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Don't confuse turbulence and decline. McGeever: This market is on its feet
The markets are awash with red flags that warn of another turbulent second half in 2026. Don't mistake turbulence for a sign of a correction. Late bull markets are often characterized by wild volatility, eye-watering price fluctuations and a wide range of asset classes and benchmark indices. This is when exuberance becomes irrational, to paraphrase late Federal Reserve chair?Alan Greenspan. These dynamics are playing out in varying degrees on many markets. Silver has fallen 55% since its January peak and Bitcoin's value has dropped by more than half since November. The tech market has been a volatile ride -- the SOX Philadelphia semiconductor index posted 10% daily drops, but was still up 90% from March. Micron Technology tripled to a $1 Trillion market cap in just three months. South Korean stocks are a perfect example of the turmoil -- and resilience -- that marked the first half of 2026. The AI-pumped KOSPI had a bullish market, rising by 50% in the first 2 months of the year. But it plunged into a bearish market three days later after the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran. It's no wonder that realized volatility has risen to new heights. Since that low in march, the KOSPI index has almost doubled despite four corrections of double-digits. This type of frenzied behaviour is usually preceded by a steeper correction or bear market. These wild price swings, coupled with sky-high prices and a growing IPO mania are putting investors in high alert. Even if the diagnosis of "irrational markets" is correct, and they are heading into this territory, fears about a sharp market correction may be premature. Room for EXUBERANCE Wall Street certainly seems to believe that. JPMorgan strategists and Barclays analysts raised their forecasts for the S&P 500 at the end of 2026 to 7,800, which implies a further 5% increase. Meanwhile, BCA Research analysts increased their year-end outlook to 8,100 points, almost 10% higher than current levels. BCA's team stated on Tuesday that "our constructive equity view is based on earnings and not valuation." The economy has moved from a slowdown to an expansion. Investments continue to grow, and earnings are stronger than expected. This is a compelling argument until hard evidence to the contrary emerges. Rarely, bull markets can fall under their own weight. A sharp reversal is more likely to be triggered by a factor, such as an unexpected financial shock, a sudden rise in interest rates or a policy mistake. We haven't seen one yet. In the first half of this year, we have seen a war, an unprecedented global energy crunch, a shift to hawkish Fed communication, and a growing concern over hyperscalers’ capex expenditure and debt issuance. Investors have shrugged off all of it. JPMorgan’s Dubravko Lakos–Bujas and his team understand that even if the path of U.S. equity prices is up, it may be “non-linear” and there will be various obstacles to overcome. Recent earnings have 'raise the bar' for future earnings. The IPOs of OpenAI, Anthropic, and other companies are expected to increase the equity supply. The Fed may soon stop talking about tightening its monetary policy and start actually raising rates. Rising borrowing costs are one of the main causes of "death" for bull markets. There's no doubt that the U.S. Central Bank's recent hawkish pivot is behind the recent weakness in certain risky assets. Investors will continue to see downdrafts, if earnings remain stable, AI continues its craze and the global economic system keeps on chugging, as a buying opportunity. Greenspan's famous "irrational" exuberance comment was made in December 1996 - more than three years before the peak of the dotcom bubble in March 2000. The current rally may have a long way to go. You like this column? Open Interest (ROI) is your new essential source of global financial commentary. Follow ROI on LinkedIn and X. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast daily on Apple, Spotify or the app. Subscribe to the Morning Bid podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets seven days a weeks.
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Agroconsult reports that Brazil's second-corn production outlook for 2025/26 is up, but still lags behind the last cycle.
