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G7 finance chiefs convene as global bond selloff lifts yields to multi‑month highs

Finance ministers and central bank governors from the Group of Seven will meet with a surging backdrop in sovereign yields, aiming to address the drivers of the latest global bond rout. Rising inflation fears, resilient U.S. growth, and shifting policy expectations have tightened financial conditions and rattled risk assets, putting coordination and messaging under the microscope.

Source: SeekingAlpha


U.S. crude jumps 10% in a week as Iran impasse stokes supply risk

Oil prices ripped higher, with U.S. crude up roughly 10% on the week amid mounting concern the Iran crisis could constrain supplies and deplete market “safety nets.” The move tightens the energy outlook just as bond yields are rising, complicating central bank calculations and rekindling inflation worries into the summer demand season.

Source: SeekingAlpha


Applied Materials sees continued AI tailwinds; guides Q3 at $8.95B revenue, $3.36 non‑GAAP EPS

Semicap bellwether Applied Materials guided fiscal Q3 revenue to $8.95B and non‑GAAP EPS to $3.36, and forecast semiconductor equipment growth of more than 30% in 2026. Management pointed to sustained AI‑driven capacity adds across logic and memory as customers expand advanced nodes, underscoring a multiyear capital cycle supporting tool makers and their supply chains.

Source: SeekingAlpha


Fed ends Archegos‑era enforcement against UBS and Credit Suisse

The Federal Reserve terminated its 2023 enforcement action tied to Archegos at UBS and legacy Credit Suisse, closing a chapter that had lingered over the merged bank’s risk controls. The step removes a regulatory overhang as UBS integrates Credit Suisse, though supervisors are expected to maintain pressure industry‑wide on counterparty, margin and prime brokerage risk standards.

Source: SeekingAlpha


BlackRock private credit fund under valuation scrutiny — report

Regulators are reportedly probing valuation practices at a BlackRock private credit fund, a sign of rising supervisory focus on marks, fees and liquidity in private markets. Any formal findings could ripple across the fast‑growing private credit industry, where opaque valuation frameworks meet higher rates, refinancing needs and increased retail access through semi‑liquid vehicles.

Source: SeekingAlpha


Stablecoin test case: plaintiffs ask U.S. court to redirect $344M in frozen IRGC‑linked USDT

Judgment creditors have asked a Manhattan federal court to compel Tether to “zero out” and reissue more than $344 million in frozen USDT tied to sanctioned Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps wallets. The motion leans on Tether’s prior burn‑and‑reissue actions under law enforcement, potentially expanding expectations that centralized stablecoin issuers facilitate court‑ordered recoveries, not just sanctions freezes.

Source: FinanceFeeds


Interactive Brokers plugs prediction markets into its platform as SEC slows related ETFs

Interactive Brokers integrated Kalshi, CME and ForecastEx event contracts into a unified interface for retail and institutions, signaling mainstream brokerage adoption of prediction markets for macro, political and economic outcomes. In parallel, the SEC delayed 24 prediction‑market ETFs, highlighting the tug‑of‑war between investor demand for new exposures and regulators’ concerns over manipulation, suitability and market plumbing.

Source: Finance Magnates


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Business — May 16, 2026 | Briefing24