The Open Bell — Ep. 021 — 21 Jul 2026

Today on The Open Bell: Nine consecutive nights of US strikes on Iranian targets have pushed oil back above $90 a barrel, and if you think that's a story about geopolitics and not about your petrol bill or your mortgage, today's episode will change your mind. US 30-year mortgage rates just hit their highest point in nearly a year, and the reason ties directly back to that same conflict, because oil, inflation expectations, and borrowing costs are more connected than most people realise until it's already showing up in their monthly payment. Then, a single sentence from an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman in the middle of the night sent chipmaker stocks rallying across Asia by 1.7%, which tells you everything about how tightly wound markets are to every signal out of Tehran right now. If today's episode helped connect some dots, a five-star rating takes about three seconds and helps the next listener 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 00:17 Brent Crude Tops $90 as US Launches 9th Night of Iran Strike 03:06 US 30-Year Mortgage Rate Hits 6.55%, Highest in Nearly a Yea 05:00 Closing thoughtsSupport the show