Agroconsult, a Brazilian agribusiness consultancy, has increased its estimates for the key second-corn crops in 2025/26 by 3.4%. However, the projections still fall short of the previous season's record output due to bad weather. Agroconsult, citing the results of its Rally da Safra tour, said that the second-corn harvest, which is the majority of Brazil's corn crop and is currently being harvested, will reach 115.8 millions metric tons during the 2025/26 crop season. Agroconsult reported that Brazil's outlook for its second-corn crop, which is planted in the same fields after soybeans have been harvested, shows a 7.6% drop from a record production cycle of 125.3 millions tons. This is due to unpredictable weather, which has a negative impact on production, despite a relatively stable planted area. Brazil is the third largest corn producer in the world and a major corn exporter. Agroconsult reported that weather-related problems affected the states of Goias, Minas Gerais and the southeast area of 'Mato Grosso. Agroconsult reported that "in these regions, the planting took place outside of the window considered to be ideal", leading to a decrease in planted area as well as significant losses when rains stopped prematurely in April or May. Agroconsult reported that Brazilian corn farmers will harvest a total of 144.1 millions tons of corn in 2025/26, which is above the May forecast of 140.5 million tons, but below the 152.3 million ton record of the previous crop. The consultancy also predicted a decline in exports from the previous cycle, estimating that the South American nation?will send 37?million tonnes of corn abroad this season, a drop of 11.3%. Analysts at the consultancy firm stated that lower exports are due to competition from the United States, Argentina and an expanding corn-based industry in 'homeland, which offers often better profit potential than exporting. "Brazil is awash in ethanol, but the price the industry pays for it, which is above parity, means that we are losing our competitiveness on the export market," said Adriano Lotti, partner and grain market manager at Agroconsult. Reporting by Roberto Samora, Writing by Isabel Teles and Andre Romani, Editing by Daina Bet Solomon and Lincoln Feast.
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After deadly earthquake, international aid is heading to Venezuela
After two powerful earthquakes in?Venezuela on Wednesday, governments and humanitarian groups have started sending cash, teams of rescuers, and other aid. The death toll is expected to increase. According to the latest statistics, the back-to-back earthquakes, measuring 7.2 & 7.5 in magnitude, struck roughly 160 km (100 miles), west of Caracas. They damaged at least 250 buildings, and trapped about 200 people. U.N. HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICE Tom Fletcher, the U.N.'s chief of aid, said that the office for humanitarian affairs was in charge of coordinating the deployments by international teams to search and rescue urban areas. He said that "the coming days will demand a massive effort collective to support the response led by government and help communities." He said that 8 million people needed humanitarian assistance in the country even before the earthquake, and now the disaster may make them even more vulnerable. U.S. State Department The U.S. State Department announced that it would mobilize $150 million of humanitarian aid to?Venezuela. This included $50 million of new bilateral funding to partners like the U.N. World Food Programme, nonprofit organization International Medical Corps, and $100 million as a contribution to an?U.N. The pooled funds. Washington will also send a disaster response unit with two urban search and rescue units and provide airlift, logistic and coordination support for moving personnel and lifesaving supplies to affected areas, according to the State Department. The State Department said that the search and rescue effort is their immediate need. The U.S. Military is helping to transport supplies and personnel, as well as support other relief efforts. POPE LEO VIII Vatican media reported that Pope Leo sent EUR100,000.00 ($114,000.00) from the Vatican charity fund to Venezuela as relief for the quake. WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN Jose Andres, chef and founder of the 'humanitarian food provider World Central Kitchen', announced on Thursday that his team has begun distributing meals to Caracas. He said on X, that his Longer Tables Fund would immediately donate $1 million to Venezuela. EL SALVADOR On X, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said that 300 paramedics and rescue workers were ready to travel to Venezuela with 50 tons medical supplies. MEXICO The Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum announced that a team of medical and rescue personnel had left for Venezuela. Mexico will send 250 military rescue personnel as well as five rescue dogs, four planes, a drone and rescue equipment. COLOMBIA The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management in Colombia has mobilized a search-and rescue team for Venezuela that includes more than 60 members, four dog teams and 12 metric tonnes of equipment. The mayor of Cali announced that nine firefighters would be helping with the search and rescue efforts. ECUADOR Ecuador will send a team of rescuers to Venezuela on Friday, which includes 46 urban search-and-rescue experts, two dogs, and six metric tons (?six) of equipment. The statement from the foreign ministry of Ecuador said that this is the plan. PANAMA Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino announced that the country would send a rescue team to Venezuela, and organize humanitarian aid. Mulino stated that authorities have opened donation points to send to Caracas in response to the country's aid response. FRANCE FRANCE said it was deploying a search and rescue unit in Venezuela, including medical teams and engineers as well as dogs to locate and remove survivors from collapsed building. A military plane will bring 57 soldiers and 40 firefighters from the Madrid area to Venezuela, according to the Spanish Defense Ministry. The Spanish development agency plans to?set up a field clinic in Venezuela. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that firefighters, the Ministry of Defense and the Air Force were mobilized to offer assistance.
