Brent crude traded above $100 per barrel, its highest since May, after Houthi attacks on two Saudi oil tankers, continued US strikes on Iran, and fresh supply disruptions from Kazakhstan.

The European Central Bank left its key interest rates unchanged at its July meeting after delivering a 25-basis-point hike in June, its first increase in three years.

Alphabet's second-quarter 2026 results show that its AI strategy is moving beyond long-term ambition and delivering measurable financial results.