WS #10840

The dominant theme remains the sharp escalation of the Iran-US confrontation, which is actively hostile and escalating. Multiple sources confirm a new phase of conflict: an Iranian drone hit an oil tanker carrying two million barrels of crude near the Strait of Hormuz, and US forces shot down two drones targeting commercial vessels. The US has retaliated with strikes on Iranian missile/drone storage and radar sites. This escalation counters the previous ceasefire narrative and has already driven Brent crude up significantly. Separately, Hezbollah's rejection of the Lebanon-Israel framework agreement adds geopolitical risk in the Middle East. The European heatwave continues to disrupt energy infrastructure, with Hungary's Paks nuclear plant cutting output due to high cooling water temperatures. On the tech front, Apple is seeking US approval to buy RAM from Chinese blacklisted firm CXMT to address a memory shortage that has already forced price increases on Mac, iPad, and other products. Micron and Qualcomm's strong forecasts have boosted chipmaker shares, adding over $400 billion in market value. The ECB's Schnabel warned that price pressures could remain stronger than anticipated. Bolivia has shifted to a flexible exchange rate regime after 15 years of a fixed rate, addressing a severe dollar shortage and high inflation.