Oil soars more than 3% and has the highest value in almost a month

The Brent barrel, a global reference, reached a daily peak of US$94.71 at around 9:15 am (Brasília time), an increase of 3.37%. The price was at US$92 throughout the night, but began to rise gradually from 3am onwards and peaked six hours later.

The commodity ended the day with an increase of 1.77%, at US$93.24, the highest closing since July 23rd. WTI (West Texas Intermediate) oil, used in the USA, rose 2.24% at the close, quoted at US$86.28.

The spike was caused by statements by US President Donald Trump, who threatened countries that gave any support to Iran with "tremendous economic consequences", but without providing details. This week, the Republican had already declared that he would attack Oman if the country reached an agreement with the Iranian regime to control the Strait of Hormuz.

"Any country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any kind of vital support to Iran will, in turn, face tremendous economic consequences," Trump posted.

The Iranian response was immediate, with the Islamic Republic's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, classifying the threats as an attempt to take the focus away from American "failed policy", a day after the US announced that public debt had reached US$40 trillion for the first time in history.

"Doubling down on failed policies will only bring a new defeat and the enmity of the Iranians," Araghchi said on the social network X (formerly Twitter).

Trump defends a policy of "maximum pressure" on Iran, which consisted of imposing economic sanctions during his first term and reimposing them as soon as he returned to the White House in January 2025.

But Iran has not yielded so far. Tehran maintains the blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of oil and gas production passed. Trump even published an image of the sea route as a new US territory this week, but Tehran continues to have control over the site.

This morning, the Houthi group from Yemen stated that two drones attacked targets in the city of Najran, in Saudi Arabia, and hit the airport and an Aramco oil company facility. There was no immediate confirmation from the Saudi government.

"Saudi Arabia will certainly not be able to contain Ansarullah (another name given to the Houthis) or remain safe from these attacks," commented Iranian Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi.

Iranian officials openly mention the possibility of strike operations in Hormuz, which has become a strategic lever against Washington.

"RESISTANCE ECONOMY"

Iran's economy, weakened by decades of international sanctions, faces a tough test from the war.

On July 22, inflation reached 66% in the last 12 months, against 46% in February, and the country's currency continues to fall: on Wednesday, one dollar was traded for 1.88 million riyals, compared to 1.65 million just before the conflict.

In a message released in May, Mojtaba Khamenei called on companies to avoid layoffs and called on parliamentarians for measures aimed at supporting the "resistance economy" to ease pressure on families.

The expression "resistance economy", first used in 2010 by his father and predecessor, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who died in a bombing on the first day of the war, is a reference to reducing dependence on other countries.

The war has spread across the region as Iran has taken retaliatory measures against Washington's allies in the Gulf, and Houthi rebels, backed by Tehran, attack Saudi oil installations and ships in the Red Sea on the other side of the peninsula.

Latam identifies security flaw involving loyalty program customer data

The company stated that it reported the occurrence to the National Data Protection Agency (ANPD) in compliance with the General Data Protection Law (LGPD) and that it adopted containment and cybersecurity measures as soon as it identified the problem.