And in European news, a new poll shows Britain's Labour Party has pulled ahead of Reform UK for the first time in months. The survey gives Labour its first lead since Keir Starmer's successor took over as Prime Minister amid voter fatigue over immigration and cost-of-living rows.

Wall Street is mixed this afternoon as the S&P 500 holds near recent levels while renewed AI deal headlines lift select names. Nvidia and OpenAI are in talks for a potential $250 billion backstop to fund massive AI infrastructure plans, according to reports. Baker Hughes is gapping higher after surprise earnings from its pivot from traditional oil services into artificial intelligence power and electrification.

Oil prices posted their biggest one-day drop in two months, with WTI crude falling to around $82.89 a barrel on a pause in U.S.-Iran tensions. Arm Holdings has fallen 28 percent in the past month ahead of its earnings on July 29 but the chip designer has already secured more than $2 billion in customer demand for its new AGI data center CPU.

The European poll comes as Labour tries to steady itself after months of sliding support in the U.K.

This is the 1:00 PM Central VixShield flash.

President Trump's new government crypto account has rocketed to 7 million signups in its first days, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calling it the most successful launch in government history. Bitcoin is holding steady near $64,000 this afternoon as traders weigh the president's push for the world's lowest interest rates and what it means for digital asset adoption. The surge in Trump Account enrollments is being hailed inside the administration as proof that crypto policy is moving from campaign slogan to mainstream reality for American families.

In corporate news, JetBlue is overhauling its entire fare lineup, replacing the old Core product with new basic first and flexible economy options. SpaceX faces a critical test this week with its first public earnings on August 4 followed by a massive lockup expiration on the 6th that could unleash more than $100 billion in potential selling pressure. Nvidia's reported $250 billion financing guarantee for OpenAI's giant Ohio data center is putting fresh focus on the real cost of artificial intelligence buildout.

This is a VixShield breaking flash — 12:17 PM Central, July 27, 2026.

Bitcoin holds near $64,800 while Ethereum trades around $1,938 as investors parse fresh policy signals from Washington and weigh the impact of SpaceX shares sliding to a new all-time low. Despite a near-flawless Starship test flight the stock is under pressure ahead of next week's earnings and looming insider sales from expiring lock-up periods. The move is rippling into crypto and other risk assets with traders watching how liquidity events can override operational wins in growth names.

In corporate news Intel posted blowout second-quarter results beating estimates on both revenue and earnings yet the shares still pulled back on worries about sharply higher capital spending. Super Micro Computer meanwhile delivered a genuine margin surge and record order backlog tied to AI server demand but the stock remains a battleground between believers and shorts.

And in human stakes nearly one in four American workers say they are stuck in jobs they hate purely to keep their health insurance — a phenomenon known as job lock that is fueling fresh calls for policy changes. Oil prices slid with Brent falling below $90 as the pause in U.S.-Iran hostilities holds and China resold its first U.S. LNG cargo in over a year rather than pay the tariff. The IMF warns that global oil buffers are now exhausted leaving markets exposed to any renewed disruption.

This is the 12:00 PM Central VixShield flash.

The question is gaining fresh attention today: Should family caregivers receive a paycheck for looking after aging or disabled relatives? Advocates argue the unpaid labor saves the economy billions but leaves many financially ruined, while critics warn it could strain already stretched state budgets. MarketWatch highlights how this hidden flaw in retirement math is quietly pushing more families toward impossible choices between paying bills and providing hands-on care for parents or disabled children.

In U.S. markets, stocks ended mixed after the weekend pause in U.S.-Iran strikes. The Dow rose 0.67%, the S&P 500 was virtually flat, and the Nasdaq slipped 0.20%. Oil prices tumbled, with WTI falling to $83.66 a barrel. Apple shares hit a new all-time high ahead of its fiscal third-quarter earnings. CME Group launched single-stock futures allowing nearly 24-hour trading in names including SpaceX and Micron. The AI boom shows no sign of slowing, with insatiable demand for memory chips and other technologies delivering another above-average lift to economic growth. Pentagon suppliers warn the U.S. won't have enough magnet capacity by 2027. Former FBI Director James Comey is asking a judge to dismiss the so-called "seashells" case against President Trump, citing lack of any true threat.

This is the 11:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

Geopolitical tensions are flaring again as fresh missile exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah have killed at least nine in southern Lebanon and northern Israel, with both sides accusing the other of violating a fragile ceasefire. The exchanges come as U.S. diplomats race to prevent a wider regional war.

Voter rage over the explosive growth of AI data centers is raising fresh risks for utility stocks, with one analyst urging investors to run a five-part stress test on their holdings before the backlash intensifies.

In U.S. markets, the S&P 500 is trading near 7,422 after a volatile open while the VIX fear gauge has spiked to 19.49, up more than 14% as protection demand surges. Quantum computing names are moving sharply higher this morning, with D-Wave up 7% on an expanded deal with AT&T, lifting peers including IonQ and Rigetti. Broadcom is also in focus after a dip that some analysts are calling a buying opportunity amid ongoing AI tailwinds.

