Daily Update — July 7, 2026
Persian Gulf Evacuation Paused; Podcast Growth Drivers; and US Output Rises But Optimism Fades
Today is Tuesday, July 7, 2026, and here’s your curated selection of Essential Intelligence on global markets from S&P Global. Subscribe to be notified of each new Daily Update.
Maritime & Shipping
Latest ship attack puts IMO’s Persian Gulf evacuation plan on hold
The International Maritime Organization paused its Persian Gulf vessel evacuation following a June 25 attack on an Evergreen container ship sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the vessel not transiting under the evacuation framework, the organization’s secretary-general, Arsenio Dominguez, said the safety of seafarers was a priority and suspended the initiative, pending further clarity from the US and Iran over safety guarantees for ships exiting the Persian Gulf.
Technology & Media
Listen: What’s Driving Podcasting's Future Audience and Advertising Growth
In this episode of the “MediaTalk” podcast, S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan analysts Peter Leitzinger and Jessica Cahill joined host Mike Reynolds to explore why podcasting continues to accelerate.
They discussed how monthly listeners have grown, how audience demographics and preferences have changed, the factors driving adoption — including for video podcasting — and how platforms such as YouTube and Spotify are changing discovery. They also explored monetization, why advertisers value loyal podcast audiences and the implications for ad revenue through 2031.
Economy
US manufacturers report further strong output growth in June, but jobs are cut as optimism fades
US manufacturers’ output and order books expanded further in June, extending the growth spell since the Iran war began, according to S&P Global’s Purchasing Managers’ Index data. Employment was nevertheless cut sharply as firms offset the rising costs of energy and raw materials. Supply chain delays and upward price pressures continued to be widely reported, but moderated due to recent news of an improving situation in the Middle East. Despite falling energy prices and a brighter outlook for shipping, business confidence fell sharply, partly reflecting concerns that an end to war-related inventory building could drag sales.
In case you missed it
- Fox's planned $22 billion purchase of Roku would pair Fox's live sports, news and entertainment content with Roku's reach across smart TVs and streaming devices.
- Despite overall export prices in Germany rising 3.4% year over year, the country’s pork prices fell 20.7% year over year in May, reflecting persistent weakness in the European meat sector.
- The US will not renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, triggering a cycle of annual reviews that could have significant implications for North American supply chains.
Upcoming events
- Turning Signals into Insight: Agentic Energy Intelligence in Practice | July 16 (Webinar)
- After conflict, before talks: Supply chain outlook for Q3 2026 and beyond | July 21 (Webinar)
- Mid-Year 2026 Investment Outlook | July 21 (Webinar)