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The dollar is steady near its one-year high as world stocks rise on the chip rally
Investors remained cautious about the?extended valuations of AI-related stocks, but global stock prices rose Thursday. The?dollar also hovered around a year-high. The Dow Jones rose on Wall Street led by materials, industrials and healthcare stocks. The S&P 500 ended essentially flat. Micron rose 15.7% as the memory chipmaker’s strong forecast helped extend its AI driven ascent. Qualcomm gained 3.8% following its announcement that it anticipates sales of $15 billion per year from its data centers business by 2029. Nasdaq fell, but was dragged lower by the choppy trading of most megacap tech stocks. Apple dropped 6.1%, while Microsoft fell 3.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up 0.14% higher, while the S&P500 was flat and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.46%. AI VALUATIONS AND INTEREST RATE DRIVE SENTIMENT Concerns from investors that the valuations of AI related?companies are stretched after years' gains have weighed on the markets, causing volatile sessions in recent days. The markets are also pricing higher interest rates from the U.S. Federal Reserve, and other central banks. Marc Dizard is chief investment officer of Huntington Wealth Management. He said that if you compare the S&P 500 without technology to the tech sector, going back to the year 2000, the two are about 2.8 standard differences apart. When you consider the magnitude of the move, we don't find it surprising that there would be a slight pause in the market, as well as some consolidation and rebalancing, where investors take profits off the table. The broad STOXX 600 index rose by 0.80% in Europe. MSCI's global index of stocks rose by 0.37%. "Technology will be a long-term asset, as the story unfolds. Not necessarily within the next six month." Dizard added that when the Fed adopts a more hawkish stance, long-term assets will be sold off during this time. U.S. data showed that inflation in the United States rose above 4% for the first three years on Thursday, as energy prices were boosted by the Middle East conflict. However, the monthly reading came in slightly below expectations and helped to lower yields. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10 year notes fell 0.59 basis points to 4.394%. The yield on the 2-year note fell 1.2 basis point to 4.125%. OIL BACK AT PRE-WAR LEVELS Oil 'prices' edged up but remained near levels seen just before the U.S./Israeli war against Iran. This was due to the expectation of a rising Middle East supply outweighing demand concerns. Brent crude futures closed up?2% to $75.26 per barrel. The dollar dropped against its major counterparts but was still near its highest levels in the last?year. The euro last stood at $1.137 - a whisker over Wednesday's 13 month low. Meanwhile, the Japanese yen is near its lowest level in 40 years versus the dollar. The yen was unchanged against the greenback, at 161,80 per dollar. The dollar index fell by 0.15%, to 101.45, measuring the greenback in relation to a basket including the yen, the euro and other currencies. The dollar dropped, and gold rose. Spot gold increased 0.64%, to $4 026.09 per ounce. Reporting by Chibuike OGOH in New York, additional reporting by Alun JOHN; Editing by Kevin Liffey; Edmund Klamann; Rod Nickel
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PREVIEW: Austria and Algeria will shoot it out for second in Group J
Austria and Algeria are set to face off in Kansas City for the second place in their World Cup Group J. A draw could be a good outcome for both teams as they 'push for a spot in the round of 32. Argentina has already been?confirmed? as the pool winner, while Austria and Algeria both have three points each and Jordan zero going into the final rounds of games. A draw would see Austria retain their position due to the superior goal-difference. Algeria, however, would advance as one of the top three teams in the 12 groups, with four points. There is an interesting twist in this story. It might be better to finish third than second in the group. The runner-up will face Spain, who are a favourite, in the round-of-32, while the team that finishes third could be up against the Group?B champions, Switzerland. Austria and Algeria were both?on the receiving end of a 'Lionel Messi Masterclass' when they faced Argentina, but it looks like this matchup will be more equal. The Algerian forward Mohamed Amoura is doubtful after missing the 2-1 win over Jordan, and Austria's Stefan Posch played against Argentina with a fractured jaw but seemed to have recovered well. Austria coach Ralf Rangnick said he is 'disappointed' with his team for losing to the Argentines, but he was happy with their performance and hinted that they would have a try against the Algerians. He said that during every World Cup match, there are certain phases in which one team has the momentum on their side. "I would have asked my players to show more courage... "I think we were very impressive in the second-half." Vladimir Petkovic, the Algeria coach, is also satisfied with his team and says he's?pleased that they have everything to play for in the final match. Petkovic stated, "I believe we have produced two good performances." "To?have the fate of our team in our own hands. "We're in good shape, even though nothing has been decided yet." This matchup is reminiscent of the infamous "Disgrace in Gijon" at the 1982 World Cup when Austria and West Germany played to a tie that eliminated Algeria from the competition. (Reporting and editing by Christian Radnedge.)
