FX & Rates: Japan and the U.S. carried out a coordinated yen intervention for the first time since 2011, aiming to slow yen weakness and protect long-term U.S. interest-rate expectations. Critical Minerals & Conflict of Interest: A $1.6B rare-earth push tied to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and USA Rare Earth is drawing fresh scrutiny over a broader pattern of federal support linked to Trump and Lutnick family networks. Crypto Markets: Strategy’s Michael Saylor reignited “Bitcoin Drive” buy speculation after posting “engaged,” while separate reporting tracked Trump Media-linked wallet moves of 2,628 BTC—though no sale is confirmed. Corporate Finance: American Express highlighted strong younger-customer momentum and expects long-term revenue growth around 10% annually. Consumer Pressure: College sticker prices topped $100K at 16 U.S. schools, underscoring affordability strain. Defense Industrial Base: The Pentagon backed a major $820M plan to expand domestic drone component production, reducing reliance on foreign subsystems. Market Inequality: A new Oxfam/PolicyLink report argues stock buybacks and concentrated ownership deepen the racial wealth gap. Travel Rules: U.S. Customs revoked Global Entry after a traveler’s unreported cash triggered a $21,000-plus confiscation case.