Politics 29 January 2026 - 6 March 2026

Intel under fire: US senators question chip-tool tests tied to China-linked ACM Research
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Intel under fire: US senators question chip-tool tests tied to China-linked ACM Research

U.S. senators pressed Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan for details on tests of ACM Research chipmaking tools, citing national security concerns. Intel said ACM tools are not used in its production processes and that it complies with U.S. law. Lawmakers asked Intel to confirm by March 20 it would not use equipment from firms with Entity-Listed affiliates without government approval. ACM Research did not immediately comment.
March 6, 2026
Sable Offshore Corp shares jump as Trump weighs emergency powers for stalled California oil restart
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Sable Offshore Corp shares jump as Trump weighs emergency powers for stalled California oil restart

The Trump administration may invoke emergency powers to help Sable Offshore Corp bypass California permitting delays, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Thursday. Sable’s oil remains stored at Las Flores Canyon, blocked by a court injunction and lacking pipeline or tanker access. Shares jumped 37.3% after the news. No Defense Production Act order has been issued, and legal challenges continue.
March 6, 2026
Intel back in Washington spotlight as senators press China-linked tool tests and 18A plans shift
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Intel back in Washington spotlight as senators press China-linked tool tests and 18A plans shift

U.S. senators Warren and Cotton pressed Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan to explain reports the company tested ACM Research chipmaking tools linked to Chinese firms on a U.S. trade blacklist. Intel said ACM tools are not used in its production and that it complies with U.S. laws. CFO David Zinsner said Intel is reconsidering offering its 18A chipmaking process to outside customers.
March 5, 2026
BP caught in UK windfall tax limbo as Reeves flags Iran war price spike
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BP caught in UK windfall tax limbo as Reeves flags Iran war price spike

UK finance minister Rachel Reeves said Wednesday that the Middle East conflict has made it harder to predict when Britain will end its windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas profits. BP faces renewed uncertainty as the tax remains in place while energy prices surge. Cornwall Insight forecasts the UK household energy price cap will rise about 10% in July, after gas prices jumped more than 70% in a week. BP shares fell 2.38% in London trading.
March 5, 2026
Meta signs White House power pledge as AI data centers put U.S. electricity bills in focus
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Meta signs White House power pledge as AI data centers put U.S. electricity bills in focus

Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI signed a White House pledge to cover new power and grid costs for data centers, aiming to prevent higher household electricity bills. The Trump administration announced the agreement as AI-driven data center expansion faces local opposition and scrutiny over energy use. Critics say the voluntary pledge may be difficult to enforce and may not address power supply delays.
March 4, 2026
Heating Oil price surges to two-year high as Hormuz disruption hits diesel supply
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Heating Oil price surges to two-year high as Hormuz disruption hits diesel supply

NYMEX heating oil futures surged nearly 14% to a two-year high Monday after Middle East strikes and retaliation disrupted shipping near the Strait of Hormuz. About 150 ships were stranded and at least three vessels struck, according to Reuters. Diesel outpaced crude gains, with front-month ULSD up 36 cents at $2.9561 a gallon. Traders await Wednesday’s U.S. fuel inventory report.
March 2, 2026
Oil price today: Brent, WTI stay near seven-month highs as Iran talks and tariffs cloud the outlook
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Oil price today: Brent, WTI stay near seven-month highs as Iran talks and tariffs cloud the outlook

Oil prices dipped Tuesday but stayed near seven-month highs, with Brent at $71.24 and WTI at $66.06 by late morning. Traders watched for signals ahead of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks set for Thursday in Geneva. The U.S. imposed a new 10% global import tariff, and shipping costs for crude surged, with VLCC rates to China topping $170,000 a day. The State Department ordered non-essential staff out of the U.S. embassy in Beirut.
February 24, 2026
Silver price jumps near $89 as Trump’s 15% tariff clock ticks down
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Silver price jumps near $89 as Trump’s 15% tariff clock ticks down

