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U.S. Officials Say Iran’s New Supreme Leader Gravely Wounded Amid Escalating Conflict

Protesters hold posters of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, during a protest marking al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day), after Friday prayers at Fatih Mosque in Istanbul. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has confirmed that Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei , was seriously wounded and likely disfigured during the opening phase of U.S. and Israeli military strikes. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Hegseth described Iran’s leadership as “desperate and hiding,” asserting that Khamenei has gone underground following injuries sustained in the attacks.  Reports from multiple outlets indicate that Khamenei has not appeared publicly since the conflict began, fueling speculation about the severity of his condition. Some accounts suggest he may have suffered catastrophic injuries, including the loss of a limb and a possible coma, after an airstrike that also killed members of his family.  U.S....
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Wall Street Futures Edge Higher as Rate-Cut Hopes Lift Sentiment; UnitedHealth Soars on Buffett Boost

 

U.S. stock futures pointed to a mixed but generally upbeat open on Friday, buoyed by growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in September.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose about 0.63%, while S&P 500 futures inched up 0.06%. Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.19% as weakness in tech tempered broader gains.

Healthcare stocks led the premarket rally, with UnitedHealth Group surging more than 12% after Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a significant new stake in the insurer. Other health insurers, including Elevance, Centene, and Molina, also advanced over 4% each.

Investors are betting on a 25-basis-point rate cut next month, encouraged by signs of labor market softness and muted inflationary impact from recent tariffs. The Fed last lowered rates in December, and analysts say the latest data strengthens the case for renewed monetary easing.

Market attention now turns to July retail sales and the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment report, both due later today, for further clues on the economy’s trajectory.

Meanwhile, chip equipment maker Applied Materials tumbled nearly 15% after issuing a weak outlook on sluggish China demand, dragging peers KLA and Lam Research lower.

Crude oil prices hovered near $65 a barrel ahead of a high-profile meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which markets hope could yield progress on the Ukraine conflict.

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