Real-time News

March 7th - According to foreign media citing several European officials, Saudi Arabia has intensified its direct contact with Iran in an attempt to de-escalate the conflict in the Middle East. These officials stated that Saudi officials have recently made more urgent use of their covert diplomatic channels with Iran to ease tensions and prevent the conflict from escalating. Several European and Middle Eastern countries are reportedly supporting these actions. The officials added that the talks involved security officials and diplomats, but it is unclear whether higher-level officials were involved, and that Iran has so far shown little willingness to negotiate with the United States or Israel.

Amazon: Customers can continue to use Anthropic's Claude.

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit against more than $15.3 million in funds allegedly linked to Iranian oil transportation networks.

US President Trump: (Regarding Iran) Unconditional surrender could mean (the Iranians) announcing unconditional surrender, or it could mean they can no longer fight, and there is no one or nothing to fight.

Kremlin: Putin spoke by phone with Iranian President Pezechzian.

Peruvian Prime Minister: We will use fuel reserves to ensure domestic consumption and mitigate the impact of the energy crisis.

US military: The Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense will conduct high-energy laser tests on anti-drone defense systems this weekend.

Boeing (BA.N) shares rose briefly, currently up about 3%, on news that the company is expected to receive an order for 500 aircraft.

Hang Seng Index futures closed down 1.03% at 25,328 points in overnight trading, a discount of 429 points.

March 7th - According to foreign media reports, a growing number of energy industry executives and traders are warning that with each day the war continues, the world is one step closer to a crisis – some predict oil prices could reach $100 a barrel within days. Despite a surge in oil and gas prices this week, they remain well below the highs reached shortly after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. On Friday, the initial calm in the crude oil market dissipated, with international oil prices surging above $90 a barrel. Nevertheless, executives from four major trading firms predict that oil prices could reach $100 within days unless the situation eases. The physical energy market is already showing signs of pressure, with refinery cuts in the Middle East and Asia causing prices for products such as diesel and jet fuel to soar. McNally, president of consulting firm Rapidan Energy Group, said, "Once the market realizes that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz will last for weeks rather than a temporary interruption, we expect Brent crude prices to reach $100 a barrel or even higher in the coming days to weeks."

The White House: US President Trump signed an executive order to combat cybercrime, fraud, and predatory scams targeting Americans.

The Israel Defense Forces said it has detected another round of ballistic missile launches by Iran.

Google: Anthropic remains available outside of defense work.

On March 7th, Cleveland Federal Reserve President Beth Hammark stated on Friday that she believes there is no need to adjust the monetary policy stance in the current economic environment where inflation remains excessively high. In her prepared remarks at the U.S. Monetary Policy Forum in New York City, Hammark said that given the Fed's need to balance high inflation and a weak labor market, these factors, coupled with last year's interest rate cuts, place current monetary policy in a favorable position, and the central bank's interest rate target has a neutral impact on the economy. Hammark stated, "Based on my baseline scenario, I think policy should remain on hold for a considerable period, awaiting evidence of declining inflation and further stabilization in the labor market." She added, "However, it's easy to imagine other scenarios, so I think there are two-way risks to interest rates."

Federal Reserve's Hamack: Inflation is a far more extensive issue than tariffs.