Friday

• Researchers at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center found that annual U.S. cancer deaths linked to alcohol consumption more than doubled between 1990 and 2023. • Data published in The Lancet Regional Health — Americas shows these deaths rose from 11,361 in 1990 to 23,126 in 2023. • A separate report from the Association for Accessible Medicines warns that 90% of expensive biologic drugs facing patent expiration by 2034 lack lower-cost alternatives in development.

• Multiple new movies and series, including Vishwanath and Sons and The Revolutionaries, are releasing this Friday across various streaming platforms. • New content will be available for viewers on Netflix, JioHotstar, Prime Video, and ZEE5. • Streaming subscribers can access a variety of genres ranging from family dramas to historical accounts of India's fight for independence.

• Indian markets ended higher on Thursday after Sensex and Nifty reversed losses during the closing auction, snapping a three-session decline. • The Nifty formed a hammer pattern, indicating buying interest, despite crude oil prices rising above $102 and weak global cues. • The cautious sentiment in the market may impact stock prices, particularly for top trending stocks like SBI, Axis Bank, and HDFC Bank.

• The US economy will release two major inflation reports this week, with the Producer Price Index (PPI) on Thursday and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Friday. • Friday's CPI report is particularly anticipated after the previous week's strong jobs report, which may indicate a potential shift in inflation trends. • A high CPI reading could impact interest rates and the overall economy, affecting consumers and investors alike.

• Risk premiums reached multi-year lows on Friday despite a surge in global bond yields across the UK and Europe. • The VIX, a measure of market volatility, traded below 14 for the first time since December and ended the week near two-year lows. • JPMorgan credit default swaps, which act as insurance against a company defaulting on its debt, closed the week at a one-year low of 37.268.

• The August 28, 2026, episode of Science Friday explores the integration of AI in healthcare, specifically its role in transcribing patient visits, answering physician queries, and analyzing medical scans. • The program examines the balance between the efficiency benefits of medical AI and the potential risks associated with its implementation in clinical settings. • Additional segments cover the evolution of GPS from a specialized military tool to a global utility and the biological science behind "nervous system resets."

Victims have lost tens of thousands – and in one case £300,000 – due to fake emails from solicitor or estate agentYou are poised to move house and are awaiting the solicitor’s instructions that things are ready to go and it is time to hand over your deposit. When the email arrives giving you their bank details, you set up the transfer and move the cash. And then the solicitor calls to ask where the money is.Conveyancing fraud involves criminals getting access to an email chain between homebuyers and their solicitors or estate agents and requesting payment to a bank account they control. Sometimes the solicitor has been hacked, but often the homebuyer has been the victim of a phishing exercise. Continue reading...

• Indian equities ended a seven-session losing streak, with the Sensex surging 628 points and the Nifty gaining 154 points. • The market recovery was driven by a combination of falling US bond yields, short-covering, and overall stronger investor sentiment. • Despite the gains, analysts remain cautious due to ongoing geopolitical risks and elevated crude oil prices.

• Indian benchmark indices showed divergent trends on expiry day, with the Sensex gaining 114 points while the Nifty fell over 40 points. • Market sentiment was supported by softer inflation data, though elevated crude oil prices and geopolitical risks kept investors cautious and the Nifty rangebound. • Key focus areas for Friday include analysis by Aswath Damodaran on why major firms like Reliance and L&T are pursuing acquisitions.

• On Thursday, August 6, 2026, the FDA granted accelerated approval to vusolimogene oderparepvec (Tudriqev), also known as RP1, for use in combination with nivolumab (Opdivo). • This genetically modified oncolytic viral therapy is specifically indicated for adults with unresectable advanced cutaneous melanoma who have seen disease progression after anti-PD-1-based therapy. • Karim Mikhail, acting director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, stated that the approval provides more patients with a "fighting chance" against advanced cancer.

• Indian stock markets are showing resilience and bullish momentum, with analysts noting that Nifty remaining above 24,600 is a key indicator for continued growth. • Market stability is currently being driven by easing crude oil prices and a stable policy outlook from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). • Broader market strength is further supported by improving corporate earnings expectations and strategic stock-specific buying.

