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Morning brief · Thursday, 25 June 2026

What moved overnight

3 rose · 3 fell · drawing from 155 live events
The big picture

Consumer confidence has fallen to 50 out of 100, the lowest in a year, and this despair is showing up in the markets: J.D. Vance gets only a 10% chance of running for president soon, reflecting voter unhappiness with the current administration. Gas prices fell from $4.49 to $3.91, which should help household budgets, but mortgage rates at 6.47% are offsetting that relief by making home purchases much more expensive. Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury rate at 4.50% signals that bond investors are nervous about government budgets, a level historically tied to spending cuts and policy reversals. The economy right now is split: gas is cheaper, which is good, but mortgages are expensive, confidence is low, and bond investors are nervous, which adds up to a lot of worry.

Today’s map of events and conflicts that moved overnight→ Open the live interactive board Get this every morning Delivered to your inbox at 6:30, with the full archive, alerts, and the live board →

What the economy is doing

Gas at the pump Normal
$3.91/gal
down from $4.49/gal a month ago, in the middle of its range for the past year.
Gas at the pump is $3.91/gal, down from $4.49/gal a month ago, and in the middle of its range for the past year. If the recent trend holds, next week it would be near $3.91/gal (a trend estimate, not a forecast).

Gas at $3.91 a gallon is what you actually pay when you fill up; when prices spike, families cut other spending and voters typically punish the sitting administration in elections.

Connects to: Dan Sullivan Alaska Senate 2026; J.D. Vance Presidential Run Before 2027
Source: FRED
10-year Treasury rate Caution
4.50%
down from 4.56% a month ago, in the middle of its range for the past year.
10-year Treasury rate is 4.50%, down from 4.56% a month ago, and in the middle of its range for the past year. If the recent trend holds, tomorrow it would be near 4.47% (a trend estimate, not a forecast).

The 10-year Treasury rate at 4.50% is the benchmark that sets interest rates for mortgages and car loans; when it stays high, monthly payments climb for families trying to borrow for big purchases.

Source: FRED
30-year Treasury rate Caution
4.94%
down from 5.07% a month ago, in the middle of its range for the past year.
30-year Treasury rate is 4.94%, down from 5.07% a month ago, and in the middle of its range for the past year. If the recent trend holds, tomorrow it would be near 4.90% (a trend estimate, not a forecast).

The 30-year Treasury rate at 4.94% reflects what it costs the government to borrow long-term; when it climbs past 5%, it typically forces spending cuts and policy changes because high borrowing costs squeeze government budgets.

Source: FRED
Yield curve (10yr minus 2yr) Caution
+0.30%
down from +0.43% a month ago, near its lowest in the past year.
Yield curve (10yr minus 2yr) is +0.30%, down from +0.43% a month ago, and near its lowest in the past year. If the recent trend holds, tomorrow it would be near +0.26% (a trend estimate, not a forecast).

The yield curve at 0.30% is the difference between long-term and short-term borrowing costs; when this gap shrinks or flips negative, recessions typically follow within months.

Source: FRED
Consumer sentiment Warning
50
down from 53 a month ago, near its lowest in the past year.
Consumer sentiment is 50, down from 53 a month ago, and near its lowest in the past year. If the recent trend holds, next month it would be near 53 (a trend estimate, not a forecast).

Consumer sentiment at 50 means Americans are seriously worried about their finances and job security; when this falls this low, families cut spending and companies stop hiring.

Connects to: Dan Sullivan Alaska Senate 2026; J.D. Vance Presidential Run Before 2027
Source: FRED
Market volatility (VIX) Normal
19.5
up from 16.7 a month ago, in the middle of its range for the past year.
Market volatility (VIX) is 19.5, up from 16.7 a month ago, and in the middle of its range for the past year. If the recent trend holds, tomorrow it would be near 16.6 (a trend estimate, not a forecast).

The VIX at 19.5 measures how much fear stock investors are showing right now; at this level, equity markets are calm, which contrasts with the anxiety showing up in consumer confidence and bond markets.

Source: FRED
30-year mortgage rate Watch
6.47%
up from 6.36% a month ago, in the middle of its range for the past year.
30-year mortgage rate is 6.47%, up from 6.36% a month ago, and in the middle of its range for the past year. If the recent trend holds, next week it would be near 6.57% (a trend estimate, not a forecast).

The 30-year mortgage rate at 6.47% is what you would pay to borrow money to buy a house; higher rates squeeze first-time buyers out of the market and push more people into renting.

Source: FRED

Today’s movers

🇺🇸 Global · Elections

Dan Sullivan Alaska Senate 2026

80% NO · rose 24pp overnight
NOYES50%
Dan Sullivan Alaska Senate 2026: drifting down, -26pp over 12d

In plain terms: the public’s money is leaning that this will not happen, and grew much more sure overnight.

