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U.S. crude oil prices rose more than $1 per barrel on Thursday, climbing above $90, following a U.S. military strike on an Iranian military site. The strike occurred while peace talks between Washington and Tehran were underway, creating uncertainty in global energy markets.

• West Texas Intermediate crude futures increased $1.42 (1.6%) to $90.10 per barrel by 2328 GMT
• The price surge followed a 5.55% decline in the previous trading session
• The U.S. military action against Iran occurred during ongoing diplomatic peace negotiations between the two nations

Iowa-based seed company Latham Quality filed a federal lawsuit alleging Bayer illegally monopolized the U.S. market for genetically engineered corn seeds, seeking treble damages for 'hundreds of millions, if not billions' in ill-gotten profits. The lawsuit targets Bayer's control over NK603 corn seeds resistant to Roundup herbicide, which are used in nearly 92% of U.S. corn acres. Bayer denies the allegations, stating it competes fairly and operates in compliance with applicable laws.

• Latham alleges Bayer prohibited independent seed companies from developing generic versions of NK603 corn seeds even after patents expired in 2022, while continuing to charge royalties and raising licensing fees
• The lawsuit claims Bayer retaliated against Latham for developing competing products by using non-public information to steal business, leaving the company 'on the verge of bankruptcy'
• Bayer's crop science sales jumped 17.9% to 3 billion euros in Q1, while the company already faces tens of thousands of lawsuits alleging Roundup causes cancer

U.S. crude oil inventories declined for the sixth consecutive week, falling 2.8 million barrels in the week ended May 22, according to American Petroleum Institute data. Gasoline stocks also dropped by 3.2 million barrels, while distillate inventories rose 1.1 million barrels. The sustained drawdown in crude and gasoline inventories signals tightening supply conditions in the U.S. energy market.

• Crude oil inventories fell 2.8 million barrels, marking the sixth straight week of declines
• Gasoline stocks decreased by 3.2 million barrels during the same period
• Distillate inventories bucked the trend, rising 1.1 million barrels week-over-week

Dell Technologies secured a five-year, $9.7 billion Pentagon contract to provide Microsoft software and cloud services to the U.S. military. The deal follows Dell CEO Michael Dell's $6.25 billion pledge to fund 'Trump accounts' for children and comes amid the company's close relationship with President Trump. Pentagon officials say the contract will consolidate software licensing and save approximately $422 million annually.

• The Department of War Enterprise Software Agreement II covers Microsoft 365, cloud subscriptions, and on-premises licensing for the Pentagon, intelligence community, and Coast Guard
• Dell won after a competitive evaluation process, with officials citing cost savings of $422 million annually through consolidated licensing and elimination of redundancies
• Michael Dell pledged $6.25 billion to Trump investment accounts in 2024 and joined Trump's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, with Trump publicly endorsing Dell products

Amazon is appointing Dr. Roy Schoenberg, co-founder of telehealth company Amwell, to lead its healthcare unit starting July 1, 2025. He replaces Neil Lindsay, who has run the division since November 2021 and will leave Amazon by year-end after 16 years with the company. The move puts a physician with healthcare industry experience in charge of one of Amazon's fastest-growing business segments.

• Schoenberg recently stepped down as executive chairman of Amwell and served as co-CEO until 2024; he also currently leads elder care startup Aileen.ai
• Lindsay, who had no prior healthcare background before taking the role, previously oversaw Amazon's Prime membership program and marketing initiatives including Kindle
• Amazon's healthcare business includes clinics and mail-order prescriptions, but the company does not separately report financial results for this division

HP exceeded Wall Street's second-quarter revenue and profit estimates, driven by strong demand for AI-optimized PCs and the Windows 11 upgrade cycle following Microsoft's end of Windows 10 support in October. The company navigated memory chip shortages affecting the PC industry, with enterprises shifting toward higher-margin premium devices during the transition.

• Second-quarter revenue rose 9% to $14.41 billion, beating analyst estimates of $14.07 billion
• PC makers face memory chip shortages as data center buildout absorbs capacity, pushing enterprises toward premium devices during the Windows 11 refresh cycle
• HP maintained its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS outlook of $2.90 to $3.10, while third-quarter guidance midpoint slightly exceeded analyst expectations of 64 cents per share

Synopsys, a $100 billion chip design software maker, has settled with activist investor Elliott Investment Management by granting a board seat to Elliott's managing partner Jesse Cohn. Elliott had built a multi-billion dollar stake and pushed for margin improvements over roughly two months, initially seeking three board seats. Synopsys' stock has risen approximately 20% since Elliott's involvement became public.

