World affairs
Geopolitics and international events, with the context behind the headlines.
- WikiBrent crude oilBrent is the world's most widely used crude oil benchmark. What it measures, how spot and futures prices differ, and how it moved in 2026.Updated
- WikiOPEC+OPEC+ links OPEC's members with Russia and other producers under the Declaration of Cooperation. Who is in it and what it decided in 2026.Updated
- WikiWTI crude oil (West Texas Intermediate)WTI is the main US crude oil benchmark, priced at Cushing, Oklahoma. What it is, why it trades below Brent, and how it moved in 2026.Updated
- ● DevelopingOil prices 2026 tracker: dated moves and their causesA dated, sourced timeline of 2026 oil price moves, from the Strait of Hormuz closure to the October 2026 stock releases, using EIA, IEA and OPEC data.Updated 24 confirmed
- ● DevelopingUS export controls on advanced AI chipsHow US rules on exporting advanced AI chips to China have changed since October 2022, who they affect, and what is still unresolved.Updated 16 confirmed
- ● DevelopingUS stock market 2026 tracker: S&P 500 milestones and sell-offsDated S&P 500 closes, records, sell-offs and their reported drivers in 2026, from the Iran war slump to October records, with sources.Updated 20 confirmed
- AnalysisOil supply and demand outlook 2026: EIA vs IEA vs OPECEIA, the IEA and OPEC disagree sharply on 2026 oil demand after the Hormuz shock. Their forecasts side by side, with what each assumes, as of October 2026.Updated
- ExplainerOil prices in 2026: a crash courseWhere oil prices stand as of October 2026, why they surged after the Strait of Hormuz closure, and how Brent, WTI, OPEC+ and pump prices fit together.Updated
- ExplainerWhat moves oil prices, and why pump prices lagSupply, demand, inventories, OPEC+ and geopolitics set crude prices. Why gasoline and diesel follow crude unevenly, explained with 2026 examples.Updated