More "Love Taps"? US Reportedly Struck 4 Iranian Tankers As Qatari LNG Tanker Traverses Strait

Think "Weekends" Rather Than "Weeks" By Elwin de Groot, head of macro strategy  As another volatile week comes to an end, investors and market participants appear to be clinging to the hope that the two‑week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, which began on Wednesday, will not unravel entirely – at least until a direct, face‑to‑face exchange and clarification of key demands can take place during the planned talks in Islamabad this weekend. Near‑dated Brent crude edged up by $2 to $97, equity markets posted modest declines in Europe, whilst...

NY Gov. Kathy Hochul Kills Plan To Allow Robotaxi Operations Outside NYC New York Governor Kathy Hochul has withdrawn a proposal that would allow commercial robotaxi pilot operations outside New York City limits without a human safety operator in the vehicle. The decision was first reported by Bloomberg News earlier Thursday and is a major setback for Waymo as it attempts a rapid US expansion this year. Bloomberg reported: The proposal, which Hochul had included in a policy preview she presented last month, would have allowed autonomous-vehicle companies such as Waymo...

France Plans €10 Billion Push To Cut Reliance On Gas and Oil France is shifting its response to rising fuel costs away from short-term relief and toward long-term electrification, according to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu. Instead of expanding fuel subsidies after oil prices spiked due to the Iran conflict, the government plans to redirect funding into helping households and businesses transition to electric energy, according to Bloomberg. Under the plan, annual support for electrification will nearly double to €10 billion by 2030, up from €5.5 billion today. The increase will come...