(The opinions expressed here are those of the author.)

By Anna Szymanski

July 10 (Reuters) - Every Friday, Reuters Open Interest

(ROI) distills the financial week into five key charts,

spotlighting the major trends, surprises and overlooked moves

that defined the past five days.

1. CRUDE SHRUG

RON BOUSSO, ROI Energy Columnist: Oil prices jumped this week

after the latest, and most serious, flare-up in the Middle East

after Iranian forces hit tankers crossing the Strait of Hormuz,

prompting tit-for-tat exchanges with the U.S. However, crude

prices remain well below $80 a barrel, indicating that

traders don't think the interim peace deal between the U.S. and

Iran is truly "over."

But even if this latest rise in Middle East tensions soon dies

down, the stop-start flow of tankers through the Strait of

Hormuz remains a nightmare scenario for Gulf nations desperate

to return to normal after a bruising multi-month conflict.

2. KOSPI VOLATILITY

ANNA SZYMANSKI, ROI Editor-in-Charge: South Korea's benchmark

stock index - one of the star performers of 2026 - has been

particularly volatile this week, sliding more than 5% on

Wednesday and briefly entering technical bear-market territory

after a roughly 20% fall from a June 22 record close, before

rising on Thursday and Friday.

Does this mean investors are anxious about the AI trade or the

Korean companies at the heart of it? Not necessarily. The KOSPI

is still up more than 70% on the year, and Samsung

- one of the index's main constituents - reported an

eye-popping 19-fold jump in second-quarter profit on Tuesday.

Sure, some investors may be getting skittish about the

durability of the current AI chip boom, but we may also simply

be seeing profit-taking and rotation.

In a world of rapidly changing technology, geopolitical

ructions, and widespread momentum trading, market-watchers may

just need to get used to seeing massive short-term moves - and

not seek to overinterpret them.

3. RUSSIA'S FUEL CRISIS

MIKE DOLAN, ROI Finance & Markets Columnist: Russia remains one

of the world's largest energy producers despite stiff Western

sanctions following the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine

in 2022. It was therefore surprising to hear that Russians are

now running short of fuel. Ukrainian drone attacks on Russia's

energy infrastructure have led to rationing, rising costs and

growing public discontent, with the country now having to import

fuel from India and Kazakhstan.

Importantly, this led Moscow to announce on Wednesday that it

was banning exports of diesel as part of its efforts to support

the domestic fuel market. Russia remains a large player in

diesel, so this decision could have wide-ranging implications

for energy markets.

4. PARTING COMPANY

ANNA SZYMANSKI, ROI Editor-in-Charge: Short-dated U.S. bond

yields remained elevated in recent months even as oil prices

fell. This may indicate that markets believe inflation in the

U.S. could remain sticky, even if energy prices sustainably

return to levels seen before the U.S.-Iran war broke out. Core

PCE, which excludes food and energy, rose 3.4% year-on-year in

May, well above the Fed's 2% target. Moreover, the minutes from

the Federal Reserve's June meeting, released on Wednesday,

indicate that inflation fears extend beyond fuel prices to other

areas, including the impact of booming AI investment on the U.S.

economy.

5. ELECTRIC SHOCK

GAVIN MAGUIRE, ROI Global Energy Transition Columnist:

Legislation signed by U.S. President Trump, which went into

effect on July 4, accelerates the phase-out of federal tax

credits for ​wind and solar projects, marking a sharp reversal

from the incentives created under the Inflation Reduction Act.

This is likely to result in a drop in new energy production and

a further rise in average electricity prices. Residential

electricity prices, which are the highest among all major U.S.

consumer groups, have already climbed by close to 40% since

2020, while prices for commercial and industrial users have also

gained more than a third over that period.

Opinions expressed are those of the authors. They do not reflect

the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is

committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

(By Anna Szymanski

Editing by Marguerita Choy)