Singer Carly Simon has revealed her Parkinson's diagnosis while also disclosing past skin cancer treatment, but says she intends to keep performing.

This is a VixShield breaking flash — 10:06 AM Central, July 27, 2026.

The fragile pause in fighting between the United States and Iran is failing to calm markets as renewed pressure from Beijing on Taiwan Semiconductor and broader fears over the artificial intelligence trade send chip stocks tumbling. The S&P 500 has fallen into the red despite the diplomatic pause. The VIX surged more than 16 percent to 19.82. Sam Altman is set to meet Trump administration officials and senators this week to push for continued artificial intelligence investment. Circle has bought blockchain patents from IBM in a move that strengthens its position in digital assets. Porsche is ramping up job cuts to 9,000 by 2035 as it restructures for the electric transition. In human interest, a father and daughter have died after being pulled from the sea at a beach in Cornwall.

This is the 10:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

Indian state-owned refinery MRPL has become the first in the country to bar crude suppliers from using both the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea shipping routes. The restriction, inserted into a fresh spot tender, comes as a weekend pause in US-Iran fighting triggers fresh worries over supply chain snarls and insurance costs for tanker operators already stretched by prior attacks.

Oil prices plunged on the de-escalation. More than 600 American service members have been injured since the Iran conflict began in February, according to the BBC. Analysts warn the current lull still masks the risk of a wider Middle East war that could choke global logistics arteries.

Investors are turning to Bitcoin and gold as fears grow over US dollar devaluation driven by record federal debt now at $39.7 trillion and climbing $7 billion per day. Bitcoin trades near $65,000.

In US markets the Dow jumped more than 400 points this morning, helped by the drop in energy prices. Broadcom shares rose on continued strong demand for custom silicon and several large new client wins. American Express shares are under pressure on worries about consumer spending trends.

In human interest, a father and daughter have died after being pulled from the sea at a beach in Cornwall.

This is a VixShield breaking flash — 9:45 AM Central, July 27, 2026.

A Tennessee farmer now faces the loss of his family land after the Internal Revenue Service mistakenly sent him a $20,000 refund that he repeatedly tried to return. The agency is demanding repayment with interest and penalties, turning one paperwork error into an existential threat for a rural producer already squeezed by shipping costs, storage fees and tight labor margins. The case is casting fresh light on how IRS collection tactics can cascade into real-economy pressure across American farmland and logistics-dependent communities.

Strategy, the corporate Bitcoin treasury vehicle led by Michael Saylor, opportunistically raised another $544.5 million in fresh equity, lifting cash reserves to $3.75 billion while leaving its Bitcoin holdings unchanged at 843,775 BTC. Saylor says the pile now covers more than two years of preferred dividends, giving the firm dry powder to weather any prolonged weakness in either crypto or broader supply-chain markets.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Corning both rose on continued demand for AI servers, optical fiber and networking gear that underpins data-center logistics. Palantir shares are in focus ahead of earnings with one analyst arguing $200 a share remains realistic if commercial artificial-intelligence momentum beats expectations. Seagate has pulled back after its 450% rally as investors await the next test of AI-driven storage demand, while Abbott Laboratories fell on lowered guidance and lingering litigation risk.

In Seattle three people are dead after a mass shooting.

This is the 9:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

And in European news, the boss of AstraZeneca is urging western drugmakers to move at what he calls “Chinese speed.” Pascal Soriot told industry leaders that Beijing’s rapid development cycle is now the benchmark, warning that companies in Europe and the United States must dramatically accelerate everything from trials to approvals or risk falling permanently behind just as western carmakers did.

The call comes as investors digest a wave of corporate earnings that will help set the tone into the U.S. open. American Express reported second-quarter results, with its card-fee line offering a fresh read on the health of premium consumers. Alphabet’s Google Cloud continues to post strong growth, though one major red flag is drawing analyst attention this morning. Analysts are also out with fresh calls on Nvidia, Tesla, Apple, AMD, GM, Ford and Rivian.

This morning brings durable goods orders at 8:30 a.m. Central. Tomorrow the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, the core PCE, lands.

In lighter news, two people have died after being pulled from the sea at a beach in Cornwall.

This is the 8:00 AM Central VixShield flash.

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh is briefing key lawmakers this morning on the path ahead for interest rates, with the next FOMC decision now just two days away. Traders are watching closely for any signal on whether policymakers will hold steady or deliver a cut in September.

In Europe, a massive wildfire in southwest France's Gironde department has burned nearly 104,000 acres, triggering one of the country's largest evacuations and displacing more than 300,000 people while producing a rare pyrocumulonimbus cloud capable of generating its own lightning, winds and erratic behavior. Overnight, Nvidia, SpaceX and Microsoft have joined dozens of other firms to launch a new AI safety initiative as the fallout from the recent OpenAI cyberattack continues to ripple through the industry.

Apple options traders are showing heavy call buying into this week's earnings, with more than $442 million of the recent premium going to calls versus puts. Piper Sandler says Rivian will emerge as the big winner as the robotaxi market grows thanks to its vertical integration.

This is the 7:00 AM Central VixShield flash.