• President Donald Trump has threatened that Iran will be "hit very hard" if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened "very soon." • Despite these threats, a Gulf official indicates there is a 50-50 chance of an Iran-Oman deal regarding the strait by Friday. • While Tehran denies current talks with the US, sources suggest technical negotiations are expected to resume Thursday morning, provided ground developments allow.

• Major League Baseball teams conducted several roster moves on Friday, including significant changes for the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles. • The Athletics designated RHP Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang for assignment, selected SS Jonathan Ornelas' contract from Las Vegas, and optioned LHP Connor Thomas and RF Colby Thomas to the minors. • The Baltimore Orioles designated catcher Chadwick Tromp for assignment as part of their roster adjustments.

• US borrowing costs reached a 19-year high as the Federal Reserve maintained its stance despite inflation concerns, while the Bank of England kept UK interest rates steady at 3.75%. • Samsung Electronics reported a massive 250-fold increase in chip operating income, though a broader sell-off in AI suppliers pressured several Asian markets. • China's "national team" intervened to support domestic indices ahead of CXMT’s initial public offering, offsetting regional losses and helping the Hang Seng Index close up 0.2% at 25,859.

In today’s newsletter: ​The legal protections once considered foundational ​in conflict are now routinely bypassed​,​ with healthcare personnel treated as legitimate targetsGood morning. While you were asleep, Donald Trump claimed a deal had been reached for the “complete disarmament of Hamas” in Gaza. His announcement, characteristically, does not yet seem watertight, with briefings from both sides revealing points of contention, and as such is being treated with caution by some world leaders.As anyone paying attention knows, the conflict has seen Israel and Hamas accused of war crimes, and two years ago, the international criminal court issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu. Elsewhere in the region, the Israel-US military operation in Iran has been repeatedly declared as “illegal”. That label now feels almost obsolete on the global stage, as laws are ignored, norms tossed aside, and multinational institutions degraded.England news | Hundreds of people have been evacuated and a major incident declared after a wildfire spread over more than 80 hectares (200 acres) on the coast of Suffolk, just a few miles from the Sizewell B nuclear power station.UK politics | Labour has accused Reform UK of being “up to its neck in sleaze” as it called on the Electoral Commission to urgently investigate substantial donations made to the party by the mother of a convicted fraudster.Middle East | Donald Trump has said a deal has been reached for Hamas to disarm and for Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza, however briefings from both sides exposed disputes over its implementation that could prove difficult to overcome.Europe | The Spanish government is deploying extra troops and police officers to its north African enclave of Ceuta after thousands of people swam and waded into the tiny territory from neighbouring Morocco in a matter of hours.UK news | The co-founder of Palestine Action has won permission to challenge the ban against the group at the UK’s highest court. Continue reading...

F-16 fighter jet intercepted drone in Romanian airspace over Black Sea, defence minister saysRomania has said it was summoning Russia’s ambassador after the Nato member’s military shot down the third drone in as many days.Romania has experienced frequent drone incursions since Russia launched its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but had not shot down any until Friday. Continue reading...

• Major League Baseball teams announced several roster moves on Friday, including transactions for the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles. • The Athletics optioned RHP Yunior Tur to Las Vegas, recalled RHP Luis Morales from the same affiliate, and signed SS Jonathan Ornelas to a minor league contract. • The Baltimore Orioles recalled LHP Josh Walker from their Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk.

• Ipsen announced that its drug Bylvay failed to meet the primary objective in a late-stage clinical trial for biliary atresia, a rare liver disease in infants. • The study failed to demonstrate that Bylvay improved native liver survival rates when compared to a placebo. • This result is significant because biliary atresia is the leading cause of pediatric liver transplants and currently has no approved therapeutic options other than surgery.

• The Sensex and Nifty indices have declined for four consecutive sessions, driven by rising crude oil prices and escalating tensions between the US and Iran. • Market analysts highlight significant risks including rising inflation, bearish technical indicators, and persistent volatility affecting investor sentiment. • The Nifty index is expected to face strong resistance near the 24,000 mark as it struggles to recover from the recent downturn.

