South African Farming Crisis May Trigger Food Shortages Across The Continent

Diesel Tops $5, Echoing 2022 Russia-Ukraine Invasion Energy Shock US Fuel Spike Summary: AAA national average diesel prices have jumped 34%, the largest increase for any month on record. AAA national average gasoline prices have jumped 24.5%, also the largest increase for any month on record. The spike in refined products comes just ahead of driving season and, if it persists long enough, could dent consumer sentiment polls. The Trump administration assures the conflict will be short-term. Countdown to Memorial Day driving season: 69 days. *  *  *  Update (0840ET) The partially paralyzed Hormuz chokepoint...

Trump Floats Making Venezuela The 51st State First Canada, then Greenland… and now Venezuela? President Donald Trump said Monday he is seriously considering annexing the South American nation as the 51st U.S. state, citing the country’s vast oil reserves and what he described as strong local support for his leadership. In a telephone interview with Fox News anchor John Roberts, Trump mused that he is weighing the move for a nation that holds an estimated $40 trillion in oil resources. NEW: President Trump tells @FoxNews colleague @johnrobertsFox in a phone call just now...

Japan Sold Almost $90 Billion In Treasuries To Fund Record Yen Intervention At the end of July, the only question following Japan's record $90 billion yen intervention (which worked for about two weeks before the effects faded and Bessent had to engage in more market intervention), was whether and how much Treasuries Japan had sold as part of the intervention.  The BOJ spent a record $90BN to briefly push the yen higher. Another catastrophic intervention by the central bank which is 100bps behind in rate hikes (chart Goldman) pic.twitter.com/xOGszXSgF7 — zerohedge (@zerohedge) July...