Global markets and geopolitics were dominated this hour by the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Oil prices spiked 7% as military activity intensified, marked by joint U.S.-Saudi strikes in Iraq, a drone attack on a U.S.-owned LNG vessel in Egypt, and heightened regional tensions that forced diplomatic cancellations. This instability has rippled into the corporate sector, pressuring profit guidance for companies exposed to the region and contributing to broader market volatility ahead of the Federal Reserve's rate decision. Meanwhile, the technology landscape remains frenetic; amid new multibillion-dollar AI valuations and regulatory challenges, the Senate is actively debating AI’s workforce impact. On the domestic political front, attention remains fixed on high-stakes legislative maneuvers, including executive branch oversight, election-related litigation, and contentious congressional testimony involving federal health authorities.