• Elliott Investment Management built a multi-billion dollar position in Synopsys and initially requested three board seats before settling for one seat for Jesse Cohn
• Synopsys stock climbed roughly 20% since Elliott's involvement became public as the activist pushed for improved margins
• Synopsys supplies chip design software to major tech companies including AMD, Nvidia, Tesla, and Alphabet, and recently received a $2 billion investment from Nvidia in December

Marvell Technology forecast second-quarter revenue of $2.70 billion, exceeding analyst estimates of $2.60 billion, driven by strong demand for its custom AI processors and networking chips used in data center infrastructure. The company is benefiting from surging capital spending by cloud providers on AI infrastructure, which is expected to exceed prior levels as tech giants ramp up investments.

• Marvell's custom AI processors are gaining traction as a cost-effective alternative to Nvidia's expensive offerings, with demand fueled by data center buildout
• First-quarter revenue rose 28% to $2.42 billion, beating estimates of $2.40 billion, with adjusted profit of 80 cents per share
• U.S. tech giants including Alphabet and Amazon are expected to sharply increase AI infrastructure spending in 2026 from around $400 billion in 2025

Salesforce reported quarterly earnings and revenue above Wall Street expectations, with Agentforce AI tools surpassing $1 billion in annualized revenue for the first time. However, the company issued lighter-than-expected full-year revenue guidance due to weakness in its marketing, commerce, and Tableau segments, as well as integration challenges from its $9.6 billion Informatica acquisition.

• Quarterly revenue reached $11.13 billion (up 13% year-over-year), beating the $11.05 billion estimate, while EPS exceeded consensus expectations
• Agentforce AI tools achieved $1.2 billion in annualized revenue, growing 205% year-over-year, marking the first time the metric surpassed $1 billion
• Revenue backlog (remaining performance obligation) of $67.9 billion missed the $68.61 billion estimate, reflecting ongoing weakness in Tableau bookings and higher volatility from the Informatica deal

Snowflake announced a $6 billion infrastructure deal with Amazon Web Services on May 27, 2026. The investment is specifically tied to AWS's Graviton processors and AI chip infrastructure, representing a major commitment to cloud-based AI capabilities.

• The $6 billion deal focuses on AWS Graviton processors and AI chip infrastructure
• This partnership positions Snowflake to leverage AWS's specialized AI hardware for its data cloud platform
• The deal represents one of the largest cloud infrastructure commitments in recent AI industry developments

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved AbbVie's drug on Wednesday for the treatment of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm, a very rare type of blood cancer. The approval provides a new treatment option for patients with this uncommon malignancy.

• The drug targets blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm, which is classified as a very rare blood cancer
• AbbVie received FDA approval on May 27, expanding the company's oncology portfolio
• The approval addresses an unmet medical need in a rare disease category with limited treatment options

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered SpaceX to investigate a mishap involving its Super Heavy booster, which crashed into the Gulf of Mexico during the Starship Flight 12 test on May 22, 2026. The FAA will oversee the investigation and must approve SpaceX's findings and corrective actions before the Starship-Super Heavy vehicle can return to flight. No injuries or public property damage were reported.

• The mishap occurred during Flight 12 when the Super Heavy booster crashed into the Gulf of Mexico after stage separation from the Starship
• The FAA will be involved in every step of the investigation process and must approve the final report, including any corrective actions, before clearing return to flight
• No injuries to the public or damage to public property were reported from the incident

The Trump administration announced three rounds of trade negotiations with Mexico to revamp USMCA, starting this week and continuing through July, while notably excluding Canada from talks. The U.S. plans to maintain tariffs on goods from both Mexico and Canada, departing from the decades-old tariff-free North American trade zone. The move highlights deepening U.S.-Canada tensions, with Canada being criticized for retaliating against U.S. tariffs alongside China.

• Three bilateral negotiating rounds with Mexico are scheduled: May 27-28 in Mexico City (economic security and rules of origin), June 16-17 in Washington (agriculture), and the week of July 20 in Mexico City
• U.S. Trade Representative Greer stated the U.S. intends to maintain some tariffs on both Mexican and Canadian goods under USMCA, which previously created a tariff-free zone for over $1.6 trillion in trilateral trade
• Canada has been sidelined from negotiations after retaliating with its own tariffs on U.S. vehicles, steel and aluminum, and has announced plans to purchase fighter jets from Sweden's Saab rather than U.S.-based Boeing

Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan forecasts a 15% year-over-year increase in trading revenue for Q2, attributing the strong comparison to last year's 'liberation quarter' when markets experienced volatility from higher U.S. tariffs. The bank also expects positive performance in investment banking and wealth management segments.