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After deadly earthquake, international aid is heading to Venezuela
After two powerful earthquakes in Venezuela on Wednesday, governments and humanitarian groups around the world have started sending cash, teams of rescuers, and other types of aid. The number is expected to rise. At least 250 buildings were damaged by the two quakes that struck Caracas in a distance of?160km (100miles). The latest count shows 200 people still trapped under debris. U.N. HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OFFICE Tom Fletcher, the U.N.'s chief of aid, said that the office for humanitarian affairs was responsible for coordinating the deployment international search and rescue teams. He said that "the coming days will need a massive collective effort in order to support the Government's response and help communities." He said that 8 million people needed humanitarian assistance in the country even before the earthquake, and this disaster may make them even more vulnerable. U.S. SECRETAIRE OF STATE - MARCO RUBIO U.S. Secretary Of State Marco Rubio told reporters that search-and-rescue crews have been dispatched from Virginia and Los Angeles. Other teams will be added. Rubio said, "Search and Rescue efforts are their immediate need at the moment." POPE LEO VIII Vatican media reported that Pope Leo sent EUR100,000.00 ($114,000.00) from the Vatican charity fund to Venezuela as relief for the quake. WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN Chef Jose Andres of World Central Kitchen, the provider of humanitarian meals, announced on Thursday that his team has begun to distribute meals in Caracas. He said that on X, his Longer Tables Fund would immediately donate $1 million to Venezuela. EL SALVADOR The Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele?said on X in a posting that 300 paramedics and rescue workers were ready to travel to Venezuela with 50 tons medical supplies. MEXICO Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexican president, said that a team of'rescue workers and doctors' left for Venezuela Thursday. She did not say how many people made up the group. She said Mexico would decide on Friday if it should send more help. The Spanish Defense?Ministry said that a military aircraft would be sending 57 soldiers of its Search-and-Rescue?unit, and 40 firefighters in the Madrid area. The Spanish development agency plans to establish a field?hospital in Venezuela. The Italian Civil Protection Agency said that it would send a 'preparation team' to Venezuela. This team will coordinate and prepare for the arrival of additional rescuers. Antonio Tajani, Italy's foreign minister, said that firefighters and members of the Ministry of Defense as well as the Air Force were preparing to help.
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The dollar is steady near its one-year high as world stocks rise on the chip rally
Investors remained cautious about AI-related stocks'?inflated valuations, but global stock prices rose Thursday. The dollar hovered around a year-high. The Dow Jones was rising on Wall Street while the S&P 500 was flat. This was due to industrials, healthcare, and materials stocks. Micron rose 16% as the memory chipmaker’s strong forecast aided in extending its AI-driven rise. Qualcomm rose 4.7% following its announcement that it expects to generate $15 billion in annual sales through its data center division by 2029. Nasdaq fell, but was dragged lower by the choppy trades among megacap technology companies. Apple fell 5.3%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell?0.2%. The S&P 500 dipped by 0.03%. And the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.54%. AI VALUATIONS AND INTEREST RATE DRIVE SENTIMENT. Investors' concern that AI-related company valuations?have grown stretched after years of gains have weighed on the markets in recent sessions, leading to volatile session. The markets are also pricing higher interest rates coming from the United States. Federal Reserve and central banks. Marc Dizard is chief investment officer of Huntington Bank. When you consider the magnitude of the move, we don't find it surprising that there would be a little pause, consolidation, and rebalancing, where investors take profits off the board. The broad STOXX 600 index rose by 0.80% in Europe. MSCI's global stock index rose by 0.937%. "Technology will be a long-term asset, as the story unfolds. Not necessarily within the next six month." When the Fed adopts a more hawkish stance, long-term assets will be sold off during that period," Dizard explained. U.S. data showed that inflation in the United States rose above 4% for the first three years on Thursday, as Middle East conflict increased energy prices. However, the monthly reading came in slightly below expectations and helped to lower yields. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10 year notes fell 0.59 basis points to 4.394%. The yield on 2-year notes fell by 1.41 basis points, to 4.123%. OIL BACK AT PRE-WAR LEVELS Oil 'prices' edged up but remained near levels seen just before the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran. This was due to the expectation of increased supply from the Middle East, which outweighed concerns about demand. Brent crude futures closed at $75.26 per barrel, up?2%. The dollar dropped against its major counterparts but was still near its highest levels in the last year. The euro last stood at $1.1371, just a hair above the 13-month low set on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Japanese yen is nearing its lowest level in over 40 years when compared to the dollar. The yen remained flat against the dollar at 161,79. The dollar index (which measures the greenback in relation to a basket including the yen, the euro and other currencies) fell by 0.16%, reaching 101.44. The dollar dropped, and gold rose. Spot gold increased 0.95%, to $4.038.29 per ounce. Reporting by Chibuike OGOH in New York, with additional reporting from Alun John. Editing by Kevin Liffey & Edmund Klamann.
