Uncertain

• Rendementen op staatsobligaties stijgen en het pond daalt ten opzichte van de dollar terwijl beleggers zich voorbereiden op een mogelijke wisseling van de Labour-top. • Business live – laatste updates • Britse politiek live – laatste updates

• The S&P 500 fell 0.4% or 28.01 points to 7,337.11 on Thursday, retreating from its all-time high, while the Dow dropped 313.62 points or 0.6% to 49,596.97 and Nasdaq slipped 0.1% or 32.75 points to 25,806.20. • Oil prices yo-yoed due to Wall Street's waiting on hopes for a deal to end the Iran war, with earlier sharp swings from dashed expectations of reopening the Strait of Hormuz; Iran created a government agency to vet and tax vessels passing through, potentially raising fuel costs. • Standouts included Axon Enterprise rallying 10.6% after raising its revenue forecast due to counter-drone product growth, and Albemarle rising 3% on better-than-expected results, while Shake Shack tumbled 28.3% and Whirlpool fell 11.9% on weak earnings.

• DMK allies including IUML, VCK, and Left parties met Chief Minister MK Stalin amid TVK chief Vijay's ongoing bid to form the Tamil Nadu government following recent elections. • Sources indicate IUML is open to supporting TVK externally but only with Stalin's approval, reflecting delicate coalition dynamics. • The meetings highlight persistent uncertainty two days post-polls, as DMK maneuvers to counter TVK's majority claim.

State can meet fuel demand for next six weeks with its current supply, its energy commission vice-chair said. Plus, alleged Jeffrey Epstein suicide note unsealed by federal judgeGood morning.Gas prices have risen above $6 in California – but there is yet more uncertainty on the horizon after the last oil tanker from the Middle East arrived in the state this week.What do we know about progress on a deal? Axios reported on Wednesday that Washington and Tehran were close to agreeing on a memorandum of understanding to end the war. Officials in Pakistan told the Guardian that an initial framework could possibly be agreed within 48 hours – but that nothing was certain and talks remained “difficult”.Head to our liveblog for the latest. Continue reading...

With gas more than $6 in state, delivery of some 2m barrels is last planned shipment to pass through strait of HormuzMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe average price of a gallon of gas in California already stands at more than $6, but more uncertainty looms as the last oil tanker headed from the Middle East arrived in the Golden state this week.The Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday that the New Corolla, which left the Middle East for California before the war broke out, is delivering some 2m barrels of crude oil from Iraq to Long Beach. It was the last planned shipment to pass through the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...

• Actor-turned-politician Vijay's newly formed AMMK Makkala Needhi Maiam (TVK) party has dramatically disrupted Tamil Nadu's traditional Dravidian political landscape, preventing any single party from securing an outright majority and leaving the state with a hung assembly requiring coalition negotiations. • The TVK's emergence represents a significant challenge to decades of DMK-AIADMK duopoly in one of India's most politically important southern states, forcing previously dominant parties to recalibrate their governance strategies. • Political analysts question whether Vijay, despite his mass appeal as a film star, can successfully navigate coalition politics and complex state governance with limited political experience.

• The US Navy fired upon and seized an Iranian-flagged vessel amid escalating tensions in the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which began with airstrikes on February 28, 2026, targeting Iranian leadership and nuclear sites. • President Trump confirmed the action, occurring as Iran's retaliatory strikes hit Israel and US bases, compounded by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupting global oil supplies. • Oil prices have exceeded $100 per barrel, prompting IEA nations to release strategic reserves; the incident dims prospects for peace talks and amplifies economic fallout worldwide.