North America

Four?industry?sources' said that a proposed deal between Iran & Oman, which would give Tehran control of ships entering the Gulf via the?Strait of Hormuz, is not easily attainable?due U.S. sanctions & restrictive insurance clauses for any?payments. The narrow waterway connecting the Gulf to the Indian Ocean, before U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in February unleashed a war on Iran, was the main route used by a fifth or more of the world's oil and other essential goods. The waterway was open to all vessels without any fees. The biggest obstacle to ending the conflict has been the control of the strait....

I Squared Capital, a global infrastructure investor, will purchase Indonesian logistics and cold storage company Cella. This marks its entry into Southeast Asia’s largest economy, as it plans to expand a lot over the next 4 or 5 years. Harsh Agrawal, senior partner at Cella and based in Miami, said that the investor wants to increase Cella's cold storage and warehouse space from 231,000 square meters to approximately 1.5 million square meters. I Squared has announced that it will purchase the entire business of NWP Property, a Japanese logistics facility specialist and CRE. The financial terms of the deal were...

The Liberia flagged dry bulk ship Minoan Pioneer was struck by an unknown projectile Tuesday while sailing through the Strait of Hormuz. The crew abandoned the vessel, and one seafarer went missing. The projectile is said to have struck the engine room while a fire broke out in the accommodation area. The crew is fighting a?fire, and needs assistance. Meanwhile, the third engineer has been reported as'missing. The vessel's Greece based operator, Modion Maritime Management, did not respond immediately to a request for comment. One of the maritime safety sources confirmed that a'salvage operation' had been launched and a tugboat...

Venezuela's oil exports dropped to 1.16m barrels per day from 1.2m bpd in July as the country drained less inventories. However, exports to the U.S. rose to 786,000 bpd - the highest level since early 2019. Shipping data revealed on Monday. Exports of the OPEC nation have rebounded rapidly from lows never seen before, due to?U.S. The Trump administration imposed sanctions and a navy blockade to remove President Nicolas Maduro. Washington signed a key oil supply agreement with interim president Delcy Rodriquez in January. This allowed Venezuelan oil to be returned mainly through trading houses, but also directly via the...

Mali's finance minister has said that it could use the revenues generated by recent reforms in the mining sector to raise as much as 500 billion CFA Francs ($883.1m) to fund energy, water, and transport projects. This is part of an effort to convert higher mining revenue into infrastructure funding. The comments are the first sign of how the Mali military government plans to use the windfall it will receive from the overhaul of its mining code in 2023. This new code increased royalties and state stakes for mining projects, causing disputes with mining operators such as Canada's Barrick. In...

The Egyptian cabinet confirmed on Thursday that a 'drone' was responsible for the fire which engulfed the two gas ships at Egypt’s Mediterranean port of Damietta. This is the first confirmation that the blaze that broke out a day before was not an accident. The cabinet said that no party had claimed responsibility and authorities continued their investigations, taking the?necessary steps to protect Egypt's security. Ambrey, a British maritime security company, said that on Wednesday a "drone" had struck a U.S. owned gas storage tanker in the port. This was an initial assessment which raised concerns over a possible 'further...

Ambrey, a British maritime security company, said that a drone had hit a U.S. owned gas storage tanker in Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta. This was an initial assessment, which could indicate a new outbreak of conflict throughout the Middle East. Egypt's petroleum minister confirmed that there was a fire in the port, but did not mention a drone strike and did provide no explanation for the incident. Inchcape, a port services company, said in an unrelated message that two gas tanks had caught fire at Damietta. Three sources who were familiar with the incident confirmed that a drone struck...

Ambrey, a British maritime security firm, said on Wednesday that a drone had struck a U.S. owned gas storage tanker in Egypt's Mediterranean Port of Damietta. The company cited an initial assessment. The Egyptian petroleum ministry released a statement that confirmed the fire in the port, but did not mention a drone attack. Inchcape, a port services company, said in an unrelated message that two gas tanks had caught fire near Damietta. Three trading sources who were familiar with the incident confirmed that the drone struck a floating storage tanker named Energos winter, causing an explosion which spread to a...

