UK real GDP expanded 0.6% in the first quarter of 2026, but the OECD has since cut its full-year growth forecast to 0.7% and raised its inflation call to 4.0%.
Posted inGeopolitics
Trump delays Iran strike after Gulf leaders intervene, citing imminent deal
Trump called off a scheduled Iran strike on May 18 after three Gulf leaders asked him to hold off, saying the parties are very close to a deal.
Posted inWorld
Drone strikes Barakah nuclear plant perimeter in first Gulf reactor attack
A drone breached UAE air defenses on May 17 to strike Barakah nuclear plant’s outer perimeter, causing no radiation leak but prompting IAEA alarm.
Posted inTech
Nvidia H200 sales cleared by Washington, blocked by Beijing
The U.S. approved H200 chip sales to ten Chinese firms including Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance — up to 75,000 chips each — but not a single unit has shipped as Beijing steers buyers away from American hardware.
Posted inMarkets
Circle posts record Q1 revenue as USDC bet hinges on CLARITY Act
Circle Internet Group reported $694 million in Q1 2026 revenue, up 20% year-on-year, but the stablecoin issuer’s path back to its $300 high depends on U.S. stablecoin legislation clearing Congress.
Posted inEconomy
US consumer prices hit 3.8% in April, highest since May 2023
April CPI rose 3.8% year-on-year — driven by a 28% surge in gasoline costs tied to the Iran conflict — pushing the 10-year Treasury yield to the cusp of 4.5% and repricing Fed rate-cut expectations.
Posted inGeopolitics
Trump’s troop pullout threatens the town that lives beside America’s army
The planned withdrawal of 5,000 U.S. soldiers from Vilseck, Bavaria would remove roughly double the town’s own population and strip it of more than $800 million in annual revenue.
Posted inWorld
Ukraine hits Moscow with largest drone strike in over a year
Ukraine launched roughly 500 drones overnight on May 17, killing four people including three in the Moscow region and striking debris near Sheremetyevo Airport.
Posted inTech
EU Parliament delays AI Act high-risk rules to December 2027
EU Parliament voted to delay AI Act high-risk system rules until December 2027, while backing a ban on nudifier AI systems in a broader simplification package.
Posted inMarkets
Oil spikes to $109 and Wall Street falls as Trump rejects Iran peace deal
Brent crude surged to $109 a barrel on Friday and the S&P 500 fell 0.88 percent as Trump rejected a proposed framework to ease tensions with Iran.