• Trading revenue expected to rise 15% in Q2 compared to a year earlier when tariff-related volatility impacted markets
• Investment banking described as in 'pretty good shape' by CEO Moynihan
• Wealth management revenue projected to grow in the low teens percentage range year-over-year

The OpenAI Foundation announced a $250 million commitment to help workers and economies navigate AI-driven disruption through grants, partnerships, and direct programs. The initiative will fund research on AI's labor market impact, support displaced workers and communities, and explore broader distribution of AI's economic benefits. This marks the foundation's first such commitment as concerns grow about AI-related job losses.

• The OpenAI Foundation holds a 26% stake in OpenAI's for-profit entity valued at $130 billion, making it one of the world's largest charities
• Several companies have already cited AI efficiencies as reasons for layoffs, heightening concerns about workforce displacement from AI automation
• First initiatives will be announced later this year, with the foundation planning to both distribute grants and run programs directly rather than acting solely as an intermediary

Boeing is increasing 737 production to 47 jets per month from 42 after consulting with the Federal Aviation Administration. CEO Kelly Ortberg announced the production ramp-up at an investor conference, stating the target rate should be achieved within the next couple of months. The move signals Boeing's efforts to scale up manufacturing following regulatory oversight.

• Production rate increasing from 42 to 47 aircraft per month, representing approximately 12% growth
• Target production rate expected to be reached within the next couple of months
• Production increase follows consultation with the FAA, indicating regulatory approval of the expansion

Chevron shareholders voted down a proposal to separate the roles of board chair and CEO at the company's annual meeting on May 27. The proposal was brought by the National Legal and Policy Center, but Chevron opposed it, arguing for flexibility in board structure. The rejection follows a similar outcome at ConocoPhillips earlier in May.

• Proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis had recommended approval, stating an independent board chair leads to a more proactive and effective board
• Chevron management opposed the measure, preferring to maintain flexibility in choosing board leadership structure
• The vote aligns with a broader trend, as ConocoPhillips investors also rejected a similar governance proposal earlier in May

Amazon Web Services is now selling its AI shopping technology, built on Alexa for Shopping, to other retailers as a commercial service. The tool allows retailers to launch customized AI shopping assistants for their own stores in as little as 60 days. This move follows Amazon's established pattern of commercializing internally-developed technology, similar to its approach with AWS cloud services.

• Kate Spade has already deployed the technology to launch a gifting assistant, with additional retailers currently testing the service
• Amazon is pitching the solution as a way for retailers to maintain control of their shopping experience rather than relying on third-party AI intermediaries like OpenAI or Google
• The company has walled off its own site from external AI agents while building features that allow purchases on competitors' websites

Gucci will become the title sponsor of Renault's Alpine Formula One team starting in 2027, with the team racing as 'Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team' in the brand's colors. This marks the first time a luxury brand has lent its name to an F1 racing team, as Gucci seeks to boost visibility and revive sales after years of decline. The partnership reflects the luxury industry's growing embrace of exclusive sporting events as demand for traditional luxury goods weakens.

• Gucci becomes the first luxury brand to serve as title sponsor of an F1 team, though financial terms were not disclosed
• The deal follows LVMH's $100 million+ partnership with Formula One in 2024, highlighting F1's emergence as a key marketing platform for luxury brands
• The partnership connects Gucci parent company Kering's CEO Luca de Meo with his former employer Renault, as Alpine's team is led by De Meo's longtime ally Flavio Briatore

Tencent Financial Technology announced that U.S. PayPal users can now make purchases across China using WeChat Pay's QR-code merchant network through a connection between TenPay Global and PayPal World. The service will be expanded to PayPal users in other markets gradually, with Tencent offering incentives including temporary fee waivers through 2026 to encourage adoption.

• TenPay Global platform is now connected to PayPal World, enabling seamless cross-border payments for international users in China's dominant mobile payments market
• Tencent is waiving fees for foreign bank cards linked to WeChat Pay through 2026 as part of incentives to boost international usage
• The company will expand language support and on-ground assistance in Shenzhen ahead of the APEC meeting in November 2025