Daily Briefing — July 13, 2026 | Middle East Escalation, AI Reassessment, and a Pivotal Week for Central Banks

Markets opened the week with a jolt as renewed U.S.-Iran hostilities and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent oil prices surging and global equities tumbling. South Korea's KOSPI plunged nearly 9 percent, triggering a circuit breaker, while European and U.S. futures pointed to further weakness ahead. This episode covers the day's market action across Asia, Europe, and the U.S., the implications of rising geopolitical risk for energy markets and inflation, and the growing reassessment of AI-related stocks after months of relentless gains. We also preview a pivotal week for central banks: Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh prepares for his first congressional testimony, the ECB signals caution after its first rate hike in nearly three years, and the Bank of Japan faces mounting pressure as the yen weakens. With U.S. inflation data and the start of second-quarter earnings season on tap, this is a week that could set the tone for the rest of the summer. Produced by Slotly News — still being built, but already tracking the stories that matter.