What a weekend folks! Where do we even begin? The attacks on Saudi Arabian oil processing facilities has halved their production capabilities – sending ripples across global markets. At the time of this podcast, oil prices are up 10%. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, has already officially stated that he is blaming the Iranians. The Iranians deny the allegations, but have stated that if all US sanctions are lifted, that they’ll adopt a policy of “maximum production” to make up for the loss in output from Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, President Trump claimed on twitter that we are “locked and loaded” should it be proven that Iran is the culprit. So there is a slight disconnect between the President and his Secretary of State. New sexual assault allegations levied against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh are sure to bring even more divisiveness to Washington DC. Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, the powerful pain-killer, has filed for bankruptcy – could this begin a wave of more bankruptcies? However, their decline has been on the back of recent lawsuits that have awarded billions of dollars to victims. Economic data out of China has come in weaker across the board – industrial production, retail sales, and fixed asset investment. Also, their might be a strike in the works between the UAW and General Motors. This would be the first strike in 12 years – shortly before the onset of the Great Recession. Major central banks are scheduled to meet this week – the Fed, BOJ, BOE, and PBOC to determine monetary policy or provide guidance as to their future decisions. With the recent attacks in the Middle East coupled with higher oil prices, might central banks become concerned with inflation? Or will they use the attacks as another excuse to cite geopolitical risk(s) as a reason to continue cutting interest rates? Lastly, and perhaps a positive note – North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un has sent a letter to President Trump inviting him to Pyongyang. As long as talks are continuing, then it’s less likely that both nations will be at war – this is a good thing and let us pray for peace and prosperity. These stories will continue for several weeks. Stay diversified, stay vigilant, and stay with The Kapital News. #Peace #NoWar #Recession #Economy #Politics #Oil #Invest