July CPI landed exactly on consensus — core at 2.5%, slowest since March 2021 — and the VIX collapsed 4.78% to 14.55, an eight-month low. But the 10-year rose anyway: Treasury booked a record $432B July deficit with customs receipts turning negative. AI hardware ripped (Dell +9.87%, Oracle +5.36%), funded by selling Microsoft and Amazon. Canada rejected a sweetened US offer seven days from the tariff cliff. Meta fell 3.38% as its 29-state trial began. Crude posted its biggest build since 2023.
MIB Daily: CPI’s In-Line Core of 2.5% Steepens the Curve on a $432B Deficit While VIX Craters to 14.55 — Rotate Dell and Oracle Over Microsoft and Amazon as Capex Risk Builds, but What’s Left to Buy Into a Busy Calendar?
MIB Daily: Crude’s 5th Gain and EIA’s 8.5% Diesel Hike Mean CPI Won’t Be Reassurance — Payrolls Decelerate a 6th Week as Chip-Equipment (KLA +4.01%) Outruns AI Platforms (GOOGL -3.84%)
Hormuz transits collapse to six vessels against a pre-war 140 — crude posts a fifth straight gain and equities slip into tomorrow’s CPI. The EIA picks the same day to raise its 2026 diesel forecast 8.5% and sees crude stocks below the five-year low all year. Private payrolls decelerate for a sixth week; the front end barely blinked. Alphabet -3.84% as 300 French publishers file over AI Overviews. Intel prices an upsized $20B raise at $95 on $100B of demand.
MIB Daily: Stagflation Trap Snaps Shut — CPI 4.2%, WTI Hits $91 on Iran, SMCI -17%; Long Energy/Defensives, June 17 FOMC the Test
May CPI hit 4.2% YoY — a three-year high — making December a near-certain hike and pushing Goldman’s odds to 20%. US-Iran ceasefire collapsed: US struck Iranian air defenses, Iran retaliated, Trump signaled civilian-infrastructure strikes. WTI +4.06% to $91.78 on a seventh straight EIA draw of -7.2M bbl, triple estimates. SMCI -17% on a $7B raise dragged QCOM -6.92%, AVGO -5.12% as SpaceX’s $75B IPO extracts AI-trade liquidity. S&P -1.62%, Dow cracked 50,000; only Consumer Defensives and Energy finished green.
MIB Daily: This Isn’t a Dip — MRVL -7.6%, Nasdaq -1.12%, 4.2% CPI Due Wednesday, Hormuz Shut: Defensives Over Tech Through June 17
AI mega-caps remain under distribution as SpaceX’s $75B IPO ($150B+ in orders) drains liquidity — MRVL -7.6%, AAPL -3.7%, Nasdaq -1.12%. Iran-Israel ceasefire cuts WTI -3% to $88.54 — but Hormuz stays blocked and Trump vowed a US response to the Apache downing. NFIB price plans hit 34% (4-year high); Wednesday’s CPI consensus is 4.2% YoY (3-year high) — make-or-break for Warsh’s June 17 FOMC debut. GSK bids $10.6B (40% premium) for Nuvalent’s oncology pipeline; 9 of 11 sectors advanced on defensive rotation.
