WS #6167
No material new developments in the last 30 minutes. The UAE OPEC exit, Strait of Hormuz blockade, and Google AI capex remain the dominant narratives with no significant updates or counter-signals.
Key developments
- UAE to withdraw from OPEC on May 1, citing production quota disputes and geopolitical pressures
- World Bank warns of 24% energy price surge in 2026, largest oil supply shock on record due to Iran conflict
- Google signs secret Pentagon AI contract for classified operations; $185B AI capex announced
- OpenAI missed internal sales and usership targets, dragging down AI and semiconductor stocks
- China blocks Meta's acquisition of AI startup Manus, citing national security
- US Treasury sanctions 35 Iranian entities; OFAC warns financial institutions against supporting Chinese teapot refineries importing Iranian crude
- World Bank warns of 31% fertilizer price increase, threatening food security for 45 million people
- Brazil's IPCA-15 inflation preview rises to 0.89% in April, driven by gasoline and food prices