- Prolonged Middle East conflict has begun to take a toil on U.S. soldiers, as it drags into its fifth month.
- U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that the Strait of Hormuz would soon become U.S. territory has been rebuffed by Iran.
- Trump has asked the Pentagon to scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea.
- Anthropic’s revenue reportedly surged more than 14-fold in the second quarter from a year earlier, as it prepares for a potential blockbuster initial public offering.
- Google parent Alphabet is now the third largest holding of Berkshire Hathaway’s equity portfolio.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One on August 14, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
Samuel Corum | Getty Images
Hello, this is Justina Lee writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open
Challenges aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln are affecting the mental health of U.S. soldiers, as the Middle East conflict drags on
Trump continues to double down on his Middle East rhetoric, claiming the Straight of Hormuz would soon become U.S. territory while advancing his Gaza plan
U.S. relations with South Korea are also under renewed focus, after Trumpaskedthe Pentagon on Sunday to scale back planned joint military exercises
What you need to know today
The prolonged Middle East conflict, which has dragged into its sixth month, has begun to take a toll on U.S. soldiers
Mental health challenges aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have been acknowledged by U.S. Central Command Adm. Brad Cooper, following reports that a sailor had jumped overboard amid the aircraft carrier‘s long Middle East deployment
The Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than eight months, has been facing reports of widespread morale and mental health issues, as the conflict continues with no clear end in sight
In his bid to assert the upper hand in the Middle East conflict, U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the Strait of Hormuz would soon become U.S. territory. That claim was rebuffedby Iran, as negotiations with Tehran to open the crucial appear to have been stalled
Experts also warned that rapid release of oil stockpiles in response to the Iran war could damage the caverns that hold the U.S. strategic oil reserves, as inventories hit a four-decade low
On the Gaza front, a diplomaticQatari and Turkish mediators in Cairo on Sunday, to advance a Gaza peace plan
Meanwhile, Trump took aim at South Korea, ordering the Pentagon on Sunday to scale back planned joint military exercises with the country, saying Seoul had declined to help denuclearize Iran
Over in Asia, China’s State Taxation Administration’s is said to move to conduct large-scale training for local officers to align on how they tax offshore trusts, after the new rules led to confusion among the rich
In more China news, investors will be keeping an eye out for the country’s retail sales and investment data due later in the day
Moving to markets, Anthropic’s revenue reportedly surged more than 14-fold in the second quarter from a year earlier, as it prepares for a potential blockbuster initial public offering
Separately, Google parent Alphabet is now the third largest holding of Berkshire Hathaway’s equity portfolio, with data suggesting Berkshire bought around $7 billion of Alphabet shares on the open market
U.S. stock futures were little changed, while Asia markets opened mixed on Monday
And finally
Extreme heat spurs earliest-ever Champagne harvest, putting its famous taste to the test
Sweltering summer temperatures look set to spur the earliest Champagne harvest on record and potentially one of the most challenging. The French region’s winemakers face lower crop yields, weaker consumer demand and a threat to the iconic drink’s famed fresh taste
The Champagne season officially starts on Aug. 15 this year, with the majority of picking expected between Aug. 20 and 25, around two weeks earlier than usual in recent years. Before the early 2000s, harvesting the grapes of the sparkling wine — which brought in $6.6 billion in sales revenues last year — almost always took place in September or October.
—Jenni Reid
