘tech sovereignty’ to cut reliance on US — Financial Times -
• Russian banks to arm themselves against Ukrainian drones — Financial Times -
• Iran’s ultra-hardliners lash out at deal negotiators — Financial Times -
• EU Plans to Reserve Most of Mobile Satellite Spectrum for Homegrown Operators — Wall Street Journal -
• Trump risks triggering financial crisis, warns ECB — Financial Times -
• Volvo Car Shares Jump After U.S. Sales Approval Despite China Links — Wall Street Journal -
• FirstFT: Trump’s Board of Peace is stuck in limbo — Financial Times -
• Hong Kong overtakes Switzerland as hub for global offshore wealth — Financial Times -
• Trump’s Board of Peace fund is empty — Financial Times -
• Xi Jinping Quit Smoking. China Still Cannot. — The New York Times Business -
• The world’s biggest EV maker weans itself off supply-chain finance — Financial Times -
• ‘It’s Like a Pandemic.’ Cuba’s Tourism Industry Is Completely Unraveling. — Wall Street Journal -

The Artificial Intelligence boom is driving unprecedented growth for memory chip manufacturers, while tech companies like Salesforce integrate AI into their offerings, raising questions about AI regulation and its profound impact on the economy and workforce.

• Google Employee Charged With Insider Trading on Polymarket — Wall Street Journal -
• Salesforce First-Quarter Sales, Profit Rise Amid Agentforce Efforts — Wall Street Journal -
• Go Ask Alice Why Tech Start-Ups Are Spending Big on Hype Videos — The New York Times Business -

• Marvell Technology’s Revenue Soars, Profit Slims Down — Wall Street Journal -
• Opinion | The Other Reason New York Times Employees Don’t Like AI — Wall Street Journal -
• Preventing a ‘Chernobyl moment’ in AI — Financial Times -
• Why Memory Chips Are Dominating the A.I. Rally — The New York Times Business -
• OpenAI’s foundation to spend $250mn on research into AI’s impact on economy — Financial Times -
• Spencer Pratt Wants to Be Mayor. His Fans Want Him to Be Batman. — The New York Times Business -
• Teachers Union Urges Schools to Curb A.I. Chatbots and Screen Time — The New York Times Business -
• Samsung Unions Approve Pay Deal That Highlights Inequality of A.I. Age — The New York Times Business -
• Memory chipmakers ride AI boom to join trillion-dollar club — Financial Times -
• China Memory-Chip Maker CXMT Clears Shanghai Listing Review — Wall Street Journal -
• SpaceX’s Rocket Monopoly Gives It an Edge Over OpenAI in the IPO Race — Wall Street Journal -
• Ford’s Stock Is Surging—and It’s Got Nothing to Do With Its Car Business — Wall Street Journal -
• Capgemini Aims to Harness AI Surge in 2028 Strategic Plan — Wall Street Journal -
• AI’s mixed economic signals — Financial Times -
• KPMG hunts Silicon Valley AI disrupters to Big Four model — Financial Times -
• China overhauls world’s biggest surveillance network with advanced AI — Financial Times -
• SK Hynix Joins Trillion-Dollar Club Alongside Nvidia, TSMC — Wall Street Journal -
• Xiaomi’s Profit Buckles as Memory Prices Soar — Wall Street Journal -
• NASA’s Moon Base Plan Adds Two Rovers for Its Astronauts — The New York Times Business -

Companies are reporting mixed quarterly earnings, with some seeing sales increases like Dick's Sporting Goods and Canadian banks lifting dividends, while others like Ferrari face backlash over new models and HP cuts its full-year outlook, alongside significant **M&A activity and corporate governance disputes**.

• Ferrari’s First Electric Car Runs Into Backlash in Italy and Beyond — The New York Times Business -
• Dick’s Sales Rise as Foot Locker Returns to Growth — Wall Street Journal -
• Bank of Montreal and Rival Lenders Lift Dividends on Back of Earnings Growth — Wall Street Journal -

• Lululemon Settles Dispute With Founder — Wall Street Journal -
• AkzoNobel Shares Jump After $14.5 Billion Nippon Paint, Sherwin-Williams Bid — Wall Street Journal -
• Synopsys to Add Elliott Partner to Board — Wall Street Journal -
• HP Cuts Full-Year Outlook Despite Higher Second-Quarter Profit, Revenue — Wall Street Journal -
• Universal Music Shareholder Deals Blow to Bill Ackman’s $65 Billion Bid — Wall Street Journal -
• Uber adds to its Delivery Hero stake at €12bn valuation — Financial Times -
• Uber bid for Delivery Hero would be an odd route to superapp status — Financial Times -
• For ailing Lululemon, going private might not be a stretch — Financial Times -
• Jamie Dimon says JPMorgan could spend up to $20bn on a new acquisition — Financial Times -
• Dulux owner AkzoNobel rejects €13bn attempt to gatecrash merger — Financial Times -
• The Trade Desk’s Fall From $69 Billion Digital-Ad Darling — Wall Street Journal -
• Lululemon shakes up board as part of truce with founder — Financial Times -
• Bath & Body Works Sales Fall Amid Turnaround Efforts — Wall Street Journal -
• Temu Owner PDD Posts Profit Miss Amid Fierce Competition in China — Wall Street Journal -
• Scotiabank Boosts Dividend Payout as Earnings Climb — Wall Street Journal -
• CVC Sells Naturgy Stake for $3.57 Billion — Wall Street Journal -
• Tesla Logs Strong Growth in European Monthly Sales — Wall Street Journal -