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The top cases in the US Supreme Court docket
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided a number of important cases in its current term, including those relating to President Donald Trump, voting rights and tariffs, immigration, guns, transgender sportspeople, campaign finance laws, and LGBT "conversion therapies." This is a list of some of the cases that were argued in the current term. The term began in October, and will run through the end of June. VOTING RIGHTS ACT On April 29, the court gutted a crucial provision of the Voting Right Act, making minorities less likely to challenge electoral maps under the landmark civil right law as racially biased. The court blocked a map that would have given Louisiana a U.S. Congress district with primarily Black constituents. The court's ruling undermined Section 2 of the Voting Act, which Congress passed to prohibit electoral maps that could dilute the power of minority voters. The ruling allowed Republican-led Southern States to demolish Democratic-held districts with majority-Black or majority-Latino voters ahead of November's midterm elections. After the Supreme Court gutted another part of the Voting Rights Act in 2013, Section 2 gained more importance as a barrier against racial bias in voting. Black and Latinos tend to vote for Democratic candidates. Birthright Citizenship The court expressed skepticism about the legality of Trump’s directive on April 1, to restrict the birthright citizenship of Americans. Justices asked the lawyer for the Trump administration questions regarding the legal validity and practical implications of Trump's order. The lower court blocked Trump’s order which instructed U.S. agencies to not recognize citizenship for children born in the U.S. when neither parent was an American citizen, or a legal permanent resident (also called "green card") holder. The court found that Trump's policy was in violation of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and federal law codifying rights to birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court will likely rule by the end June. TRUMP'S TARIFS The Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2018 that Trump's tariffs were illegal because they were based on a law intended to be used in emergencies. This ruling has major implications for global economics. The ruling, which was 6-3 in favor of the lower court, confirmed that Trump had exceeded his authority when he used this 1977 law. The court ruled that 'the International Emergency Economic Powers Act or IEEPA' did not give Trump the authority he claimed for tariffs. Congress has the power to impose taxes and tariffs, not the President, according to the U.S. Constitution. Tariffs are at the heart of a global trade conflict that Trump started after he entered his second term in office. This war has alienated trading partner, affected financial markets, and created global economic uncertainty. TRUMP'S FIRE OF FED OFFICIAL The Justices expressed skepticism about Trump's attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a move that could threaten the independence of the central bank. The justices said they would not grant Trump's request for a judge to overturn a decision that prevented him from firing Cook immediately while her legal case is being resolved. Congress created the Fed by passing a law, the Federal Reserve Act, that contained provisions designed to protect the central bank against political interference. The law stipulated that governors could only be removed "for cause" by the president, though it does not define this term or establish procedures for removal. Trump claimed that Cook's firing was due to unproven allegations of mortgage fraud, which she has denied. Cook, who is still in her position for now, said that the allegations were a pretext used to fire Cook over differences of monetary policy, as Trump pressures the Fed to reduce interest rates. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June. PROTECTED STATUS OF IMMIGRANTS On June 25, the court cleared the way for Trump's administration to strip hundreds and thousands of Haitian, Syrian, and other immigrants of their humanitarian status which protects them against deportation. The court overturned federal judge's decisions that had stopped the Trump administration from terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 350,00 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians. State Department warns travelers against visiting either Haiti or Syria due to widespread crime, terrorism, and kidnapping. TPS is an designation that allows migrants from countries affected by war, natural catastrophe or other disasters to live and work in America while it's unsafe to return home. The conservative justices of the court have indicated that they will uphold Trump's legality in firing a Federal Trade Commission official. This would give a boost to president power and also threaten a 90-year old legal precedent. On December 8, the court heard arguments in the Justice Department’s appeal against a lower court’s ruling that the Republican President exceeded his authority by dismissing Democratic FTC member Rebecca Slaughter before the term of her office was due to end. The conservative justices seemed sympathetic to the Trump Administration's argument that tenure protections granted by Congress to heads of independent agencies illegally infringed on presidential powers under the U.S. Constitution. Trump was allowed to remove Slaughter until