Author: Leslie Stewart

The ongoing war in Iran isn’t just driving up oil prices. Essential crop fertilizers are also in the crossfire, and U.S. food prices could be next.About a third of the world’s fertilizer ingredients, a critical input that farmers rely on to grow crops for daily food, pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping chokepoint on Iran’s southern coast.Approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil supply also moves through this narrow waterway. The strait has been effectively closed since the US and Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28th.At least three cargo ships have come under direct attack by…

The Commerce Department reported Friday that while core inflation will rise in early 2026, economic growth in the final three months of 2025 was much slower than expected.Gross domestic product (GDP), a measure of all goods and services produced across the vast U.S. economy, rose at an annual rate of just 0.7% in the fourth quarter, adjusted for seasonality and inflation, the department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said.The first revised GDP figure was significantly revised downward from the previous estimate of 1.4%, and was well below the Dow Jones consensus estimate of 1.5%. In addition, due to the record-breaking prolonged…

Important pointsRising oil prices have destabilized markets over the past week on concerns about rising prices and slowing economic growth. While investors are concerned about fears of stagflation and what it means for their portfolios, 2026 looks different than the 1970s for several reasons. At the time, high oil prices led to impressive gains for gold, spurred by a weaker dollar, but this has yet to happen.The war between the United States and Israel against Iran has shaken up markets and caused oil prices to soar, raising concerns about stagflation similar to that seen in the 1970s. The toxic combination…

Asylum seekers with no criminal records are being detained across the country as the Trump administration seeks to remove immigrants seeking legal avenues to remain in the United States. The move is a sharp departure from previous practice, in which asylum seekers were allowed to work and build lives in American communities as their cases unfolded.Lawyers and advocates told NBC News there is a pattern to the arrests. One day, the asylum seekers are with their families. Often after living in the United States for many years. Then, after a ride to errands or work, they end up in ICE’s…

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An Uber sign is placed on a vehicle at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on Monday, February 2, 2026 in San Francisco, California, USA. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesFor more than a decade, Alvaro Boraines has been a rideshare driver, transporting passengers around Los Angeles in his SUV. He’s never seen anything like what happened with Gus this month.”It’s changing very quickly,” Boraines told CNBC. “That’s insane.”In Boraines’ eyes, prices have skyrocketed “overnight” in the wake of the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran. Boraines has tried to avoid short rides to ensure he makes a profit…

Top Shot – U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping arrive for a meeting at Gimhae Air Base adjacent to Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30, 2025. Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to seek a ceasefire in their bitter trade war on October 30, with the US president predicting a “great meeting” but Beijing taking a more cautious stance. (Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP) (Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty ImagesWith a high-stakes summit in Beijing less than three weeks away, the United States has…

President Donald Trump addresses supporters during a rally at the U.S. Steel Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, May 30, 2025.Jeff Swensen | Getty ImagesA quick guide to Section 301 from CNBC is a quick guide to what Section 301 is, why the White House decided to use it, and what President Donald Trump’s administration hopes to accomplish.”Section 301″Simply put, Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows us to investigate trade practices that appear to be unfair to determine “whether the acts, policies, or practices of a foreign state are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict United…

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IE11 is not supported. For the best experience, please visit our site in a different browser.Currently playingFormer intelligence agency may be responsible for US attack on Iranian school, sources say04:41to the nextPresident Trump describes conflict with Iran as ‘a little trip’01:32’We could do worse’: President Trump says what else needs to be accomplished on Iran00:39President Trump is concerned about Iran war plans and rising gas prices02:13US announces collision with 16 Iranian minelayers near Strait of Hormuz02:27US launches ‘heaviest’ airstrikes ever against Iran03:06Prime Minister Johnson says Iran’s nation-building is not America’s responsibility02:11White House: Iran war will end if President Trump says…