Spot silver jumped 4.76% to $88.68 an ounce in late U.S. trading Monday, after the U.S. announced a 15% global import tariff set to begin at 12:01 a.m. EST Tuesday. Investors moved into safe-haven assets as Treasury yields fell and stocks slid. Markets are watching for any last-minute tariff changes and upcoming U.S. economic data, including consumer confidence and jobs figures.
February 23, 2026
Merval’s next test: Milei labor reform vote and fresh INDEC data loom for Buenos Aires stocks
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Merval’s next test: Milei labor reform vote and fresh INDEC data loom for Buenos Aires stocks

Argentina’s S&P Merval index closed Friday up 1.2% at 2,873,248.32, rising 2% for the week as investors watched a Senate vote on President Javier Milei’s labor reform bill. The bill, which eases hiring rules and lowers severance pay, is expected to face a final Senate vote next week. Key economic data on activity and retail sales are due Tuesday and Wednesday. The market reopens Monday at 10:30 a.m. local time.
February 22, 2026
Elevance Health stock bounces as House subpoenas revive Obamacare subsidy scrutiny
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Elevance Health stock bounces as House subpoenas revive Obamacare subsidy scrutiny

Elevance Health shares climbed 1.5% to $330.68 Wednesday after rebounding from an intraday low, as subpoenas from the House Judiciary Committee targeted the company and other insurers over ACA premium subsidies. Trading volume reached 0.67 million shares. Other major managed-care stocks mostly rose. RBC Capital Markets recently downgraded Elevance, citing a softer 2026 outlook and lower margin targets.
February 11, 2026
Trump Mobile’s T1 Phone ‘Made in USA’ pitch fades as reports point to overseas build
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Trump Mobile’s T1 Phone ‘Made in USA’ pitch fades as reports point to overseas build

Trump Mobile’s T1 smartphone will be mostly manufactured overseas, with only limited final assembly in Miami, company executives told The Verge. The device’s specs and design have changed, the launch date has slipped again, and prices for new buyers will rise above the $499 “introductory” rate. U.S. “Made in USA” rules prevent the company from making that claim due to the phone’s foreign sourcing.
February 9, 2026
Pentagon urged to probe SpaceX over possible Chinese ownership — why it’s suddenly a flashpoint
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Pentagon urged to probe SpaceX over possible Chinese ownership — why it’s suddenly a flashpoint

Democratic senators have asked the Pentagon to investigate SpaceX after reports that Chinese investors secretly acquired stakes in the company through offshore entities. The lawmakers cited national security risks tied to SpaceX’s military launches and Starlink operations. They requested a review of foreign-ownership regulations and a possible CFIUS investigation. The Defense Department was asked to respond by February 20.
February 5, 2026
U.S. senators move to police synthetic DNA sales as bioweapon fears sharpen
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U.S. senators move to police synthetic DNA sales as bioweapon fears sharpen

Two U.S. senators introduced the Biosecurity Modernization and Innovation Act of 2026, requiring the Commerce Department to regulate synthetic DNA sales and screen orders for dangerous genetic sequences. The bill mandates audits, red-teaming, and penalties up to $750,000 for violations. It also proposes a federal list of “sequences of concern” and a NIST “governance sandbox” for oversight.
February 4, 2026
Trump unveils $12B ‘Project Vault’ minerals stockpile as U.S. moves to blunt China leverage
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Trump unveils $12B ‘Project Vault’ minerals stockpile as U.S. moves to blunt China leverage

President Trump launched Project Vault, a $12 billion program to build a U.S. strategic reserve of critical minerals, combining a $10 billion Export-Import Bank loan with private investment. Shares of rare-earth and critical-minerals companies rose after the announcement. General Motors, Lockheed Martin, and Google joined the initiative for emergency access to supplies. The plan aims to reduce reliance on China, which dominates global processing.
February 2, 2026
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