the case concluded. The court is expected to make a decision by the end June. Transgender sports participation The conservative justices seemed ready to uphold the state laws that ban transgender athletes to female teams, amid an escalating nationwide effort to restrict transgender rights. On January 13, the court heard arguments from Idaho and West Virginia in appeals of lower?courts rulings that transgender students were right to challenge the bans on female sports teams in both states. The judges ruled the laws violated the U.S. Constitution as well as a federal anti discrimination law. 25 other states also have laws similar to Idaho's. The conservative justices expressed concerns over imposing a uniform law on the whole country, amid a sharp disagreement and uncertainty about whether medications such as puberty-blocking hormones or gender affirming hormones remove male physiological advantages in sport. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June. LGBT "CONVERSION THERAPEUTY" The court rejected on March 31, a Democratic-backed Colorado Law that prohibited psychotherapists from using conversion talk therapy to change a LGBT minor's gender identity or sexual orientation. The 8-1 decision sided with the Christian licensed counselor and deemed that the ban was an intrusion into free speech rights. The Colorado court rejected the argument that their law only protected speech, but regulated professional conduct. The court reversed a lower-court decision which had upheld the Colorado law in a case brought forth by Kaley Chiles who argued it violated First Amendment protections from government abridgment. HAWAII GUNS LAW On June 25, the Justices struck down a Hawaii gun law that restricted the carrying of handguns in public places, such as most businesses, and without permission from the owner. This is the latest ruling to expand gun rights. The justices found that Hawaii's law violated the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which gives citizens a right to "keep & bear arms." The justices reversed a lower court decision that Hawaii’s Democratic-backed measure probably complied to the Second Amendment. Hawaii's law requires "express permission" from the property owner before a handgun can be brought onto a private property that is open to the general public. Drug Users and Guns The court, on June 18, limited the application a U.S. Law that prohibits firearms possession by some drug users. It rejected a Trump administration position that threatened the rights of millions Americans who "use marijuana" and own firearms. The justices affirmed a lower-court decision dismissing an illegal gun possession case brought under the law in question against Ali Hemani. Hemani is an American and Pakistani dual citizen who lives in Texas. Hemani told authorities that he regularly used marijuana. The Supreme Court determined that the government failed to prove that Hemani's prosecution was in compliance with the Second Amendment rights to "keep and carry arms" guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. CAMPAIGN FUNDING The court heard arguments in December 9 on a Republican-led attempt to overturn federal spending limits by political parties coordinated with candidates. This case involved Vice President JDVance. The conservative justices seemed to be sympathetic towards the challenge. Meanwhile, the three liberals on the court appeared inclined to maintain the spending limits. The debate centers around whether federal limits on coordinated campaigns spending violate First Amendment protections against government abridgment. Vance and other Republican challengers have appealed the ruling of a lower court that upheld restrictions regarding the amount of money political parties can spend in campaigns, with input from candidates who they support. This type of spending is called coordinated party expenses. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June. MAIL-IN-BALLOTS On March 23, conservative justices expressed skepticism about a Mississippi law that was challenged by Republicans. The law allows for a five-day period of grace to count mail-in votes received after Election Day. This case could lead to tighter voting laws across the country. The Trump administration supported the challenge against Mississippi's law that allows mail-in votes sent by certain voters be counted as long as they are postmarked before Election Day and received within five business days of a federal election. In Mississippi, absentee voting is only available to certain categories of voters. These include the elderly, disabled and those who live away from home. A lower court ruled that the law was unconstitutional. The court is expected to rule by the end June. U.S. ASYLUM - PROCESSING On June 25, the court handed Trump a win by confirming that the federal government has the authority to reject asylum seekers if officials determine that border crossings between Mexico and America are too overburdened for additional claims. The court overturned the lower court's ruling that the policy was illegal. After former president Joe Biden dropped the policy known as "metering", the Trump administration said that it might seek to revive it. The policy of metering allowed U.S. Immigration officials to refuse to process asylum claims indefinitely and stop asylum seekers at border. WEEDKILLER CANER CLAIMS On June 25, the justices ruled against thousands of lawsuits filed in state courts that accused Bayer of failing warn users of the dangers of the active ingredient of the German company