According to The Information, ANTHROPIC's enterprise AI business unit has acquired a consulting firm.

A South Korean container vessel will sail on Saturday via the Arctic to Europe to test the commercial viability of a route opened by sea-ice retreat.

Energy: 1. Abu Dhabi National Oil Corporation (ADNOC) cut crude oil shipments to Asia, causing the price of its flagship crude, the Murban, to rise. 2. Iranian media: Iran has earned $7.5 billion in oil-related foreign exchange in the first four months of this year. 3. Russia is reportedly set to receive nearly 270,000 tons of refined petroleum products from Asia in August. 4. Saudi Arabia has allocated its entire oil supply quota to at least three European customers. 5. The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) stated that an average oil price of around $90 per barrel this year is reasonable. 6. US strategic petroleum reserves for the week ending August 14 were at their lowest level since the week ending December 31, 1982. 7. Venezuela is intensifying its efforts to attract oil investment and plans to sign more production-sharing agreements. 8. The Governor of Tehran Province, Iran, stated that developing renewable energy is a key measure to address energy imbalances and that the pace of solar energy projects should be accelerated. 9. Gulf oil-producing countries are seeking export routes, leading to a surge in demand for oil tankers. Agriculture/Mining: 1. London Metal Exchange copper registered warehouse receipts surged by 35,650 tons, the largest increase since 2024. 2. The Central Bank of Turkey launched a one-week gold-to-lira seller swap auction using traditional methods, with a volume of 8 tons. 3. The US-Canada trade agreement may halve tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 25%. 4. India plans to establish an exchange for major minerals such as bauxite. 5. Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture: Indonesia's rice production is expected to exceed 38.6 million tons in 2026. Iran Situation: 1. Iranian lawmakers: A joint statement with Oman is about to be issued, announcing a new passage through the Strait of Hormuz. 2. The US secretly opened a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, transporting approximately 10 million barrels of oil daily. 3. US President Trump: We may continue to close (the Strait of Hormuz); extensive pipeline construction will reduce the importance of the Strait of Hormuz. 4. Trump announced the toughest economic sanctions in history against Iran. Other: 1. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission is seeking public comment on AI computing power futures.