The Open Bell — Ep. 036 — 11 Aug 2026

Today on The Open Bell: Iran's foreign minister just ruled out direct talks with Washington and renewed demands over the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that 20% of the world's oil supply passes through, and crude is already up 5% this week, which means this isn't a geopolitical footnote, it's heading straight for your petrol bill. Berkshire Hathaway posted a 16% jump in quarterly profits and then did something its famously cautious new CEO Greg Abel hadn't done before at this scale: spent big on buying back its own shares, and when a company sitting on one of the largest cash piles in American corporate history decides now is the time to spend it, that's a signal worth paying attention to. If today's episode was worth your commute, a five-star rating helps someone else find the show tomorrow. Hosted by Alex Monroe. New episodes every weekday morning at theopenbell.co Not investment advice. For informational purposes only. --- Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:16 Iran Rejects Hormuz Deal Terms, WTI Crude Surges 5% to $82 03:15 Berkshire Hathaway Surges 2.3% as Q2 Earnings Rise 16%, Buyb 05:49 Closing thoughtsSupport the show