🚀 The Central Bank of Russia has unveiled the initial draft regulations for the launch of the cryptocurrency market in the country. For more details, visit the official release.

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🌎 The exchange rates have been updated, with USDCNY currently at 6.76 and USDTRUB at 81.7. For more details, visit USDCNY and USDTRUB.

⚠️🇮🇷 Iran has rejected a U.S. proposal for mediation talks in Islamabad, citing excessive demands from the American side, according to Iran's Foreign Ministry. Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi stated, "The American side announced that if this plan was rejected, the negotiations would be deemed unsuccessful, and they would withdraw." Ultimately, the U.S. delegation did leave the talks, confirming this outcome. For more details, visit MEHR.

🛢🇮🇷🇴🇲 Iran and Oman are in talks regarding a potential agreement to resume shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Successful consultations could pave the way for renewed peace negotiations between the US and Iran, according to BBG. This marks yet another report this year about discussions between Iran and Oman concerning navigation through the strategic strait.

🚫🛢 Traffic in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait has decreased by 56% following the Houthis' embargo on Saudi vessels, according to Kpler.

🛢 Lebanon has proposed a route for Iraq to transit oil to the Mediterranean Sea, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, according to The National. Lebanese authorities have offered Iraq the use of their territory as an additional exit to the Mediterranean. The project includes the restoration and expansion of the infrastructure of the historic Kirkuk-Banias oil pipeline, which runs through Syria with a branch to the Lebanese port of Tripoli.

🛢🇷🇺🇲🇬 Russia is making significant efforts to strengthen ties with Madagascar, driven by the island's strategic position east of the Mozambique Channel, a route that accounts for a third of the world's oil supply, according to BBG. Earlier, BBG reported concerns from major Western oil companies that Madagascar might begin selling sanctioned Russian oil on the global market. In May, authorities on the island announced plans for Russia to build fuel storage facilities and establish a joint economic zone.

🚨🇺🇸 U.S. strikes against vessels have not yielded results in the fight against drug trafficking. Smugglers have adapted to the new conditions for transporting drugs. — WAPO

⚠️🇷🇺 Ozon has announced that its insurance partner, Ingostrakh, will be forced to revise its rates. The company informed sellers about this change. For more information, visit Ozon.

🚨🇺🇸🇷🇺 Today:

1) Trump is set to meet with Zelensky in Washington.

2) Trump will speak at the farewell ceremony for Senator Lindsey Graham, who has been listed in Russia as a terrorist and extremist; he may address the "hellish sanctions" against Russia.

3) A vote on the "hellish sanctions" against Russia is anticipated in the U.S. Senate.

⚠️🌎 U.S. stocks are experiencing a sell-off, with Nasdaq 100 futures hitting new two-month lows during the Asian session. The Nikkei 225 index has also reached its lowest point in two months.

⚠️✴️ Bitcoin (BTC) has dropped to $63,000 as outflows from spot BTC ETFs continue for three consecutive trading sessions.

🚨🇺🇸 Standard Chartered has indicated that the yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds could rise to 5% if the Federal Reserve does not adopt a more aggressive stance on inflation control.

🇷🇺 The IMOEX index has significantly rebounded over the past two weeks. An increasing number of experts are advising to at least partially reduce long positions as monitoring continues. In the U.S. Senate, a vote on "hellish sanctions" against Russia is expected today.

🇷🇺 This could have been our portfolio this morning.

🛢 Gazprom has stated that liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies are becoming a less reliable method of gas delivery compared to pipeline transportation.

⚠️🇺🇸 Citadel Securities predicts that the Federal Reserve will surprise markets by raising interest rates at its meeting on July 29.

🛢🇺🇸 The United States continues to deplete its Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) at a record pace, with levels falling to the lowest point since 1983.

🚫🛢🇪🇺 Traders are beginning to anticipate a fuel shortage and further declines in LNG supplies to Europe, according to BBG. Europe is set to face the upcoming winter with the lowest energy resource reserves in recent years, as conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine have impacted LNG and diesel supplies, reported RTRS.

⚠️🇺🇸 Alphabet's spending on artificial intelligence is skyrocketing, a trend seen across many major US tech firms. Nearly a year ago, Google co-founder Larry Page stated that it would be better to go bankrupt than lose the AI race. Last week, Alphabet's report revealed that its AI expenses resulted in the company's first negative free cash flow in history for Q2 2026.