Jul 31 — US-Iran strikes, Fed split, and AI earnings surge

The QuantAlpha Briefing · Jul 30, 2026 · 3m

• The US struck dozens of Iranian targets after Tehran fired ballistic missiles at a US base in Jordan — a direct exchange of fire between the two countries that raises the risk of a wider Middle East conflict and a spike in oil… • The Fed held rates at 3.5–3.75% but drew three dissents in favor of a hike, while Q2 GDP printed at just 1.5% with inflation still elevated — a stagflationary bind that pushes rate cuts further out and leaves policymakers with… • Microsoft's Azure crossed $100B in annualized revenue for the first time and Samsung's chip operating profit ran more than 250 times…