UK deputy finance minister Reynolds said, as a general principle, free trade is preferable to erecting barriers.

If Venezuela leaves OPEC, the US could gain multiple market-relevant advantages: access to crude from one of the world’s largest reserve holders closer to US refineries and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), easing feedstock and inventory pressures; further integration of Venezuelan supply into US markets and energy-security frameworks; reduced likelihood of OPEC political cohesion and coordinated production policy—especially after the UAE’s planned exit in May 2026; diminished Iran and Russia influence in a key producing country; lower risk of OPEC intervening against US participation in field development; and strengthened Western Hemisphere energy integration and security.

TrendForce memory-industry research says NAND Flash vendors are expanding supply of higher‑margin Enterprise SSDs to maximise profit and optimise product mix. With shipments and contract prices rising in tandem, combined revenue for the world’s top five Enterprise SSD brands in Q2 2026 reached nearly $37.59bn, up 103.6% QoQ.