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The Daily Briefing · Monday, August 17, 2026
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Brent Tops $88 as US Threatens New Iran Sanctions
Brent crude rose above $88 a barrel Friday, gaining more than 5% for the week, as Washington previewed its eighth round of Iran sanctions
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Also today
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German Factory Investment in US Falls to Three, Year Low
German direct foreign investment in the US hit €4.3B in H1 2026, the lowest first, half figure since 2023, per the German Economic Institute (IW).
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China July Credit Contraction Hits Record 340B Yuan
New yuan loans fell a record 340B yuan in July, the second 2026 contraction, missing the forecast of positive 45B yuan by the widest margin on record.
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Taco Bell Under Federal Probe After Cyclospora Outbreak
Federal investigators have tied 1,947 Cyclospora cases and 98 hospitalizations directly to Taco Bell locations across multiple states.
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Nubank App Posts First $1B Profit Quarter
Nu Holdings posted Q2 2026 net income of $1.06 billion, up 49% year, over, year, the company's first billion, dollar profit quarter in its history.
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Brent Gains 1.67% as Oil Refinery Crack Spreads Soar
Brent crude settled at $88.52/bbl on August 14, a 1.67% gain, with the crude risk premium capped by weak underlying demand signals.
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Bessent Plans Iran Isolation; Chinese Refinery Curbs Eyed
Bessent told Newsmax on Aug. 13 that new measures against Iran would arrive "next week," describing them as unprecedented in scope.
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More headlines
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Paramount Studios Stock Jumps 9.4% Amid Warner Deal Pause
PSKY closed at $10.14, up 9.4% on the week, extending an eight, session winning streak that has added roughly 20% to the stock.
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Europe Captures 72.6% of Global Equity Fund Inflows
European equity funds drew $3.52 billion in net inflows, representing 72.6% of global equity fund net flows for the period.
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Unitree Prices Shanghai IPO at $9B as Crypto Bets $38B
Unitree priced 40.45 million shares at 150.80 yuan ($22.34), valuing the company at 61 billion yuan (~$9B) on STAR Market ticker 688836.
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AMD Surges 6.5% as $4.75B Bond Funds Instinct AI
AMD priced $4.75 billion in four, tranche investment, grade notes with coupons from 4.60% to 5.50%, its largest, ever US dollar bond deal.
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Intel's $20B Share Offering Fuels Fab Expansion
Intel priced 210.5 million shares at $95, upsizing from $15 billion after orders topped $100 billion.
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Nvidia Stock Portfolio Hits $63B on Intel, SpaceX Stakes
Nvidia's 13F filing reveals $63.44B in equities; Intel ($29.99B) and SpaceX ($20.98B) together represent 80.3% of holdings.
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Walmart, Home Depot Set Consumer Stress Test
Four of the country's largest retailers report Q2 2026 results in a compressed three, day stretch as FOMC minutes land Wednesday after July retail sales dropped 0.6%.
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Momentum Stocks Chart a Stealth Bear Market Beneath Record Highs
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index entered bear market territory, down more than 25% from its late, June record of 14,655.
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Inflation Expectations Hit 4.3% on Iran War Shock
Year, ahead inflation expectations rose to 4.3% in August from 4.2% in July, the highest reading since the Iran war disrupted global energy markets.
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Video of the day
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The Game of Hot Potato: Why Commodity ETFs Hide a Secret Fee
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The Daily Briefing from Pomegra. Market news, educational content only. Nothing here is investment advice.
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