No Protection From Gulf Shock: World's Biggest Condom Maker Warns Of Price Hikes

'Spies Inside The Holy See': Report Reveals US Espionage Campaign Targeting Pope Leo Via The Cradle The administration of US President Donald Trump has been "spying" on Pope Leo XIV as part of a years-long intelligence campaign by Washington against the Vatican, US investigative journalist Ken Klippenstein said in a report released Friday.  Klippenstein – an independent, Washington-based investigative journalist who formerly wrote for The Intercept – cited sources as saying that Trump's recent comments on the new Pope were taken by the intelligence community as "a directive to prioritize spying on the Vatican." via Reuters Trump...

Exit Narrative Grows: Bessent Says New Deal & Ceasefire Will Open Hormuz 'Today Or Tomorrow' Summary Bessent: Hormuz could reopen under a 30-60 day ceasefire as soon as "today or tomorrow." Iran asserts that US & Israeli vessels remain barred until sanctions are lifted and compensation is paid. Trump says the conflict could "end pretty soon," signaling a possible final US exit. Iran remains defiant, pointing out it still has the leverage & can threaten Hormuz. However, the deal could reopen oil flows while strengthening Iran's control over the strait. Strait of Hormuz traffic returns to normal...

"...The Entire Internet Has Doomer Fatigue" Authored by James Howard Kunstler, "I can tell the entire internet has doomer fatigue." - Catturd on X The mysterious financial repo markets - which practically no one outside of banking understands (and even some banking insiders don't) - started showing some signs of stress recently (forward rates spiking: 1Y1Y SOFR has risen nearly 50 bps in two weeks, signaling growing concern among dealers and investors about future funding costs); though not near the level they did in September 2019, just before You-Know-What sucker-punched the world with...