• Defending champions Vietnam will begin their title defense for the Asean Hyundai Cup 2026 this Friday, July 24. • Led by coach Kim Sang-sik, the Vietnamese squad will face qualifiers Timor-Leste in their opening Group A match held in Chonburi. • The tournament features a competitive field including teams from Cambodia, Singapore, and Indonesia, marking a significant regional football event.

• Most major Western European stock indices closed lower on Friday, with declines including Italy's FTSE MIB (-0.94%), France's CAC 40 (-0.47%), Spain's IBEX 35 (-0.45%), and Germany's DAX (-0.34%). • The UK's FTSE 100 was the sole exception to the downward trend, remaining resilient while other regional markets fell. • Market pressure was driven by escalating tensions in the Middle East and a sell-off in semiconductor stocks due to concerns over inflated valuations.

• Punjab National Bank (PNB) reported a 12.85% growth in global business for Q1 FY27, with advances growth outpacing deposit growth. • Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) expanded its international footprint by acquiring the remaining stake in a Brazilian oil company. • PNB's accelerated credit growth suggests a strategic shift toward relying on its loan book to drive business expansion.

• Americans are seeking clarification on whether banks, the USPS, FedEx, and stock markets are operational on Friday, July 3. • The inquiry stems from the proximity of the date to the Independence Day holiday, which typically affects business hours and federal services. • Determining these schedules is critical for individuals and businesses needing to complete financial transactions or ship packages before the holiday weekend.

In today’s newsletter: As official celebrations spotlight a narrow cast of ​white heroes, communities across the US are reclaiming the histories that Freedom 250 leaves outGood morning, and a very happy 250th birthday to the United States of America. If you prefer to celebrate with cage fighting on the White House lawn, an IndyCar rally through the streets of Washington DC, or simply by watching the president do his lonely bop to YMCA at a sparsely attended state fair, so much the better.It takes a special kind of someone to make the semiquincentennial birthday of a nation of 349 million people, from a whole variety of backgrounds, all about himself. But he wouldn’t be the only one centred on a very particular (white, male, Christian-centric) view of how the nation came to be.UK news | Women from Black and Asian backgrounds are less likely than their white counterparts to receive an epidural while giving birth, research has revealed.Ukraine | Ukraine and Russia have promised fresh assaults after Moscow launched a huge barrage on Kyiv, killing at least 27 people, tearing open apartment buildings and sending tens of thousands of people to shelters.UK news | Criminal investigators in the UK say they have uncovered a “truly international network” of organised drug-facilitated sexual assault in which victims are sedated before being raped and sexually assaulted.UK politics | Keir Starmer has formally apologised for the British state’s role in past forced adoptions after decades of campaigning by mothers and children affected.World news | A rescue team pulled a 43-year-old security guard alive from a collapsed basement, ending an operation that became a symbol of hope after the devastation of twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela. Continue reading...

• Indian equities recently rallied, with the Sensex gaining nearly 580 points following a drop in crude oil prices and dovish remarks from the US Federal Reserve. • Market sentiment was further bolstered by easing tensions in the Middle East, which helped lower energy costs and improve investor confidence. • Analysts indicate that Friday's market action will be primarily driven by Q1 earnings reports, upcoming US jobs data, and the outcomes of the India–Japan summit.

• The HinduBusinessLine has launched a contest called "Bandu's Blockbusters" inviting participants to predict the top-performing stock by next Friday. • Users who correctly guess the stock that provides the best return within the specified timeframe can win a prize of ₹2,000. • This initiative engages readers by gamifying stock market analysis and encouraging active tracking of short-term equity trends.

• A court ruling on Thursday dealt another blow to Donald Trump's voter suppression efforts leading up to the November midterm elections. • The decision follows a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing where Postmaster General David Steiner was questioned by Democrats regarding the handling of absentee ballots. • Senator Gary Peters of Michigan specifically challenged Steiner on whether the Postal Service would continue mailing ballots if a state refused to share its voter list with the federal government.