Roundup weedkiller. The Missouri jury had awarded $1.25million to John Durnell, who claimed he was diagnosed as having non-Hodgkin's lymphoma following years of exposure to Roundup. The court agreed that Bayer's argument that the U.S. pesticide law prohibits claims of failure to warn that are brought in state court cannot be heard. Human Rights Abuses Abroad The Justices further limited the scope of a federal statute used to hold companies liable for abuses of human rights committed abroad on June 23, as they released a ruling that ended a lawsuit brought by members of Falun Gong accusing Cisco Systems facilitating religious persecutors in China. The justices overturned a lower court decision that gave new life to the 2011 lawsuit brought under the Alien Tort Statute of 1789. Cisco was accused of developing technology that enabled the Chinese government to monitor and persecute Falun-Gong practitioners. The Alien Tort Statute allows non-U.S. Citizens to seek damages from American courts in cases of violations of international laws. SEC "DISGORGEMENT" POWER On June 4, the court rejected a challenge against the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s broad authority to recover illicit profits through a financial remedy known as disgorgement. This strengthened one of the key powers of the Wall Street watchdog. The court upheld the decision of a lower-court that had supported a broad use of disgorgement powers by the SEC. In this case, the Trump administration defended the SEC. A defendant brought the challenge after a California court ordered him to pay back more than $3,000,000 in unjustified gains and interest in connection with a financial fraud case. FCC FINES FOR WIRELESS CARRIERIES The Supreme Court ruled on June 4, defending the Federal Communications Commission system of levying fines and ruling against AT&T's and Verizon's challenge to the agency. Trump's administration defended FCC's system of assessing financial penalties known as forfeiture order. The carriers argued that FCC's internal proceedings deprived them their right to a trial by jury under the U.S. Constitution. CUBA - COMPENSATION FOR PROPERTY seized by the former government of Fidel Castro's Cuba The Justices made it easier on June 23, for?U.S. Companies can now seek compensation from Cuba for property that was seized by the former government of Fidel Castro decades ago. ExxonMobil won its case against Cuban state-owned company Corporacion CIMEX. The court ruled that a defense known as foreign sovereign immunity which prohibits U.S. suits against foreign governments or their agents is not applicable in cases such as the one Exxon filed against CIMEX based on a 1996 U.S. act called the Helms-Burton Act. In another case the court ruled against four American cruise operators who contested a combined $440 million judgment in litigation brought on by a U.S. firm accusing them for using docks that they built in Cuba and later seized. 'GEOFENCE" WARRANTS On April 27, the court heard arguments in a Virginia case over whether or not law enforcement's use a "geofence warrant" to identify suspects using data from mobile phones near crime scenes is a violation of the Fourth Amendment's bar against unreasonable searches. Geofence warrants approved by the court compel companies, such as Alphabet’s Google in this instance, to search for mobile devices near crime scenes around the time of the crime. In this case, a defendant pleaded conditionally guilty to robbing an institution of higher learning while reserving the right to argue against evidence obtained from what he believes was an illegal search. The ruling is expected to be made by the end June. CRISIS PREGNANCY COUNTER The court sided on April 29, with the operator in New Jersey of Christian faith based anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers that are trying to impede an investigation by the state into whether or not the facilities engages in deceptive practice. The court revived the federal lawsuit filed by First Choice Women’s Resource Centers to challenge a subpoena issued in 2023 by the state attorney general, which sought information about the organization's doctors and donors. The lawsuit had been dismissed by a lower court. First Choice's facilities are designed to discourage women from getting abortions. RASTAFARIAN INMATE The Justices refused on June 23, to allow a Rastafarian inmate to sue Louisiana state prison officials after they shaved his head and held him down in violation of religious beliefs. This case was brought under federal law that protects incarcerated persons from religious discrimination. The justices upheld the lower court's dismissal of Damon Landor’s lawsuit, because the law at issue did not allow him to sue individual prison officials or guards for money damages. Landor's religious beliefs require him to grow his hair. DEATH ROW INMATE A man convicted in Alabama of a murder committed in 1997 was spared the execution on May 21, after the court upheld a ruling that the inmate has intellectual disabilities and is therefore ineligible to receive the death sentence. Alabama officials appealed a lower court decision on how to determine Joseph Clifton Smith’s intellectual capacity. The justices rejected the appeal. This method involved weighing the multiple intelligence quotient (IQ) test scores along with expert testimony. In a 2002 Supreme Court decision, the court ruled that executing a person with intellectual disabilities violated the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment. JURY