Finance

Core Summary U.S. retail diesel prices have climbed to a new all-time high in recent days, putting significant pressure on the highly mechanized and transportation-intensive American agricultural system. Agricultural economists warn that the increase in diesel costs will be passed through planting, transportation, and processing stages and gradually reach food retail prices, potentially lifting overall U.S. inflation in the coming months and producing spillover effects on consumer spending. Event Details According to Reuters, the latest rise in U.S. diesel prices reflects the combined effects of global crude oil market volatility, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, and seasonal refinery maintenance. Data from the American Automobile Association (AAA) shows that retail diesel prices in some regions have already crossed the psychologically important $5-per-gallon threshold, hitting a new all-time high. ...

Bloomberg reports that Saudi Arabia has informed several European refiners that crude shipments scheduled for next month will be withheld, a move likely to push already-strained global oil prices higher.

Warren Buffett has formally stepped down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, becoming chairman emeritus, with his son Howard Buffett taking over the role in a generational transition at the conglomerate.

Core Summary After the Bank of Japan’s rate hike, Japanese government bond yields and the yen both pulled back, while the Nikkei 225 closed higher against the trend. The market reaction suggests investors interpret the BOJ’s tightening pace and forward policy path as relatively gentle, with no clear liquidity tightening and Asia-Pacific equities broadly stable. Editor: GoodInfo Global News Team

Core Summary The US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate on September 17, 2026, ending a three-year cycle of rate cuts in a unanimous vote. The decision comes as the Iran conflict drives energy prices higher and inflation pressures persist. Despite repeated public demands from President Donald Trump for rate cuts, newly installed Fed Chair Warsh held firm and chose to tighten monetary policy to preserve central bank independence. Markets reacted with a sharp sell-off that gradually stabilized through the session. ...

U.S. equities sold off sharply after the Federal Reserve delivered its first rate hike in three years, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average shedding roughly 700 points. New Chair Kevin Warsh used his inaugural press conference to warn that inflation pressures remain elevated, rattling markets already anxious about the path of future tightening.

The New York Times reports that Harold Hamm, a long-time Trump ally and shale oil magnate, has struck a major oil deal with Venezuela. The agreement could play a pivotal role in the normalization of U.S.–Venezuela relations and has drawn broad attention across the energy industry.

According to multiple media reports, OpenAI investors have approached the company about a new funding round that could value the company at up to $1.5 trillion, with disclosed ranges between $1.2 trillion and $1.5 trillion. The valuation would surpass any previous OpenAI funding round and rank it among the world’s most valuable private tech companies.

The Federal Reserve is expected to announce its first rate hike in three years today. Of greater note, new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s remarks at the press conference may matter more for markets than the rate decision itself. Wall Street is approaching the decision with caution, and Bitcoin has already fallen near $76,000.

US equities closed lower for a second consecutive session, driven by a sharp rally in oil prices and the 10-year Treasury yield breaking above 5% for the first time in nearly 19 years. The combined shock of energy prices and bond selloff is reshaping global asset allocation and creating new constraints on the Fed’s policy path.