The Open Bell — Ep. 014 — 13 Jul 2026

Today on The Open Bell: U.S. forces struck Iranian targets overnight and Brent crude is back above $79 a barrel, which means the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel that carries roughly a quarter of the world's oil, is doing what it always does when tensions flare: making everyone's petrol bill a geopolitical problem. A 300-page housing affordability bill just became U.S. law, and buried inside it is a provision that blocks any government-issued digital dollar until at least 2031, which is the kind of thing that gets five words in the press release and turns out to matter quite a lot. Australia's rate markets are quietly pricing in another hike from the Reserve Bank in August, and if you want to understand why that's worth watching beyond Sydney, consider that Australian households carry some of the heaviest mortgage debt in the world and petrol is already creeping back up. If this helped you make sense of today, a five-star rating takes about ten seconds and genuinely helps other people find the show. Hosted by Alex Monroe. New episodes every weekday morning at theopenbell.co Not investment advice. For informational purposes only. --- Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:15 New U.S. Iran Strikes Send Brent Crude Back Above $79 a Barr 03:03 U.S. Housing Affordability Act Becomes Law, Banning Fed Digi 05:52 Australia's Rate Market Prices Fresh Tightening as RBA Augus 07:58 Closing thoughtsSupport the show