The energy sector is in flux with BP's leadership turmoil, a surge in nuclear power startups, Canada's strategic LNG deal with Germany, EU debates on carbon costs, and rising UK household energy bills, all against a backdrop of global supply risk concerns.

• Nuclear Power Startup Newcleo to Go Public in SPAC Deal — Wall Street Journal -
• Opinion | Republicans Shill for Solar Subsidies — Wall Street Journal -
• Energy & Utilities Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -

• BP’s Former Chairman, Albert Manifold, Disputes How Company Characterized His Dismissal — The New York Times Business -
• BP’s Ouster of Its Chairman Brings More Turmoil After Years of Upheaval — Wall Street Journal -
• ExxonMobil wins decisive backing to move corporate domicile to Texas — Financial Times -
• Six countries ask EU to shield heavy industry from carbon costs — Financial Times -
• European Gas Market Too Complacent on LNG Supply Risks — Wall Street Journal -
• BP Removes Chairman After Concerns About Bullying Behavior — Wall Street Journal -
• UK household energy bills to rise by 13% from July to two-year high — Financial Times -
• For failing water utilities, nationalisation is not a dirty word — Financial Times -
• UK consumers under pressure as rising energy costs squeeze household budgets — Financial Times -

Key workplace developments include Samsung workers' bonus deal tied to AI profits, the termination of a '60 Minutes' correspondent, settlements for journalists fired from Condé Nast, NYC hotel worker wage hikes, and an impending doctors' strike in England.

• CBS News Doesn’t Renew ‘60 Minutes’ Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi’s Contract — Wall Street Journal -
• Samsung Workers Approve Pay Deal Promising Bonuses That Could Top $400,000 — Wall Street Journal -
• Condé Nast Pays Over $400,000 to 3 Journalists Fired Over Protest — The New York Times Business -

• ’60 Minutes’ Journalist Sharyn Alfonsi Loses Deal After Dispute With Bari Weiss — The New York Times Business -
• Doctors in England to strike for 4 days in June — Financial Times -
• NYC Hotel Workers Are Getting a Hefty Pay Raise—and Guests Are Footing the Bill — Wall Street Journal -
• Samsung workers set for $400,000 bonus after deal to share AI profits — Financial Times -

The Trump administration's trade policies continue to influence tariff refunds and banking sector deregulation, with ECB warnings of financial crisis risks and significant outcomes in Texas political races shaping the domestic political landscape.

• Court Orders Customs Chief to Address Compliance on Refunding Tariffs — The New York Times Business -
• Paxton victory gives Democrats new hope in Texas Senate race — Financial Times -
• Want to predict central banker behaviour? Look to their birth date — Financial Times -

• Beth Ford Wants You to Know That American Farmers Are in Crisis — Wall Street Journal -
• Crypto Firms and Automakers Are Looking to Open Banks, at Trump’s Urging — The New York Times Business -
• How did Jay Powell do at the Fed? — Financial Times -
• France signals volte-face on ‘Made in Europe’ subsidies for UK car industry — Financial Times -
• UK retailers call for £2.60 small parcels charge to close customs loophole — Financial Times -
• Trump-backed candidate ousts Republican senator in Texas primary — Financial Times -

Retailers are experiencing varied performances, with Dick's sales rising while **Bath & Body Works faces declines, and the industry grapples with brand disputes like Fender's IP fight and the potential future impact of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs on consumer behavior and retail spaces**.

• Auto & Transport Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• The Brewing Fight Over the World’s Most Popular Electric Guitar — Wall Street Journal -
• Waitrose steps up competition for affluent shoppers with price cuts — Financial Times -

• Can GLP-1 drugs save the mall? — Financial Times -

The media landscape sees significant leadership transitions, like the passing of Donald Newhouse, and internal disputes within outlets like CBS News and Condé Nast, along with regulatory challenges for streamers like Netflix in Europe.

• KFF’s Chief Executive to Retire — The New York Times Business -
• Donald E. Newhouse, Low-Profile Heir to a Media Empire, Dies at 96 — The New York Times Business -
• Newspaper Magnate Donald Newhouse Dies at 96 — Wall Street Journal -

• Netflix hits out over German plan to make groups invest more in Europe — Financial Times -