  • kalshi 90% NO · rose 47pp overnight
  • polymarket 69% NO · rose 2pp overnight
$101K traded  ·  resolves Nov 2026  ·  2 markets

Sharp 34-point divergence between Sullivan-specific (40%) and Republican-generic (74%) odds suggests market uncertainty about Sullivan personally versus GOP retention of the seat. Consumer weakness and elevated gas prices create headwinds for incumbents, explaining Polymarket's s

🇺🇸 Global · Elections

J.D. Vance Presidential Run Before 2027

84% NO · fell 5pp overnight
NOYES50%
J.D. Vance Presidential Run Before 2027: drifting up, +4pp over 58d

In plain terms: the public’s money is leaning that this will not happen, and grew less sure overnight.

  • polymarket 84% NO · fell 5pp overnight
$22K traded  ·  resolves Dec 2026  ·  1 market

Market consensus at 10% reflects skepticism of a near-term announcement given Vance's current VP role and weak economic conditions (gas $4.12, consumer sentiment 57) that typically disfavor incumbent administration moves. Agreement across platforms suggests genuine uncertainty ra

🇷🇺 Global · Other

Trump meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in June 2026

52% YES · rose 18pp overnight
NOYES50%
Trump meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in June 20: drifting up, +17pp over 9d

In plain terms: the public’s money is close to a coin flip on whether this will happen, and grew more sure overnight.

  • polymarket 100% YES · rose 42pp overnight
  • manifold 95% NO · rose 5pp overnight
$34K traded  ·  resolves in 4d  ·  2 markets

—

🛢️ Global · Other

Strait of Hormuz Traffic Normalizes by June End

96% NO · rose 40pp overnight
NOYES50%
Strait of Hormuz Traffic Normalizes by June En: was YES, crossed to NO May 11

In plain terms: the public’s money is very confident this will not happen, and grew much more sure overnight.

  • manifold 97% NO · rose 39pp overnight
  • polymarket 95% NO · rose 40pp overnight
Why it moved · Flipped recently. Context: moved in step with Strait of Hormuz traffic returns to normal b; Trump announces US blockade of Hormuz lifted.
$34.9M traded  ·  resolves in 4d  ·  2 markets

Markets assess 29% probability that Hormuz shipping returns to normal by end of June, likely reflecting geopolitical tensions (Iran, Houthis, regional conflicts). Perfect agreement across platforms suggests genuine low conviction rather than arbitrage opportunity.

🌐 Global · Sports

World Cup Goals H2H: Messi vs. Ronaldo

91% YES · rose 35pp overnight
NOYES50%
World Cup Goals H2H: Messi vs. Ronaldo: drifting up, +34pp over 7d

In plain terms: the public’s money is very confident this will happen, and grew much more sure overnight.

  • manifold 89% YES · rose 37pp overnight
  • polymarket 94% YES · rose 34pp overnight
$152K traded  ·  resolves in 24d  ·  2 markets

Manifold and Polymarket show a 7-point spread, with Polymarket pricing Messi vs. Ronaldo at 99% and Manifold at 92%, indicating a disagreement between the platforms on the likelihood of a goal difference between the two players.

Active conflicts

● CONFLICT · since 2023-10

ISRAEL – GAZA

Hamas attack of 7 Oct 2023 followed by ongoing IDF operations in Gaza; ripples into Hezbollah / Houthi / Iran lanes.

  • Duration~1.5 years
  • Displaced~1.9M in Gaza (~85% of pop)
  • Reported deaths (Gaza MoH)~50K+
  • Reported deaths (Israel)~1,700
● CONFLICT · since 2022-02

RUSSIA – UKRAINE

Russian invasion that began Feb 2022; front lines largely static along the Donbas / Zaporizhzhia axis. Drives Brent, gas, grain, defense-stock pricing.

  • Duration~4 years
  • Displaced8M refugees · 5M internal
  • Estimated military casualties~700K combined
  • Civilian deaths reported~12K confirmed (UN OHCHR)
● CONFLICT · since 2023-04

SUDAN

SAF vs RSF civil war since April 2023. Khartoum + Darfur worst-hit. Off most newsfeeds — drives African food-aid and gold-flow markets.

  • Duration~2 years
  • Displaced~12M (largest displacement crisis globally)
  • Deaths estimated~150K+
● CONFLICT · since 2023-11

YEMEN / RED SEA

Houthi missile/drone attacks on Red Sea shipping diverting traffic around the Cape. Bumps WTI, shipping rates, supply-chain timing markets.

  • Duration of current escalation~1.5 years
  • Red Sea traffic drop~50% (Lloyd's List)
  • Confirmed vessel attacks~140+
● CONFLICT · since 2021-02

MYANMAR

Post-coup civil war between junta and PDF + ethnic armed organizations. Junta losing territory in Shan + Rakhine since late 2023.

  • Duration~5 years (since 2021 coup)
  • Displaced~3M+

Regional snapshot

AMERICAS1 rose 0 fell 0 flat
EUROPE0 rose 0 fell 0 flat
ASIA0 rose 0 fell 0 flat
MENA0 rose 0 fell 0 flat
CRYPTO0 rose 0 fell 0 flat