Following talks in Switzerland, the United States issued a temporary sanctions waiver that lets Iran settle oil exports in U.S. dollars, the biggest easing since sanctions were reimposed in 2018. The change could reduce the financial and logistical friction surrounding Iranian crude shipments and enable more barrels to enter global markets through lawful channels. The prospect of additional supply has already pressured oil prices lower.

US envoy Steve Witkoff is set to travel to Switzerland to restart technical talks with Iran on the nuclear issue, with a 60-day deadline for a final agreement. Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah have agreed to renew their ceasefire, though Israel’s airstrikes in Lebanon pushed single-day casualties to the second-highest level in this round of conflict. The developments have refocused attention on Middle East geopolitical risk, with broader market impact described as limited beyond sentiment-driven moves in oil.

Former President Barack Obama said the 15-week war between the United States and Iran left the situation unimproved, ending only in a ceasefire. The Trump administration signed a Paris agreement with Iran, but nuclear negotiations remain deadlocked. An Exxon executive warned that if disruptions in Strait of Hormuz shipping drain inventories, oil could rise to $150–$160 a barrel, putting pressure on crude futures and upstream oil and gas company earnings.

Gold futures fell 2.27% on Friday to Rs 1,45,917 per 10 grams after follow-up talks on a US-Iran peace agreement planned in Switzerland were postponed indefinitely, dampening hopes of easing geopolitical risks. A stronger US dollar and the Federal Reserve’s signal that interest rates may stay high for longer also weighed on bullion. In New York, the benchmark August Comex gold contract slid 2.24% to USD 4,150.90 an ounce. The report also flagged renewed concerns that efforts to restore oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz could face disruption risks.

At Reliance’s 49th annual general meeting on June 19, 2026, chairman Mukesh Ambani announced the creation of Reliance Intelligence as a new growth engine. He said the initiative will work with NVIDIA, Meta and Google to build AI infrastructure and a platform for AI services. Ambani also said India should become a creator and global leader in AI rather than only a consumer.

Meta is in talks to invest in or potentially acquire Indian fintech Cred at a valuation below its peak, a report said. Cred’s latest valuation was $4 billion, after peaking at $6.4 billion in 2022. In FY25, Cred reported operating revenue of Rs 2,735 crore, with operating losses down 51% to Rs 298 crore, while monthly transacting users reached 1.26 crore and ARPU was Rs 2,000, according to Moneycontrol.

Videos circulating on social media show some Tesla owners placing a $20 plastic doll head near the driver’s seat to fool the cabin camera used to monitor driver attention under the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. The apparent workaround highlights potential weaknesses in Tesla’s vision-based approach to anti-cheating and has intensified scrutiny from U.S. and European regulators over the effectiveness of driver-monitoring and FSD safety compliance. Tesla has not responded to the specific videos, though it has previously addressed similar spoofing tactics through over-the-air software updates.

An Andhra Pradesh official said the Jonnagiri village site in Kurnool district has estimated gold reserves of about 50 tonnes. Exploration has covered roughly 500 acres of a 1,500-acre area, with up to 13 tonnes estimated in that portion, while the remaining 1,000 acres are yet to be explored. The state has begun commercial mining at Jonnagiri and the chief minister is set to formally launch the project later this month, according to PTI. The official did not provide output data, a production start timeline or capacity guidance, noting that only limited exploration has been completed so far.

Nvidia priced $25 billion of investment-grade bonds on June 15, 2026—its first bond sale since 2021—after attracting $85 billion in investor orders. Despite holding more than $13 billion in cash and cash equivalents and generating $49 billion in free cash flow in its latest quarter, the company opted for low-cost, long-dated debt to refine its capital structure and support a growing slate of AI investments. The proceeds are intended for general corporate purposes, including refinancing existing debt, rather than directly funding large-scale physical buildouts.