Asian stock markets showed mixed results as the Japanese yen rose against the U.S. dollar due to intervention by the U.S. and Japan. Oil prices dropped after President Donald Trump said U.S. forces would avoid attacks on Iran, signaling progress toward peace in the Middle East.
Key Facts
The U.S. and Japan acted to support the Japanese yen, which rose to its highest level since late last year.
The dollar weakened to about 155.20 yen from near 164 yen last week.
A weaker yen helps Japanese companies with overseas business but makes imports like oil more expensive.
Japan’s Nikkei index fell by 1.9%, and South Korea’s Kospi index dropped 4.5%.
South Korean tech stocks Samsung and SK Hynix had big gains on Friday but lost value on Monday.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 0.6%, while China’s Shanghai Composite index declined 0.5%.
Oil prices fell by about 5% after President Trump indicated less risk of U.S. military action in the Middle East.
U.S. stock markets ended July higher, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq all showing gains last Friday.
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The new Spider-Man movie, Brand New Day, earned $927 million worldwide during its opening weekend, making it the second-biggest global opening ever after Avengers: Endgame. The film also had strong box office results in North America and is seen as a positive sign for Disney and Marvel after some recent movies performed below expectations.
Key Facts
Brand New Day made $927 million in global ticket sales during its first weekend.
It is the second-biggest opening weekend ever, behind Avengers: Endgame’s $1.2 billion in 2019.
The movie earned $335 million in North America, setting a second-best record there.
The film stars Tom Holland and Zendaya as Spider-Man and MJ, continuing the story from a 2021 movie.
This Spider-Man movie is Marvel’s last big film before the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
Recent Marvel movies have not earned as much money compared to earlier hits.
The global box office is recovering after the Covid-19 pandemic, with North American ticket sales expected to exceed $10 billion this year.
Other recent hits like Toy Story 5 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie have each made over $1 billion.
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Japan and the United States worked together last week to stop the Japanese yen from falling to its weakest level in 40 years. This joint effort is the first since 2011 and aims to keep the yen stable and protect the global economy.
Key Facts
Japan and the US intervened together to support the yen, which had dropped to a 40-year low.
This was the first joint action since 2011, when both countries acted after a major earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
Both governments said they are ready to intervene jointly again if needed.
The yen has weakened because Japan’s central bank interest rates are much lower than US rates, making the yen less attractive to investors.
The Bank of Japan increased its key interest rate recently to 1%, still lower than the US rate of 3.50%-3.75%.
Japan faces long-term economic challenges like a shrinking working-age population and reliance on imported energy priced in US dollars.
After the intervention announcement, the dollar fell slightly against the yen but then rose again after Japan’s finance ministry statement.
Bank of Japan may have spent nearly $59 billion to buy yen during the intervention, while the US might have spent between $5 and $10 billion.
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A dog rescue group in San Francisco called Muttville Senior Dog Rescue has hired a cat to help see if adoptable dogs can live well with cats. This helps the rescue understand which dogs might do best in homes that already have cats.
Key Facts
Muttville Senior Dog Rescue is located in San Francisco.
The rescue works with senior dogs, meaning older dogs.
They hired a cat to interact with the dogs.
The cat’s role is to help test how friendly dogs are toward cats.
This testing helps find the best matches for dogs and their future homes.
The goal is to increase the chances that adopted dogs will adjust well in new families.
The story was reported by Itay Hod for CBS News.
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Since the Iran war began in late February, fuel theft from UK petrol stations has increased by about 20%, with almost £200,000 worth stolen daily. The rising fuel prices caused by disruptions in oil supply have led to more incidents of people driving off without paying and increased tensions at forecourts.
Key Facts
Fuel theft at UK petrol stations rose by 20% in the five months after the Iran war started on February 28.
The estimated value of stolen fuel increased by 48%, reaching about £194,000 per day.
The volume of stolen fuel grew by 24%, from around 87,000 litres to nearly 109,000 litres daily.
