South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) alleges Google used its “Project Hug” program to offer exclusive financial incentives to game developers, requiring them to launch only on Google Play and potentially abusing a dominant market position. The KFTC said the conduct involved 14.16 trillion won ($9.1 billion) in affected revenue. If the allegations are upheld, penalties could be as high as 6% of that amount, or about $5.5 billion. Google has eight weeks to respond before the KFTC issues a final decision.

Russia is considering temporarily easing sulfur limits for gasoline and diesel after Ukrainian drone attacks damaged refineries and tightened fuel supply. The move would allow more production of lower-grade fuel to ease pressure on domestic availability. The measure would not directly increase crude demand but highlights mounting strain across Russia’s fuel supply chain.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that President Donald Trump cannot remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook without following the legally required process. The decision affirms that Federal Reserve appointments are protected by law, reinforcing the central bank’s independence in monetary policy. The ruling was grounded in procedural due process and did not address policy views or economic data. It does not change current rate decisions, but reduces the risk of political interference and supports confidence in the continuity and credibility of Fed decision-making.

Signs of easing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and Iran lifted risk appetite, with both sides saying they will hold peace talks. The Dow gained 280 points and the S&P 500 rose 0.8%. Comcast shares surged nearly 10% after it said it plans to spin off its NBCUniversal and Sky assets, boosting the communications services sector. Short-term trading focus shifted toward a rebound in risk sentiment and a re-rating of breakup value in high-quality assets.

Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian fuel infrastructure have caused gasoline shortages in Crimea, parts of southern Russia and Moscow. Long queues have formed at petrol stations, with some regions limiting sales to private motorists and cutting back public transport and business operations. President Vladimir Putin acknowledged in an internal meeting that the strikes have disrupted supply. The disruption reflects a confirmed physical break in the domestic fuel supply chain, with no mention of damage to international crude export facilities.

Wall Street’s three major indexes opened higher on Monday. The Dow rose 119.0 points (0.23%) to 51,995.14, the S&P 500 gained 37.9 points (0.51%) to 7,391.88, and the Nasdaq added 204.5 points (0.81%) to 25,502.088. The rise came as Middle East tensions showed signs of easing, easing pressure after escalating friction between the United States and Iran.

Diplomatic signals from the United States and Iran are raising expectations that tensions in the Middle East could ease. The shift has reduced worries over energy supply risks and lifted Nasdaq 100 futures. The report also says both sides are seeking to push oil prices lower, even as localized clashes persist and concerns over AI spending and potential Federal Reserve rate hikes continue to weigh on sentiment.

Renewed tensions in the Middle East have added upward momentum to oil prices, though hopes for talks have capped gains. The repricing of geopolitical risk has also lifted crude-price volatility. In equities, Apple faces limited room to raise prices as chip costs rise, while Micron’s upbeat earnings outlook has supported sentiment. A stronger dollar is pressuring the yen after Japan previously intervened in currency markets.

The dollar has slipped for a second straight session after U.S. inflation data came in line with expectations and oil prices fell about 4% on Friday, easing market conviction around further Federal Reserve rate hikes. Even so, the dollar had earlier touched a 13-month high this week and remains on course for its strongest monthly percentage rise since July. A pickup in consumer sentiment added to signs that inflation may be cresting.