COMPOSITION On May 28, the justices sided with an inmate on death row in Mississippi, who claimed that prosecutors had discriminated against him by excluding Black potential jurors in a 2006 trial where he was found guilty for his role in the murder of grocery store owner. They found that the state courts of Mississippi had not evaluated Terry Pitchford’s claim that four Black jurors were unlawfully dismissed for a violation of a 1986 Supreme Court precedent called Batson v. Kentucky, which prohibits exclusions based upon race. SENTENCE REDUCTIONS The court ruled that on May 28, judges could not order early release of prisoners based on the fact that they would receive shorter sentences following the 2018 criminal justice reform law. The court upheld lower-court decisions against two Pennsylvania men who were convicted of armed burglaries and sought compassionate release on the basis of the First Step Act that Congress passed many years after their sentences. SECURITIES LITIGATION The court sided on June 11, with a group investment funds affiliated to BlackRock and other asset management firms in their attempt to defend against certain lawsuits filed by private plaintiffs under an important federal securities law. The court reversed an earlier ruling that allowed the hedge fund Saba Capital Master Fund, to sue the Investment Company Act of 1941 to invalidate fund bylaws that restricted the voting rights of activist shareholders. The Trump administration backed BlackRock and FS Credit Opportunities, as well as other funds in the case including Adams Diversified Equity Funds, Adams Natural Resources Funds and Royce Global Trust. COX COPYRIGHT DISSENSION The court ruled that Cox Communications could not be held responsible for the piracy of songs by subscribers to its internet service. These labels included Sony Music, Warner Music Group Universal Music Group, and others. This ended their multi-billion dollar music copyright suit. The ruling of 9-0 overturned the decision by a lower court to order a trial to determine the amount the internet service provider was liable for the record labels under a form liability known as contributory copyright violation. Cox said that a retrial would have resulted in a verdict of up to $1.5 billion against the Atlanta ISP. PHARMACEUTICAL SKINNY LABELS The court ruled that the generic version of Amarin Pharma Vascepa, a cardiovascular medication made by Hikma, did not violate Amarin Pharma patents. This decision could make generic drugmakers more resistant to patent suits involving "skinny label" claims. The justices reversed a decision by a lower court in favor of Amarin. Generic drugmakers argued that Amarin's victory in the case could have deterred them from producing and selling their cheaper drugs, and raised U.S. drug costs.
California asks court to stop reversal state emission regulations
California filed a preliminary order on Thursday to stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is preparing landmark state vehicle emission rules for possible?repeal of Congress.
The Trump administration EPA stated earlier this month that waivers?under Clean Air Act approved by California environmental regulations under previous Democratic administrations, should have been sent under the Congressional Review Act to legislators. California filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, Washington earlier this week to seek a preliminary order that would stop the EPA's action.
This move could threaten California's vehicle emission?program, which has been adopted by 12 other states and forced automakers into a drastic reduction of tailpipe pollution.
California has noted that over the last 60 years, it has received approximately 75 waivers from emission regulations and maintains parallel regulatory programs with?the federal government to control emissions.
The state stated that "the first Trump administration tried to blow a gap in this two program structure." "The second Trump Administration wants to destroy it completely."
The EPA didn't immediately comment.
Donald Trump, the Republican president of the United States, has launched a multifaceted campaign to prevent California from requiring cleaner vehicles and electric vehicles. The EPA also enacted regulations that make it easier for automakers sell more gasoline powered cars and trucks while making it costlier to buy EVs.
California was granted authority to set its own emission standards in 2009 for cars, trucks and lawn and garden equipment. These rules have prompted companies to develop cleaner electric models in order to reduce emissions.
California's EPA, then headed by Joe Biden, approved the current vehicle emissions rules in 2022.
California's regulations require automakers sell an increasing number of electric cars and adhere to increasingly strict limits on tailpipe emission.
These rules are "much stricter" than the ones imposed by Trump's administration, who plans to "rollback federal fuel efficiency rules".
After Toyota, GM, and 'other automakers' lobbied to be relieved of California's emmissions regulations, Congress revoked the authority for Californians to ban traditional gasoline-powered cars after 2035.
The EPA had sent the waiver to Congress for review after it received the waiver. Many Democratic legislators argued that waivers were not subject to review under the CRA. California and other state also challenged this waiver submission before Congress in court. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul, Aurora Ellis and David Shepardson)
(source: Reuters)