The number of daily fuel theft incidents rose from about 2,400 to 2,872 across the UK.
Rising fuel prices are linked to conflicts in the Middle East disrupting oil supplies.
Petrol stations report more abuse, intimidation, and violence from frustrated customers.
Forecourt Eye will offer crime reporting technology to over 2,000 retailers starting this autumn in partnership with a facial recognition company.
Government officials have said they are monitoring fuel prices closely but found no clear evidence of widespread price gouging.
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Oil prices dropped sharply after President Donald Trump said U.S. forces would delay new strikes against Iran, signaling a possible end to the Middle East conflict. This conflict had blocked shipments through the Persian Gulf, causing oil prices to rise and affecting fuel costs worldwide.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump ordered U.S. forces to hold off on new strikes against Iran.
Fighting in the Middle East has lasted over five months, disrupting oil shipments.
The conflict blocked tanker ships in the Persian Gulf, a key route for oil transport.
U.S. crude oil prices fell 5% to $80.79 per barrel after the announcement.
Brent crude, the global oil price benchmark, also dropped 5% to $83.87 per barrel.
Oil prices had risen over 20% compared to before the conflict started.
High oil prices increased costs for gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel worldwide.
Fuel shortages and rationing occurred in some countries due to the conflict’s impact on supply.
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President Donald Trump said the United States helped support the Japanese yen through joint currency intervention with Japan. This action aimed to strengthen the yen's value and was described as a friendly move benefiting both the U.S. and the global economy.
Key Facts
The U.S. and Japan intervened together to support the Japanese yen for the first time in nearly 30 years.
The intervention involved the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York selling euros to buy yen.
The yen had weakened to its lowest level since 1986, reaching 163.24 yen per dollar.
Higher U.S. interest rates, rising oil prices, and capital outflows contributed to the yen’s decline.
Analysts estimate Japan’s intervention could have been around 6 to 8.45 trillion yen (about $52.8 billion).
President Trump called the intervention a "signal of friendship" between the U.S. and Japan.
The coordinated intervention aimed to help stabilize the global economy.
This was the first major joint currency support effort from the U.S. and Japan since 1998.
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New rules and more flexible lending mean first-time home buyers in the UK can now borrow up to six or seven times their annual income to get a mortgage. This change makes it easier for more people to buy a home but also requires careful financial planning.
Key Facts
First-time buyers can borrow up to six or seven times their yearly income.
Mortgage lending limits were tightened after the 2008 financial crisis to prevent risky loans.
The old rules restricted only 15% of new mortgages to be above 4.5 times income.
House prices have risen faster than wages, making larger loans necessary.
Many lenders are now offering bigger loans, especially niche lenders and building societies.
Borrowers usually need a good credit history, steady salary, and some savings for a deposit.
Larger loans come with risks, so buyers should have a financial backup plan.
Interest rates and lending criteria can change over time, affecting future mortgage renewals.
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Chevron CEO Mike Wirth said the war involving Iran has made the energy market fragile and uncertain. He mentioned risks affecting the routes used to transport oil exports.
Key Facts
Mike Wirth is the chair and CEO of Chevron.
He spoke during an interview on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”
Wirth described the energy market as fragile and uncertain due to the Iran conflict.
The war poses risks to the routes used to transport oil exports.
The situation could impact global energy supplies.
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Australia ended a temporary fuel tax cut put in place to ease rising prices caused partly by the Middle East conflict. Treasurer Jim Chalmers asked the consumer watchdog to carefully watch fuel stations to prevent unfair price increases. The Australian government also updated rules requiring tech platforms like LinkedIn to pay media companies for news content.
Key Facts
The fuel excise cut, which reduced tax on petrol, was temporary and ended recently.
Fuel prices have risen but remain lower than before the tax cut started.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers instructed the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to watch fuel station prices closely to stop price gouging.
Penalties for petrol stations that break pricing laws have been increased to multimillion-dollar fines.
