President Trump has called off planned major strikes against Iran at the request of several Middle Eastern allies, dramatically lowering the immediate risk of wider conflict and removing a key tail risk premium from oil, defense stocks and broader markets. With geopolitical tensions easing, traders are now turning their attention to a heavy earnings week that includes SpaceX, AMD, Eli Lilly and others.

Financial coach Ramit Sethi is helping a newlywed couple tackle $165,000 in combined debt after the husband hid $30,000 in credit card debt until just weeks before their wedding. The revelation shattered trust, pushed the pair toward breaking point and highlights a wider problem: more than one in three divorced Americans say hidden credit card debt played a role in ending their marriage.

Separately, researchers in Pakistan are racing to understand why one in four babies in the fishing settlement of Rehri Goth is born prematurely — far above national averages — as they examine pollution, nutrition and the punishing physical demands placed on expectant mothers in the informal economy.

This is the 10:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

Thousands of residents in Spokane, Washington, remain under evacuation orders as fast-moving wildfires threaten homes and infrastructure. Fire crews are battling multiple fronts with limited containment as dry lightning and shifting winds complicate logistics for ground teams and air tankers. Officials say supply lines for water and retardant are stretched thin, with emergency managers prioritizing critical storage and transport routes into the fire zone.

Apple’s new low-cost MacBook Neo has triggered an aggressive price war among budget laptop makers, with several Asian manufacturers rushing to match or undercut the device’s pricing. The move is rippling through shipping contracts and component logistics as suppliers scramble to adjust production schedules ahead of the back-to-school season.

A new report highlights alarmingly high rates of premature births in one rural Tennessee community, where doctors point to limited access to prenatal care, transportation barriers and aging hospital infrastructure as the key factors driving the troubling numbers.

This is the 9:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

Oil has surged more than six percent in overnight trade after a surprise supply disruption sent shockwaves through global energy markets. WTI crude is now trading at $84.67 a barrel following the sharpest single-session move in months.

And in European news, relentless heatwaves have turned the UK's traditionally green and pleasant land brown, with widespread drought conditions now affecting large parts of the country. Half of England and all of Wales are officially in drought and July is set to be the driest month on record.

Ukrainian drones struck inside Russia overnight, killing two people and hitting a major Wildberries warehouse, according to regional governors.

In the US, financial stocks continue their strong run as bank shares break out to record highs on strong earnings and still-attractive valuations, with charts pointing to further upside in the sector.

A new video has emerged that upends the long-unsolved killing of a Black teenager during a Seattle protest, with hours of footage revealing protesters mistook Antonio Mays Jr. for a threat.

This is the 8:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

President Trump has climbed down on planned strikes against Iran, saying he now expects a rapidly reached nuclear deal and full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The decision, which he framed on Truth Social as coming at the request of Iran and regional partners including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, removes immediate escalation risk and is being closely watched in Washington for its impact on inflation and energy costs.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh and key lawmakers are already weighing how this de-escalation could ease price pressures ahead of the next policy meeting, with several congressional voices urging the central bank to hold rates steady rather than rush cuts.

In Asian markets Japan is preparing to announce that Tokyo and Washington took joint action to support the yen, with Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama expected to stress the two countries' determination to fight excessive declines. The UK's state investments agency suffered a data breach when an internal file with names and work emails of 51 officials was left publicly accessible for about 40 hours.

In human interest news the fastest runner to cross the Alps says it was all about the adventure, not the record, after battling storms, 37-degree heat, floods and wildfires across eight countries.

This is the 7:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

Gold has surged past the $4,000 an ounce threshold for the first time as traders digest President Trump's announcement that he has canceled planned military action against Iran after reaching an agreement on the perimeters of a broader deal. The safe-haven metal climbed on the de-escalation news. Bitcoin held above $63,000 while Ethereum traded near $1,867.

In Indonesia, five people are confirmed dead and 41 remain missing after a passenger ferry carrying 271 people caught fire off Madura island while sailing from Surabaya to Makassar. Passengers were seen jumping into the sea as the vessel was engulfed in flames, with rescue operations continuing. Investors are also watching the best CD rates available, now offering up to 4.10 percent APY, as markets look ahead to this week’s manufacturing PMI and ISM readings.

This is the 6:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

Traders are turning their attention to a high-stakes week in the economic calendar as fresh manufacturing data lands Monday. The final Manufacturing PMI reading followed by the ISM Manufacturing PMI and prices-paid component will be watched closely for clues on the Federal Reserve's policy path under Chair Kevin Warsh. A softer or hotter print could quickly shift rate-cut expectations for later this year and ripple through everything from borrowing costs to business investment.

