Name: Iran Strikes Two UAE Oil Tankers in Hormuz | Horizons Middle East & Africa 8/14/2026
Uploaded: 2026-08-14T06:34:57+00:00
Duration: 2761 s

Speakers

David Savage — Editor, The Block

Dav — Chief Market Strategist at Nomura

Rachel Ziemba — Founder, Ziemba Insights

Winnie Hsu — Bloomberg Reporter (Asia Markets)

Sam Unstead — Bloomberg Markets Today Editor

Abeer — Anchor, Bloomberg

Stuart Livingstone-Wallace — Bloomberg Executive Editor for Middle East, North Africa, and Russia

Summary

Global risk assets are hitting record highs as softer US inflation reduces expectations for a September Fed hike, while long-end Treasury yields remain elevated. AI and memory-chip demand are lifting technology equities, with SanDisk, SK hynix and SMIC among the notable movers. In the Middle East, oil is steady but supported by disrupted Hormuz and Red Sea shipping routes and potential US economic isolation of Iran. The program also covers Saudi privatization, Turkey's raised inflation forecast, and Standard Bank's record profit.

S&P 500 and global equity benchmarks trade at record highs as Fed rate-hike odds for September fall to about 35%.
US 30-year Treasury sale yields 5.216%, the highest since 2001, on deficit and term-premium concerns.
SanDisk's outlook lifts memory chipmakers including Micron, Western Digital, Seagate and SK hynix.
OpenAI revenue run rate exceeds $40 billion ahead of potential IPO; DeepSeek raises prices.
Brent crude trades near $87 while Hormuz and Red Sea disruptions keep oil supply risks in focus.
Standard Bank posts record first-half profit; Saudi PIF plans broader privatization.

Ideas

David Savage Editor, The Block 4:20

Long-end Treasury yields stay structurally elevated

The rise in 30-year Treasury yields is a structural story, not just a reaction to near-term data, driven by US fiscal deficit concerns, term premium, and longer-term inflation pressures from AI capital spending and higher commodity prices; the 30-year yield is up 38 basis points since late June and this dynamic is likely to persist for months.

David Savage Editor, The Block 6:03

Yen sustained rally needs BOJ guidance

The yen has not made a real turn despite building expectations for a September Bank of Japan hike because the market is looking beyond September and October to the pace of BOJ normalization, and there has not been sufficient guidance for rapid normalization; USD/JPY is near 160 with intervention risk.

Dav Chief Market Strategist at Nomura 10:04

AI buildout is not a bubble

The AI buildout is not a bubble; there are concerns about AI capex spending, but AI is being used to scale human capabilities on a daily basis, not just for chatbots or email summaries, so the broader AI investment trend remains supported.

Dav Chief Market Strategist at Nomura 11:25

Hedge against further Middle East escalation

The market may be underestimating Middle East risks; the key issue is not just a $5-$10 oil move but the duration of disruption, with the Strait of Hormuz affecting energy supply and the Red Sea simultaneously impairing shipping and transportation costs, so investors should be careful and hedged against further escalation.

Winnie Hsu Bloomberg Reporter (Asia Markets) 26:28

Korean stocks see strong foreign inflows

Asian stocks are having their best week in about two months, and Korean markets are seeing the highest weekly foreign inflows since April as investors return to Korean equities, with the KOSPI up almost 2%.

Winnie Hsu Bloomberg Reporter (Asia Markets) 27:21

Memory chipmakers rally on SanDisk's outlook

Memory stocks are driving gains, with SK hynix up about 4-5%, after SanDisk's bullish outlook, strong revenue forecast, long-term agreements, and expected cash returns signaled strong memory demand.

Winnie Hsu Bloomberg Reporter (Asia Markets) 27:49

JD.com weak after first revenue decline

Chinese internet names remain a drag, with JD.com leading declines of about 10% after logging its first quarterly revenue loss, reflecting weak consumer sentiment.

Winnie Hsu Bloomberg Reporter (Asia Markets) 28:06

SMIC beat on strong chip demand

SMIC gained about 2% after results beat estimates, supported by strong global demand for chips and showing strength on the hardware side of the semiconductor sector.

Rachel Ziemba Founder, Ziemba Insights 30:42

Refined fuels, LNG, copper face upside stress

Product stress and upside will continue in diesel and oil products, even gasoline, while LNG remains in short supply and is harder to shuttle out as Europe and Northeast Asia refill storage; copper is also reflecting restrictions from sulfur.

Iran Strikes Two UAE Oil Tankers in Hormuz | Horizons Middle East & Africa 8/14/2026

Summary

Ideas

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