Iran
Power cuts and blackouts: Why can’t Iraq keep the lights on?
Iraq was plunged into a nationwide blackout earlier this week, as a temperature surge to 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50° Celcius) — and subsequent spiking demand for electricity — pushed the country’s faltering power grid to the breaking point. For a country that has seen as much conflict and instability as Iraq, this could come as […]
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European powers threaten ‘snapback sanctions’ if Iran doesn’t return to nuclear talks
The flag of Iran is seen in front of the building of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Headquarters on May 24, 2021 in Vienna, Austria. Michael Gruber | Getty Images News | Getty Images France, the U.K. and Germany have told the United Nations they support reinstating snapback sanctions on Iran, if it doesn’t […]
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With Trump pressure and a ‘new Lebanon,’ can Hezbollah’s shadow economy be dismantled?
Key Points “Hezbollah finds itself in its greatest predicament since its foundation,” one regional expert told CNBC. Hezbollah makes money from industries like banking and construction, but also runs international drug trafficking and smuggling operations as far afield as Bulgaria and Argentina. Its revenues are estimated in the billions of dollars annually. Following Israel’s aggressive […]
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Israel’s stock market outperforms Middle East counterparts despite multi-front wars
A missile is intercepted over Tel Aviv on June 20, 2025, after a Iran fired a fresh salvo of missiles. John Wessels | Afp | Getty Images Israel’s stock market is at a record high and has seen the greatest gains of any country in the Middle East over the 22 months of war that […]
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New U.S. assessment finds American strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites
A satellite view shows an overview of Fordow underground complex, after the U.S. struck the underground nuclear facility, near Qom, Iran June 22, 2025. Maxar Technologies | Via Reuters WASHINGTON — One of the three nuclear enrichment sites in Iran struck by the United States last month was mostly destroyed, setting work there back significantly. […]
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Embattled Iran slams consequences of war on oil markets
Dilara Irem Sancar | Anadolu | Getty Images Iran’s oil minister on Wednesday criticized the effects of war-led disruptions to oil markets, weeks after Tehran’s 12-day hostilities with Israel sent crude price soaring. In remarks via videoconference for the OPEC seminar in Vienna, Mohsen Paknejad said, “Whatever the cause, an aggression of war that leads […]
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The euro is soaring — and Trump’s policies could push it even higher
The euro has seen significant gains against the dollar amid uncertainty around President Trump’s tariffs policies. Matt Cardy | Getty Images News | Getty Images The euro’s global importance will continue to strengthen this year while political forces fuel further gains against the U.S. dollar, according to central bankers and strategists. Speaking at an economic […]
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CNBC Daily Open: Keeping a cool head paid off for investors
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks with US President Donald Trump as they attend the North Atlantic Council plenary meeting at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 25, 2025. Ludovic Marin | Via Reuters What a first half of the year it has been. In the first six months, […]
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Why oil prices swung so wildly during the Iran-Israel conflict and where the market goes from here
The oil market is assuming a bearish tilt after the Iran-Israel conflict ended in a ceasefire this week, with President Donald Trump hinting he could loosen sanctions against the Islamic Republic’s crude exports. The 12-day conflict drove oil prices sharply higher and then lower as traders gauged the odds of a major supply disruption. U.S. […]
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Why fund managers are loading up on defense stocks
Fund managers are getting more bullish on defense stocks, with recent conflicts in the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent as well as NATO allies’ pledges to raise defense spending boosting prospects of the arms industry. The sector has seen robust gains this year and analysts suggest the interest in defense will grow further. The MSCI […]
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