U.S. Economy
Nvidia AI chip rivals attract record funding as competition heats up
This report is from this week’s The Tech Download newsletter. Like what you see? You can subscribe here. Nvidia has cemented itself at the heart of the AI boom with a monopoly on the most powerful chips to train and run models, but a growing crop of startups are set on challenging the company’s supremacy. And […]
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U.S. tech companies ramp up government lobbying amid Iran war uncertainty
U.S. tech companies are ramping up lobbying of government officials at home and further afield amid the Iran war, as they look to defend their interests and map out contingency plans, industry insiders told CNBC. Conflict in the Middle East has thrown the global business sector into disarray, with oil prices skyrocketing and supply chains […]
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If a violent downturn strikes the market, new ETF strategies may be vulnerable. Here’s why
ETF Edge If a violent downturn strikes the market, new ETF strategies may be vulnerable. Here’s why Published Fri, Apr 17 20267:00 AM EDT Blair Bao WATCH LIVE Source
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Spain touts energy resilience to Iran war as Trump tensions cast shadow over trade
Wind turbines operated by Gamesa Eloica SA near Zaragoza, Spain, on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Renewables are helping cushion the blow of higher oil and gas prices in Europe. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo lauded the country’s energy resilience to the Iran war, saying a pivot to solar and […]
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Don’t call time on dollar dominance just yet, say analysts as ‘petroyuan’ call sparks debate
Dieter SPannknebel | Getty Images The U.S. dollar suffered in 2025 as investors embraced the “Sell America” trade, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates, and the greenback was dealt a policy and fiscal credibility shock. The war in Iran has helped shore-up the dollar so far in 2026, but the future of the global reserve […]
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‘Guns vs. butter’: IMF flags tough trade-offs as governments ramp up defense spending
Members of Houthi security forces stand guard as supporters of Yemen’s Houthis movement participate in a rally held to mark the 11th anniversary of the military campaign launched by the Saudi-led coalition on March 26, 2026 in Sana’a, Yemen. Mohammed Hamoud | Getty Images News | Getty Images A new era of higher defense spending […]
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OpenAI pulls back from Stargate Norway data center deal as Microsoft takes over
OpenAI has abandoned plans to rent compute capacity directly from a Norwegian data center, days after confirming it paused a similar project in the U.K. Microsoft is taking the extra compute previously earmarked for OpenAI at a planned 230MW “Stargate Norway” facility in Narvik. OpenAI is now in discussions to rent capacity from Microsoft instead, […]
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U.S. Treasury yields hold steady as markets eye Middle East resolution
Traders work at the New York Stock Exchange on Feb. 18, 2026. NYSE U.S. Treasury yields were little changed on Wednesday as investors monitored signals from the White House that talks to resolve the Middle East conflict will resume this week. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note — the key benchmark for government borrowing […]
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Treasury yields are steady after light producer prices reading, fall in oil prices
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at the opening bell on March 5, 2026 in New York City. Angela Weiss | Afp | Getty Images Treasury yields held steady on Tuesday following a softer-than-expected producer price index reading and as oil prices slid amid the latest developments in […]
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The Iran war could cost the American taxpayer $1 trillion, says Harvard academic
Source: U.S. Navy | Flickr The Iran war could end up costing U.S. taxpayers far more than official figures suggest, according to the analysis of one Harvard academic. The first 6 days of the the joint U.S.-Israeli operation against the Islamic Republic, beginning February 28, racked up costs of $11.3 billion, according to the Pentagon’s […]
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