As investors become more selective, major U.S. tech companies are borrowing heavily to fund their artificial intelligence builds. The yields on these loans have been steadily increasing. According to a LSEG analysis, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta Platforms issued approximately $194 billion of bonds between 2026 and July 7. This is up 79% compared to roughly $108 billion of bonds from 2025. Goldman Sachs expects the bond issuance of five hyperscalers including Microsoft Corporation to reach approximately $250 billion this year, and $400 billion by 2027. These investment-grade companies have seen their borrowing spreads increase over the risk-free rate for all...

Six sources familiar with the situation said that China held direct discussions with Yemen's Houthi movement to allow its tankers to navigate through the southern Red Sea, without being attacked. The Iran-aligned group had pledged to block access to Saudi ports. The Houthis announced their 'blockade' on July 20th, opening a?new front?against U.S. allies and the Iran war? and expanding attacks on oil tankers transporting energy and other supplies beyond the Middle East. According to sources, including a senior Iranian official, Beijing asked the Houthis to guarantee safe passage for their tankers. Sources who declined to identify themselves due to...

Six sources familiar with the situation have confirmed that China held direct discussions with Yemen's Houthi Movement to allow its?tankers the freedom to navigate through the southern Red Sea, without fear of being attacked by the Iran-aligned militia. The 'Houthis' declared their blockade of the U.S. on July 20. This opened a new front in the Iran War against the U.S. According to sources, including a senior Iranian official, Beijing asked the Houthis to guarantee safe passage for their tankers. Sources who refused to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue said that China was one of...

The Russian Defence Ministry reported that Russian forces struck at least two Ukrainian vessels on Tuesday, including a bulk carrier transporting military cargo to the Black Sea, and another vessel in the port Mykolaiv. The statement said that it had also targeted the port itself. The Defence Ministry released a statement that said: "As a result of strikes using hovering munitions or attack drones, infrastructure facilities at the Mykolaiv port transhipment complex?used for delivery and storage of military cargo as well as fuel and oil tanks intended to provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces were damaged." It said that "in addition,...

Shipping data revealed on Monday that two tankers?laden with Saudi oil? crossed the Bab el-Mandeb strait at the weekend. Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz slowed after reports of vessel attack. Kpler data shows that the number of cargo vessels passing through the Bab el-Mandeb strait dropped to 18 on Sunday from 27 on Friday and 28 on Saturday. On July 20, the Iran-aligned Houthis announced a?maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, opening a new battlefront against the U.S. The data shows that the Suezmax tanker Lesvos, and the Very Large Crude Carrier Desh Vaibhav left the Red Sea without their...

Sinograin, China's state-owned stockpiler, said it would auction 500,000 metric tons of?imported?soybeans this Friday. This will be the first sale of such a size since January. The market is expecting the state stockpiler free up space to receive U.S. soybeans. According to a notice issued by the National Grain Trade Centre, this sale is scheduled for 1:30 pm (0530 GMT) and will offer 504,000 tons of soybeans that were produced between 2022-2025. The 'auction' is probably to clear storage space in preparation for the purchase of 25 million metric tonnes of U.S. soya beans, said Johnny Xiang of AgRadar Consulting....

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ukrainian president, said that the U.S. aerospace company Raytheon expressed interest in a joint production of Patriot interceptors. Kyiv is seeking to strengthen air defences as it tries to counter escalating Russian missile attacks. Zelenskiy said on X that he was grateful for the willingness of the company to take our partnership to a?higher level. This would allow Ukraine to co-produce with RTX some of the most important air defense assets –?Patriot interceptors. Ukraine has?asked for help? from its Western partners to build up interceptors that can down Russian ballistic rockets. It also sought agreement on securing an...

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. The?has not checked these stories or?cannot?guarantee their accuracy. Databricks, a provider of data analytics, has raised a round of strategic funding valued at $188 billion. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Taco Bell owned by Yum Brands would stop using shredded iceberg sourced from a supplier that has been linked with a parasitic outbreak causing a severe form of diarrhea and vomiting. Honda Motors will stop?the production?of its Prologue SUV, which is sold?in America?this?year. Honda Motors will not cancel sales immediately, but expects to continue them until...