The government updated news bargaining laws, now including LinkedIn along with Google, Meta, and TikTok.
Platforms must negotiate payments with at least six media companies or pay 2.5% of their digital advertising revenue in Australia.
Microsoft lobbied to keep LinkedIn exempt, but LinkedIn is now included; Bing remains exempt due to low advertising revenue.
The changes focus only on digital advertising revenue, excluding other income like device sales.
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The UK Chancellor, John Healey, said the government is ready to act if big retailers raise prices unfairly amid rising costs from the Iran war. He warned that ministers are watching for signs of profiteering but found no major evidence so far, while retailers urged the government to focus on the impact of taxes on prices.
Key Facts
Chancellor John Healey said the government is prepared to stop unfair price increases at gas stations and stores due to the Iran conflict.
Healey said there is no clear proof that retailers have been charging too much during this crisis.
The cost of living in the UK is rising because of higher energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict.
The Bank of England kept interest rates steady but warned inflation could go above 4% next year if the war worsens.
Healey highlighted that the conflict threatens both national security and economic stability in the UK.
Retailers, represented by the British Retail Consortium, said they face rising costs and strong competition keeps food prices low.
The consortium suggested the government should address tax increases, such as national insurance and business rates, to help control inflation.
Previous ideas to cap food prices led to criticism from supermarket leaders.
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Britain is facing food shortages because of a severe drought affecting farms in England. Farmers are experiencing smaller crops and earlier harvests, partly due to very little rain and heatwaves, which is making farming harder and more expensive.
Key Facts
England experienced a severe drought, with some areas having no rain for over a month.
This drought is the third in five years, affecting British farming as the climate changes.
Wheat crops are only half their normal size, and harvests are happening earlier than usual.
Floods in the winter also made it hard to plant crops in many places.
About 23 million people in England and Wales are under a hosepipe ban to save water.
Heatwaves have caused fires and health alerts in several English regions.
Farmers are asking the government for tax breaks to build water storage systems.
Farming is becoming less profitable as government subsidies end and weather problems continue.
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Solar energy produced a record 14.4% of Great Britain’s electricity in July, breaking the previous high from May. The increase comes from more sunshine and many new solar panel installations on homes and in solar farms, helping people save on energy bills.
Key Facts
Solar power reached 14.4% of Great Britain’s electricity in July, a new monthly record.
This is 50% more solar electricity than in July last year, when it was 9.6%.
The rise happened because parts of the UK had almost twice the usual sunshine hours.
More solar panels were installed in the first half of 2024 than in any six-month period since 2011.
Most new solar setups are on household rooftops, which make up about one-third of total solar capacity.
Solar power helped supply electricity during the heatwave for air conditioning and fans.
The largest UK solar farm is the 373 MW Cleve Hill project; a bigger 800 MW farm is planned for 2029.
The energy minister said growing Britain’s own power reduces exposure to global energy price changes and can lower bills.
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"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" earned $355 million in its first weekend in North America, making it the second biggest opening ever. The movie, starring Tom Holland, received strong reviews and attracted a large audience, especially young people.
Key Facts
The movie made $355 million in ticket sales during its opening weekend in the U.S. and Canada.
This is the second highest North American opening, just behind "Avengers: Endgame" which opened at $357 million in 2019.
"Brand New Day" had a record $168 million in opening day sales from 4,487 theaters.
The movie cost about $225 million to make, not counting marketing costs.
It received a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes and high ratings from audiences.
More than half of the audience was under 25 years old, and about 61% were male.
Tom Holland previously starred in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" which made $1.9 billion worldwide.
The movie was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
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Security staff at London's National Gallery, most of whom are from ethnic minority backgrounds, are reportedly restricted to a basement break area with poor conditions, while other employees use a well-equipped "hub" with better facilities. The security workers' union says this segregation is unfair and may violate discrimination laws.
Key Facts
Most security staff at the National Gallery belong to ethnic minorities.
