Finance

The European Central Bank has chosen 36 payment service providers, including Deutsche Bank, UniCredit, and Revolut, to participate in a 12-month pilot programme for the digital euro, aiming to reduce reliance on US-based payment processors.

Wall Street seesawed on Wednesday as positive wholesale inflation data and strong earnings from ASML were offset by a sharp decline in chip stocks and geopolitical tensions over Iran.

Satya Nadella argues firms pay twice for AI, while investors question whether $630bn in projected 2026 spending justifies current valuations.

Fundstrat strategist Sean Farrell cites improving liquidity conditions and potential legislative clarity as key drivers for the digital asset rally.

Laughing Water Capital’s Q2 2026 letter details strong fund performance and identifies Lifecore Biomedical as a likely takeover target following preferred share redemptions.

The renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered warnings from market participants that global oil supplies are nearing a critical deficit, with strategic buffers significantly diminished.

Morgan Stanley and ASML Holding lead gains as analysts project 23.3 per cent S&P 500 earnings growth, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit expansion.

Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures posted gains on 15 July 2026 ahead of key producer price index release and major corporate reports.

The Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority is pursuing a category-by-category assessment of digital assets to align with Shariah principles, a move critical to Islamabad’s licensing framework and cross-border payment ambitions.

Alphabet Inc. has announced a significant capital raise to expand artificial intelligence and cloud computing capacity, while simultaneously increasing its planned capital spending for 2026 to between $180 billion and $190 billion.

BMW has reinforced its position as the leading luxury brand in the United States, recording strong second-quarter sales that contrast sharply with a 30.2 per cent decline in China. The divergence has compelled the German manufacturer to revise its full-year profit outlook.

While the company officially describes the reductions as affecting a small number of roles, employee testimony suggests up to 500 positions may be cut, representing 1.8 per cent of the total workforce.

The U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois has granted class action status to a lawsuit alleging that Risinger Brothers Transfer Inc. misclassified drivers as independent contractors while governing them as employees, resulting in wage deductions that violated the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The world’s second-largest economy recorded a growth rate of 4.3 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, falling below the Chinese government’s full-year target range and highlighting persistent challenges in momentum.

The US Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has approved Circle’s application for the Circle National Trust, marking a significant shift in how the stablecoin issuer manages its reserves.

Managed money funds increased net long positions by 7,121 contracts, while the Cotlook A Index holds steady at 89.75 cents amid shifting macroeconomic headwinds.

The European Commission has granted permission for Ukraine to utilise a portion of a scheduled €6 billion financial tranche to procure specific goods experiencing scarcity within the European market, explicitly allowing for the purchase of drone parts from Chinese suppliers.

A Financial Times analysis published on 15 July 2026 indicates that restrictions on critical metals are altering global trade dynamics and encouraging protectionist policies.

While the top 1% of senior households hold over $21.7 million, the median net worth sits at $394,000, and insurance premiums continue to erode household budgets.

Investors and analysts are optimistic about the company’s long-term growth trajectory, citing strong momentum in cloud computing and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.

With negative preannouncements remaining low and estimates rising, the second quarter is on track for the seventh consecutive period of double-digit growth for the benchmark index.

With Bitcoin trading below its average acquisition cost and broader risk assets under pressure, Strategy maintains its 843,775 BTC position while bolstering its dollar reserves.

US President Donald Trump faces a high-stakes confrontation with Iran, with reports of threats against nuclear infrastructure raising concerns about prolonged conflict and regional instability.

The US president replaces proposed maritime toll with regional investment, coinciding with renewed military operations amid heightened tensions with Iran.

Wheat contracts opened with mixed action on Monday, holding near unchanged levels following a significant rally driven by reports of restricted Russian exports through the Don-Azov channel.

The $2 billion reconfiguration of the former TSI Semiconductors site marks a strategic pivot to domestic silicon carbide manufacturing, with commercial output targeted for later this year.

The move implements President Donald Trump’s May executive order but stops short of requiring banks to collect citizenship data, a measure the industry had feared.

Consensus estimates point to diluted earnings per share of $3.95 for the fiscal second quarter, but shares have lagged the broader market over the past year.

The technology giant’s investment underscores the resilience of renewable energy markets against administrative efforts to curtail tax incentives.

The Tulsa-based energy infrastructure firm is set to report fiscal second-quarter 2026 results, with market expectations pointing to an adjusted earnings per share of $0.52, driven by robust demand from the data centre sector and LNG export facilities.

A republished analysis from ETFTrends.com via Yahoo Finance argues that the Guggenheim Ultra Short Income ETF (GCSH) offers a tax-efficient alternative for investors navigating persistent inflation and shifting interest rate expectations.

Jeff Bezos and Coatue Management lead round as commercial space sector intensifies following SpaceX’s record-breaking initial public offering.

The social media giant’s commitment to local infrastructure and tax revenue boosts contrasts with pushback from environmental groups over financing structures and energy consumption.

While Asian technology fundraising hit a record $84 billion for the year to July 10, market participants caution that 'me-too' listings will struggle to replicate the demand seen in SK Hynix’s recent market debut.

Major US investment banks have posted record financial results, attributing the performance to heightened market activity surrounding the SpaceX debut and sustained investor interest in artificial intelligence technologies.

The technology giant’s stock dropped sharply as clients redirected capital to artificial intelligence servers and storage, even as broader US markets rose on diplomatic news.

The Vanguard Information Technology ETF has delivered a year-to-date return of 23.3%, significantly outpacing the S&P 500’s 10.3% gain, though rising infrastructure costs are testing the sustainability of AI spending.

Analyst Kutgun Maral highlights the company’s path to reshaping humanity, though he cautions that Starship scaling and commercial traction in broadband and computing sectors remain unproven.

The fund returned 2.45 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, lagging the benchmark’s 15.20 per cent gain, with ConocoPhillips identified as the primary performance detractor.

CEO Jamie Dimon cites favourable conditions and AI-driven investment, but flags geopolitical tensions and inflation as underlying threats to stability.

First-quarter net sales rose 6.7% and digital growth hit 8.9%, with leadership targeting the back-to-school season to prove sustained recovery against Walmart and Amazon.

America’s diplomats, who previously held global sway, are now facing significant pressure from President Donald Trump, coinciding with heightened tensions following the reported downing of a US helicopter.

Strong trading activity propels JPMorgan Chase’s profits higher, setting a high bar for Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo as they prepare to release their own quarterly results.

A new analysis from Yahoo Finance questions the suitability of annuities for investors with savings exceeding $2 million, citing high fees and conflicts of interest despite record-breaking industry sales.