Daily Briefing — May 21, 2026 | Fed Minutes Reveal Deep Divides, Oil Retreats on Iran Peace Hopes, Nvidia Caps Historic Tech Earnings Season

Global financial markets navigated a complex crosscurrent of developments on Thursday, May 21, as freshly released Federal Reserve minutes exposed the deepest divisions within the US central bank in over three decades. Four policymakers dissented at the April meeting—the most since 1992—while a growing bloc signaled openness to raising interest rates if inflation proves persistent. The news arrives just weeks before Kevin Warsh assumes the Fed chairmanship. Meanwhile, oil prices retreated sharply, with Brent sliding toward 105andWTIdippingbelow105andWTIdippingbelow100, after President Trump paused planned military action against Iran and signaled a "very good chance" of a diplomatic agreement. The rally in risk assets pushed the S&P 500 up 1.08 percent and Japan's Nikkei surged more than 3 percent, though Chinese equities bucked the trend amid disappointing PMI data. In Europe, France's composite PMI slumped to a 66-month low of 43.5, while Germany's reading edged just above contraction territory. Nvidia's earnings, due after the closing bell, cap a historic quarter for the Magnificent Seven, whose combined capex is forecast to grow 33 percent in 2026. This episode provides in-depth coverage of central bank policy, bond and currency markets, equity indices across the US, Europe, and Asia, commodity price action, and the technology sector's AI-driven earnings momentum—all presented with neutral, fact-based analysis. This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice.