Markets Roundup
🏦 ECONOMY
⭐ Editor’s Pick: What’s Next for the U.S. Economy After Iran Cease-Fire (WSJ)
Trump team explores punishment for NATO countries that didn’t support war against Iran. (WSJ)
Trump said that the U.S. is ready for "next conquest," warns military to remain near Iran until "real agreement" is honored. (CNBC)
Iran's crypto tanker tolls are the latest step in its sanctions‑busting trade network. (CD)
IDF killed Hezbollah chief's secretary in Beirut, strikes crossings and weapons sites amid fragile ceasefire. (JP)
Warnings grow that California's energy crisis under Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) could threaten national security. (FBN)
Zohran Mamdani backed down on a cornerstone campaign promise of free NYC buses. (NYP)
California's $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers led to “negative outcomes,” a new study revealed. (FOX)
🏢 INDUSTRY
⭐ Editor’s Pick: The Globe Trotting Lifestyle Of Anti-Oil Activists Who Live “Like Royalty” (DW)
A hacker allegedly breached one of China’s supercomputers, stole classified defense documents. (CNN)
Fast-food restaurant owner was jailed for storing fish in a toilet. (VAN)
Inside the race to protect submarine cables from sabotage. (WSJ)
New Trump policies make GLP-1 drugs far more affordable for Americans. (FBN)
Uber Eats will now deliver more than just food to you. (TS)
Money has always ruled the TV industry. Greed is pushing it to collapse. (RS)
Meet Matter: the first fast-casual restaurant that customizes and tracks your macronutrients. (NRN)
Passengers on major airline can now face jail time in behavior crackdown. (FBN)
A New York personal assistant pleaded guilty in federal court to defrauding her employers out of $10 million. (CNBC)
Popular fast-food chain drops decade-old promise to customers. (NYP)
Starbucks debuts a new drink to take on energy brands. (TS)
Metal fragments were found in several bread products, including a popular Trader Joe’s item. (NYP)
💰 PERSONAL FINANCE
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Your Retirement Money is Actually Protected from IRS — Here’s Why (NYP)
The USA TODAY Shopping team tracked down the best Amazon discounts on tech, cookware, beauty, fashion and more. (UT)
Citi exposes the tax break most investors leave on the table every year. (TS)
Amazon Prime is offering a 20-cent-per-gallon discount—Here's how to stack those savings with a credit card. (CNBC)
11 hidden gem cities where retirees pay zero state income tax. (FB)
Don’t fall for these 9 cruise fees hidden in the fine print (CHP)
📈 HOT STOCKS
⭐ Editor’s Pick: The Unlikely Stock to Buy That’s Trading at a Big Discount (MS)
Everyone's buying NVIDIA—Here are 2 smarter AI stocks for Q2 2026. (ZK)
Insider Monkey listed the 15 blue chip stocks with highest dividends. (IM)
3 obscure sectors where institutions are quietly loading up on shares. (MB)
These infrastructure stocks are gaining smart-money interest as data centers strain the U.S. power grid. (MW)
Tech Roundup
🧠 AI
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Meet the Mysterious AI-Generated Singer Dominating iTunes Chart (NW)
Mark Zuckerberg announced the debut of Muse Spark, the first AI model from Meta’s Superintelligence Labs, now powering an upgraded version of Meta AI across its apps. (MASH)
OpenAI paused Stargate in the UK, citing the high energy costs and regulatory environment. (BBG)
OpenAI is preparing a staggered release of its new advanced cybersecurity model to a limited group of companies, citing risks of autonomous hacking. (AX)
Alibaba anonymously released HappyHorse-1.0, an AI video model that surpassed the abilities of ByteDance's Seedance 2.0. (TI)
Anthropic launched Claude Managed Agents, a new cloud service designed to simplify building and deploying scalable AI agents. (WIR)
YouTube Shorts will use AI to make avatars that look and sound like you. (9T5)
The next breakthrough in chronic pain may come from this AI startup. (IBT)
🤖 ROBOTS
⭐ Editor’s Pick: This Robot Can Move with No Motor and No Gears (PRI)
The White House delayed rollout of a national robotics strategy amid U.S.-China tensions. (POL)
China’s Unitree Robotics will debut its R1 humanoid robot—the world’s cheapest—on AliExpress platform next week, with availability in North America. (SCMP)
Kia plans to deploy Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robots in its U.S. factories. (BBG)
Robots join the crew as Royal Caribbean expands automation on Icon Class cruise ships. (GAL)
AI-powered robotic guide dog uses voice to guide visually impaired users in real time. (IE)
🚀 SPACE & DEFENSE
⭐ Editor’s Pick: The Little-Known Pentagon Agency Behind the Rescue of F-15 Crew in Iran (SB)
The U.S. Army is building its own chatbot for combat. (WIR)
Iranian hackers have claimed years-long access to former IDF chief Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi’s phone. (TEC)
B-21 Raider: Inside America’s next-generation strategic bomber. (DP)
The Artemis 2 space toilet is actually working fine. But there is another problem. (SP)
San Francisco-based startup Ulysses detailed how its underwater drones could destroy mines, help reopen Strait of Hormuz. (NN)
Freedom Roundup
🏛️ POLICY & CULTURE
⭐ Editor’s Pick: Eric Swalwell Breaks Silence on Alleged Misconduct with Female Staff (NYP)
The FBI arrested a former Special Operations Command employee for leaking classified info to media. (PM)
Canada invented an acronym so woke, you'll need to be sitting down for this. (OK)
Ailing Joe Biden surfaces for dinner at fancy Santa Monica restaurant — but Jill does most of the talking. (NYP)
Actress Debra Messing was roasted for fleeing the city her politics helped destroy. (BN)
This blue state's latest attack on free speech is awful and sneaky, too, Jonathan Turley warned. (FOX)
Europe’s attacks on US tech firms must stop—We have just the way to do it. (FOX)
That's a wrap! You're officially caught up on all things tech, markets and freedom.
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DISCLAIMER: The CAPITAL newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or professional advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The CAPITAL newsletter and its owner and operator, Josh Caplan, are not liable for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on this information. The CAPITAL newsletter is solely owned and independently operated by Josh Caplan, separate from any employer affiliations.