Canada is experiencing more wildfires now than in mid-July of the previous two years, and the area that has been burned has increased compared to the year 2025. The majority of fires are located in remote parts of central provinces such as Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. In recent years, wildfires have affected remote indigenous communities disproportionately. Indigenous Services Canada reported that 1,600 people had been evacuated due to fires in First Nations communities as of July 15, 2015. CBC News reported that the Namaygoosisagagun First Nation in northwestern Ontario, also known by its former name Collins First Nation was evacuated...

Ontario asked for federal assistance on Thursday to evacuate people from remote northern communities that were ravaged by wildfires. Smoke brought poor air quality to Toronto and the Northeastern U.S. Canada now has more active fires than in the previous two years, and has a larger burned area compared to the year 2025. The majority of fires are located in remote parts of central provinces such as Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. Jill Dunlop said that Ontario's Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Jill Dunlop stated on X, "In response the the significant threat of wildland fires in the north of Ontario, the...

Toronto's air quality was the worst in the world on Wednesday, as smoke from wildfires in?northwestern?Ontario smoldered the skies and spread to the northeastern United States. Residents were warned about their health and asked to limit outdoor activity. Environment Canada reported that Toronto's Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), which is classified as "very risky," was 10+. Forecasts indicated that hazardous conditions might persist until Thursday night. New York City started feeling the effects a few days before the World Cup Final in New Jersey on Sunday. Local authorities issued a warning when air quality reached a dangerous level. They urged...

Toronto's air ranked as the worst among major cities worldwide on Wednesday as smoke from wildfires in northwestern Ontario darkened skies and prompted residents to limit outdoor activity as temperatures continued to rise. Environment Canada reported that Toronto's Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), which is classified as "very risky," was 10+. Forecasts indicated that hazardous conditions might persist until Thursday night. IQAir, a Swiss company that specializes in air quality, ranked Toronto the world's worst city for air quality, beating out Kinshasa, Delhi, and other cities. In recent years, wildfire smoke from Canada's north has spread to large areas of...

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have told an U.S. government agency that they are willing to sell?stakes? in smaller railroads, as part of the $85 billion proposed?merger. The deal will create the first U.S. coast to coast?freight railroad?operator. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have said that they will not be able to control the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis, Kansas City Terminal Railway or TTX Company following the merger. The railroads, which are owned jointly with other major carriers, are operated by independent management. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern have said that they will divest their ownership in these...

FedEx Freight announced on Thursday that it expects its revenue to 'rise between 4% and 6% in the seven months leading up to December 31, while adjusted operating income will grow between 0.8% and 7.5%. This comes just weeks after completing a'separation? from parent FedEx Corp. FedEx Freight, based in Memphis, is the leading provider of LTL (less-than-truckload) services. Multiple shipments, from multiple customers, are transported on one truck and then routed via a network service centers where they're transferred to other trucks that have similar destinations. Freight trucking firms have reported?improved industrial demand, citing U.S. manufacturing activity that?grew for...

FedEx shares fell 6% on Wednesday before the bell, as lower margins in the core delivery segment sparked investor concerns about the company's transition following the spinoff?of?its highly profitable trucking division. FedEx spun off its FedEx Freight trucking division earlier this month in an effort to focus more on its delivery business. Investors are scrutinizing the slimmed down company to boost profits and reduce cost. FedEx Federal Express' operating margin fell from 8.4% to 7.7% as employee salaries, benefits and outsourced transportation costs increased. The U.S. Logistics firms, including UPS and FedEx, have seen their volume drop due to the...

FedEx shares fell 7% on Wednesday before the bell, due to investor concerns about the 'transition' of the company following the spin-off of its highly profitable trucking unit. FedEx spun off its trucking division, FedEx Freight earlier this month, in an effort to focus on the delivery business. Investors are scrutinizing the slimmed down company to boost profits and reduce cost. FedEx Federal Express' operating margin fell from 8.4% to 7.7% as employee salaries, benefits and outsourced transportation costs increased. Fuel prices have risen due to the Iran 'war' and changes in U.S. Trade Policies. Volumes have also been affected...