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The head of Iran's Energy Optimization Organization stated that, as part of three ongoing proposals to manage Iran's gasoline supply, Iran is considering a proposal to allocate 30 liters of gasoline per person per month, with the quota being transferable and tradable.

August 16th - Next week, UK consumer prices will be the focus of media attention, while the shortage of AI-powered memory chips and rising energy costs are keeping the Bank of England on high alert. Data to be released on Wednesday is expected to show inflation accelerating for the first time in four months, with a survey of economists showing a median forecast of a 2.9% jump in July. This marks the beginning of an upward trend expected to continue into the second half of the year, ending a period of positive news regarding price pressures. As the impact of the Iran war on prices becomes increasingly apparent – especially given the still strong economic performance – this data could further unsettle Bank of England policymakers. While the inflation outlook is largely dependent on developments in the Middle East, artificial intelligence is emerging as a potential "dark horse." The Bank of England has warned that the rapid expansion of AI computing power is driving up the cost of memory chips used in mobile phones, laptops, and game consoles. Data from the British Retail Consortium in July indicates that rising chip costs are being passed on to the prices of electronic products.

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Market sources say that some units at the Libyan power company have stopped operating after the explosion.

On August 16th, ahead of Nvidia's (NVDA.O) highly anticipated $500 billion financing deal this week, investors were already concerned about approximately $70 billion in "shadow liabilities" that weren't on the balance sheets of major AI companies but could surface in the worst-case scenario. With Nvidia's latest move, the company may be providing tens of billions of dollars in so-called "residual value support" for debt transactions related to AI infrastructure development—essentially using its high credit rating to help control customers' financing costs. With computing power demand surging, such guarantees are practically a "free lunch" for giants like Nvidia and Broadcom: they can expand sales to customers and AI companies without having to include the related debt on their balance sheets. These arrangements typically involve multiple stages: a special purpose entity borrows to purchase chips, the loan supported by cash flow generated from contracts with companies that will use the technology in the future. If the company stops making payments, the assets are re-leased or sold to repay the remaining debt. If a funding gap still exists, the guarantor makes up the difference. Theoretically, this process carries extremely low risk. However, some haven't fully grasped this logic. DoubleLine portfolio manager Mariya Entina stated, "It's like playing the rules; you're trying to get special treatment from rating agencies to get the highest possible rating. We're entering an era of financial engineering. That's one of my concerns: when financial engineering prevails, the true financial situation gets obscured."

According to Al Arabiya TV, local authorities in Marib stated that Houthi rebels fired four ballistic missiles and four drones at residential areas.

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Qatar invited an Iranian delegation to visit Qatar in April to receive a detailed briefing on the search and rescue operation, but Iran has not yet responded to the invitation.

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Search and rescue teams have found the remains of an Iranian pilot and have contacted Iran to discuss the handover.

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: We took the necessary measures to defend our territory after Iranian pilots violated our airspace.

Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: The Iranian pilot violated our airspace and did not respond to our attempts to contact us.

Qatari Foreign Ministry: Qatar denies detaining Iranian pilot.

Iranian Foreign Ministry: We reiterate that Israel's aggression in southern Lebanon must be stopped and that Israel withdraws its troops from the occupied territories.

According to Saudi media Hadas, Yemeni government forces launched artillery attacks on Houthi positions on the Marib front.

According to Israeli media reports, local authorities have notified residents of Upper Galilee that they would hear explosions at night, which they believe are caused by Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

Yemeni sources say a fourth explosion occurred in Marib, caused by Houthi shelling.

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council stated that Iran's attack was an unacceptable escalation and a serious violation of international freedom of navigation.

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council: We condemn Iran's repeated attacks on ADNOC oil tankers belonging to the UAE's Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that the Ministers of Energy and Water Resources and Transport of Tajikistan, who were visiting Tehran for talks and consultations with relevant Iranian ministers, met with Iranian Foreign Minister Araqchi on Saturday evening. Foreign Minister Araqchi emphasized the need to utilize the existing diversified potential of both countries to develop and strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in the economic and trade fields.

According to Al Arabiya TV: Yemeni government forces shot down a second Houthi drone in Marib.