The Open Bell — Ep. 042 — 19 Aug 2026

Today on The Open Bell: The US-Iran ceasefire expired yesterday with nothing to show for it, and Iran is now threatening to choke off the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that carries roughly one barrel in every five of the world's oil supply. US government borrowing costs for 30 years just hit 5.31%, a level we haven't seen since 2007, and if you think that's just a bond market problem, your mortgage rate would like a word. Asian chip stocks got wrecked overnight, with South Korea's main index down 5.5% in a single session, and the uncomfortable truth is that the same borrowing costs making your home loan worse are now unwinding the trade that's powered global markets for two years. If today's episode helped the picture click into place, a five-star rating on Apple Podcasts or Spotify 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 00:08 Iran Shifts to Offensive Posture as US-Iran Ceasefire Expire 03:03 US 30-Year Treasury Yield Hits 19-Year High at 5.31% 05:26 Asia Semiconductor Stocks Tumble: South Korea's KOSPI Falls 07:05 Closing thoughtsSupport the show