Financial Brief: A Weekly Roundup on the Geopolitics of Money | May 05
EXECUTIVE TAKEAWAYS
The S&P 500 fell from record highs after a South Korean ship exploded in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil held above $100...
How the Iran War Triggered Europe’s Energy Reckoning
Forty-four days, twenty-two billion euros. Not a single additional molecule of energy.
That is how Ursula von der Leyen framed Europe's Iran war tab when...
Why the UAE Left OPEC in 2026: Strategy, Politics, and Global Impact
There is a particular kind of institutional exit that is not really about the institution at all. The resignation letter is the last formality...
The UAE Just Walked Out of OPEC and the Cartel May Never Recover
Fifty-nine years of membership, ended with a statement on a Tuesday and an effective date of Friday. The United Arab Emirates announced it will...
Follow the Money – Week of April 29, 2026
EXECUTIVE TAKEAWAYS
The Iran conflict escalated from geopolitical crisis to economic inflection point this week.
Oil surged past $109 as the Strait of Hormuz remained largely...
One Europe, One Market: The EU’s Most Ambitious Economic Commitment in Years
On April 24, 2026, the presidents of three of the European Union's most powerful institutions gathered on the sidelines of an informal summit in...
The Nuclear Domino: How the Iran War Changed Nuclear Politics Forever
When JD Vance walked out of the Serena Hotel in Islamabad on April 12 after 21 hours of negotiations and announced that the talks...
Xi’s Free Masterclass: The War China Won Without Fighting
While the United States was burning through cruise missiles, threatening to destroy Iranian civilization, and watching its vice president shuttle between Budapest and Islamabad...
Twenty-One Miles: The Geography That Held the World Hostage
Twenty-one miles. That is the width of the Strait of Hormuz at its narrowest point, a sliver of water between Iran to the north...
Lebanon Is Burning While Iran and Israel Bargain
As the US-Iran ceasefire was declared April 8, Hezbollah made an unexpected move. It stopped shooting.
The hiatus was several hours. Then Israel unleashed what...