Security guards are not allowed to use a bright, well-equipped break area called the "hub."
Instead, the security staff must take breaks in a basement space with poor lighting, ventilation, and furniture.
The "hub" is mainly used by the Gallery’s in-house staff, who are mostly white.
The union PCS claims this treatment is discriminatory under the UK Equality Act 2010.
Security staff cover multiple exhibition rooms, which some say could endanger the art collection.
The National Gallery says the hub’s space limits prevent security staff from using it, but their breaks happen at different times to avoid overcrowding.
The security workers are employed by an outside company called CIS Security.
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American Girl, a company founded in 1986, makes dolls, books, and accessories that tell stories about girls from different times in American history. On its 40th anniversary, the company highlights how these products help connect different generations through stories about girlhood.
Key Facts
American Girl was founded in 1986.
The company creates dolls, books, and accessories.
Each product tells stories about girls from different American historical periods.
The brand celebrates the experiences of young girls across eras.
American Girl is marking its 40th anniversary.
Its products aim to help families connect by sharing stories about girlhood.
The anniversary celebration was covered by CBS News correspondent Faith Salie.
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Actress Scarlett Johansson has started a new business by launching a line of skin care products. Her brand, called The Outset, focuses on sensitive skin and is inspired by her own skin challenges.
Key Facts
Scarlett Johansson is an actress and a two-time Oscar nominee.
She has created a skin care product line named The Outset.
The products are made for people with sensitive skin.
Johansson uses her own skin experiences to develop the products.
Her husband, Colin Jost, has helped test the products.
The launch of this line marks her entry into the skin care business.
This information was shared in an interview on CBS News on April 12, 2026.
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House prices have dropped in several Australian cities, including Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth, as the housing market slows down across the country. Factors such as higher interest rates, recent tax changes on property investors, and the conflict in the Middle East have contributed to reducing buyer demand since earlier this year.
Key Facts
Brisbane’s median house price fell about $8,000 since May, returning to March’s level of $1.1 million.
Adelaide and Perth saw median prices drop by around $4,000 from their May peaks, now at $944,000 and $1.03 million.
Regional Australia’s home values declined overall in June for the first time since January 2023.
National median home price is $928,000, about $19,000 below the March high.
Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra prices also fell since February but remain higher than early 2025 levels.
Less than 1% of borrowers owe more than their home’s worth (negative equity), and very few are struggling to make repayments.
The Reserve Bank of Australia began raising interest rates in February 2026, which alongside the May federal budget changes to property investor tax benefits has lowered housing demand.
Mortgage applications dropped 15% in the second quarter of 2026, according to NAB, with similar trends reported by other lenders.
Auction clearance rates improved slightly from 47.4% in June to 53.6% recently, but new listing numbers fell as some sellers delay selling.
The RBA is not expected to raise interest rates at its August 11 meeting.
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Many Americans face delays and denials from health insurance companies when they try to get approved for medical procedures. A company named Sheer Health offers a service to help people fight these insurance denials.
Key Facts
73% of Americans say healthcare delays and denials are a major problem.
Health insurance companies often refuse coverage for medically requested procedures.
Sheer Health is a company that helps clients challenge insurance denials.
This service acts like insurance against health care denials.
The story was reported by CBS News correspondent Susan Spencer.
The original report aired on April 12, 2026.
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Chinese car company BYD became the world's top seller of fully electric vehicles last year, passing Tesla. This happened even though BYD sells almost no cars in the U.S. market, which is hard for them to enter due to trade rules.
Key Facts
BYD stands for "Build Your Dreams."
In 2025, BYD sold more fully electric vehicles worldwide than Tesla.
The U.S. market is mostly closed to Chinese electric cars because of tariffs and trade barriers.
China has invested a lot in developing electric vehicle technology over many years.
Some experts worry that U.S. tariffs could hurt American car companies in the future.
BYD's rise shows how China’s long-term focus on innovation is paying off in the electric vehicle industry.
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