President Trump has canceled planned strikes on Iran, subject to a deal being made rapidly, according to the BBC. The move comes amid delicate diplomacy that could reshape tensions in the Middle East and influence global energy flows.

In human interest, a first-grader’s interview with his hero — a bird scientist — has captured hearts at NPR, while health officials are reminding Americans about the dangers of Cyclospora. The parasite needs time inside the human gut before it can reproduce and spread further, often arriving via contaminated fresh produce like lettuce. Michigan has seen a particularly high number of cases in the current multi-state outbreak. Britain’s state investments agency has also been hit by a significant data breach.

This is the 5:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

President Trump has canceled a planned U.S. military strike on Iran after reaching an agreement on the perimeters of a deal centered on the immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The move follows requests from Tehran and regional neighbors, with the outlined terms also requiring an end to Iran's nuclear threat in exchange for the pause. Israel has joined the commitment while the U.S. remains locked and loaded should a full agreement fail to materialize quickly.

The breakthrough comes after a mid-June ceasefire collapsed over control of the strait, which once carried one fifth of global oil supplies, and follows recent U.S. strikes on IRGC sites plus Iranian retaliation against American bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. For traders the real stakes sit in the commercial reset: a fully reopened Hormuz would unlock tanker flows and ease the risk premium that has weighed on energy infrastructure deals and railcar leasing contracts tied to commodity transport. Trinity Industries highlighted exactly that tension in its results, reporting a book-to-bill ratio just below one with a $1.6 billion backlog while lifting fleet utilization to 97.3% as leasing fundamentals improve ahead of expected industry deliveries rising from 25,000 railcars in 2026 to 35,000 the following year.

This is the 4:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

And in European and Asian news, President Trump says he is cancelling planned strikes on Iran with a deal now pending. The announcement comes as diplomatic channels between Washington and Tehran show fresh signs of movement on a potential agreement, with several Middle Eastern countries urging Washington to stand down.

Traders in London and Singapore are watching closely for any sign the emerging perimeter holds or unravels into renewed military risk. Britain's state investments agency has been hit by a significant data breach, raising fresh questions about cybersecurity at public institutions after attackers appear to have accessed sensitive sovereign holdings data.

Looking ahead to the week, investors face a packed calendar starting with ISM manufacturing PMI data on Monday.

This is the 3:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

Bitcoin is trading around $63,430 after slipping below $64,000 in overnight action as traders position ahead of this week's manufacturing data. Ethereum holds near $1,876 with the broader crypto market showing caution on the weekend.

Crypto investors are also monitoring Chevron's non-binding accord with Iraq to develop major oil fields and build a new pipeline through Syria to the Mediterranean, a long-term infrastructure play that could eventually bypass the Strait of Hormuz and reshape supply routes over the next decade. Gold is quoted at $4,107 an ounce while oil has jumped to $84.67 a barrel.

Looking to the week ahead, investors will parse the ISM Manufacturing PMI on Monday along with final factory readings and later JOLTS job openings and factory orders.

In human interest, Britain's state investments agency has been hit by a data breach raising fresh questions about public sector cybersecurity.

This is the 2:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

Parents are saving hundreds of dollars on school uniforms at city swap shops this weekend as the new term approaches. Families are taking home gently used blazers, skirts and trousers for free at pop-up events that organisers hope can become regular fixtures, with record turnout reported in recent days. The initiative comes as uniform prices continue climbing amid broader cost-of-living pressures.

And in European news, an undercover police unit has been closed down after a senior officer concluded it was carrying out unjustified surveillance on political groups that posed no threat to public order, including pro-Palestinian, environmental, anti-racism and leftwing organisations. In contrast, almost no undercover resources were targeting the rising international terrorist threat that was claiming lives, the Spycops inquiry heard.

In Asian markets attention is turning to Monday’s manufacturing data, with final PMI figures and the ISM survey due out. Bitcoin is trading around $63,400, Ethereum near $1,875, while gold holds steady just above $4,107 an ounce. Oil has jumped more than 6 percent to $84.67 a barrel on fresh supply concerns.

Looking ahead this week brings the trade balance, JOLTS job openings and factory orders — all of which will be watched closely for signs of economic momentum.

Finally, retirees with larger-than-average Social Security checks could be in for a $487 surprise in their Medicare bills that many are not seeing coming.

This is the 1:00 AM Central VixShield flash.