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Happy Monday. I saw The Odyssey over the weekend, but couldn’t get a seat in the elusive Imax 70mm screening. See below for more details.
Stock futures are surging this morning after a week in which all three major indexes fell.
Here are five important things investors need to know to start their trading day.
1. Dispute resolution?
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on July 21, 2026 in New York City.
Spencer Pratt | Getty Images
Oil prices fell this morning as fighting between the US and Iran appeared to continue at a fragile pause. brent crude oil futures Prices fell more than 7% to below $90 per barrel. US West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil Futures It fell 6.5%.
Here’s what you need to know:
US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Walz said yesterday that President Donald Trump had paused attacks on Iran to give “room for talks.” However, Tehran this morning denied reports that it had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire, saying there were currently “no negotiations with the United States.” Last weekend’s attack on an Iranian ship by Ukraine raised concerns that wars between the United States and Iran and Russia and Ukraine could be on a collision course. It rebounded before the bell following a drop in oil prices. Investors have a big week ahead of them. meta, microsoft, apple and Amazon All quarterly earnings are expected to be released this week, and the Federal Reserve is scheduled to announce its latest interest rate decisions on Wednesday. Follow live market updates here.
2. Distillation discussion
Alibaba-backed Chinese startup Moonshot has launched Kimi, one of the most popular generative AI chatbots.
Sopa Images | Light Rocket | Getty Images
In Washington, D.C. and Silicon Valley, tech elites can’t stop talking about “distillation.” The concept, which broadly refers to using answers from one advanced artificial intelligence model to train another, became particularly popular after Chinese research institute Moonshot AI released its KimiK3 model last week.
As CNBC’s Kif Lesswing and Jonathan Bunyan report, some government officials worry that distillation could help China catch up to the United States in the AI race. White House adviser Michael Kratsios said last week that Moonshot extracted Anthropic’s Fable model to develop Kimi K3. The Kimi K3 is an open weight product from China and is one of the cheaper products than Open AI and Anthropic.
In a letter released Friday, the big tech companies said distillation is a “widely used technique to improve, evolve, and validate models” and urged policymakers to avoid “premature restrictions” that could hinder competition.
3. Body Shop
Ford’s new Bronco Desert Rising Package front grill.
provided by ford
ford We’re hoping for our own “Nike Shoe Drop” moment.
As CNBC’s Michael Weiland reports, the traditional automaker is expanding into accessories and parts in the hopes that increased customization by drivers will boost profits. The Detroit-based company, which will report earnings tomorrow, plans to expand its aftermarket products and systems business and release special edition models.
Ford Custom Garage’s first “shoes drop” moment occurred today with the launch of the sunrise-inspired Ford Bronco SUV priced at $57,350. This is a limited edition Bronco.
4. Hurry up and wait
Jakub Porzycki | Null Photo | Getty Images
paramount skydance On Friday, they agreed to postpone the proposed acquisition. warner bros discovery In the midst of legal challenges. The agreement could be delayed until June 2027.
Paramount previously said it expected to close the deal by the end of September. But the media giant announced last week that it would postpone until June 1, 2027, or wait until the court rules on a lawsuit from a group of state attorneys general, whichever comes first.
As CNBC’s Sara Salinas points out, delays could ultimately drive up contract prices. Starting Sept. 30, Paramount will be obligated to pay WBD a “ticking fee” of 25 cents per share each quarter until closing. If the deal is delayed until June next year, the value could rise to about $1.7 billion.
5. Analog maximization
From left to right: Director Christopher Nolan and ASC cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema on the set of THE ODYSSEY, a movie written, produced and directed by Christopher Nolan.
By: Melinda Sue Gordon | Universal Studios
“The Odyssey” features a top-notch cast and an award-winning director. However, breakout performance may be imax” 70mm screening.
Only 41 theaters around the world are equipped to screen 70mm films. As a result, consumers are willing to pay a premium to attend screenings in the middle of the night and even travel across state lines in search of elusive experiences. One theater in Indiana reported that more than half of its opening day audience came from at least 80 miles away.
IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond said these auditorium seats are “among the most sought-after tickets in the world.” “Fans are flying across countries, if not continents, to experience ‘Odyssey’ and IMAX 70mm,” he told analysts last week.
daily dividend
Here’s what to watch this week:
Tuesday: UPS, Centene, coca cola, jet blue and boeing Income (before the bell). with ford SK Hynix Earnings (after the bell) Wednesday: procter and gamble and humana Income (before the bell). metaplatform, microsoft, Qualcomm, arm holdings, robin hood, starbucks, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Carvana Income (after the bell). Thursday’s Federal Reserve decision: Signa and yum brand Income (before the bell). apple, Amazon, reddit, roblox, coinbase and Rivian Income (after the bell). Second quarter GDP data. PCE price index for June. Consumer spending data for Friday June: chevron and exxon mobil Income (before the bell)
—CNBC’s Azhar Shukri, Mike Sheen, Li Ying Xiang, Sarah Ming, Sean Conlon, Jordan Nove, Kif Lethwing, Michael Weiland and Sara Salinas contributed to this report.
Luke Fountain helped produce this newsletter. Josephine Rozzelle edited this version.
