{"id":62076,"date":"2026-05-18T14:38:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T18:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-signals-imminent-action-on-iran-as-kevin-warsh-prepares-to-lead-federal-reserve\/62076\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T14:38:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T18:38:19","slug":"trump-signals-imminent-action-on-iran-as-kevin-warsh-prepares-to-lead-federal-reserve","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-signals-imminent-action-on-iran-as-kevin-warsh-prepares-to-lead-federal-reserve\/62076\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Signals Imminent Action on Iran as Kevin Warsh Prepares to Lead Federal Reserve"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>President Trump signals imminent military or strategic action against Iran<\/strong>, stating the regime &quot;knows what\u2019s going to be happening soon&quot; while <strong>CENTCOM enforces a blockade<\/strong> that has already redirected <strong>85 commercial vessels<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Kevin Warsh will be sworn in as Federal Reserve Chair this Friday<\/strong>, completing a rapid six-day transition from confirmation to swearing-in, significantly faster than the historical nine-day average.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dell Technologies (<a href=\"\/stock\/DELL\">DELL<\/a>) reports a massive surge in AI demand<\/strong>, now serving <strong>5,000 customers<\/strong> for AI servers powered by Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) chips after adding <strong>1,000 new clients<\/strong> in the first quarter alone.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Japan and the G7 warn of &quot;speculative moves&quot; in financial markets<\/strong>, with Japanese Finance Minister Katayama urging a united front against <strong>China\u2019s export controls on critical minerals<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The CDC confirms an Ebola case in an American worker<\/strong> in the Democratic Republic of Congo; the patient is being transferred to Germany for treatment as technical experts deploy to the outbreak zone.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Geopolitical Tensions: Iran Blockade and Impending Action<\/h2>\n<p><strong>President Donald Trump<\/strong> has intensified rhetoric against Tehran, stating he is <strong>&quot;not open to concessions&quot;<\/strong> and warning that Iran is aware of actions &quot;happening soon.&quot; This follows a high-level huddle with his national security team. <strong>CENTCOM<\/strong> confirmed it is strictly enforcing a <strong>U.S. blockade against Iranian ports<\/strong>, having already redirected <strong>85 commercial vessels<\/strong> to ensure compliance.<\/p>\n<p>Security officials in Israel suggest that a <strong>new round of American strikes on Iran<\/strong> is &quot;not a question of if, but when.&quot; These planned attacks are expected to target specific objectives and may last several days. Meanwhile, Iranian officials, including former IRGC commander <strong>Esmail Kowsari<\/strong>, maintain that negotiations will not yield results, accusing Trump of attempting to portray himself as a winner through pressure.<\/p>\n<h2>Monetary Policy: Rapid Leadership Transition at the Fed<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Kevin Warsh<\/strong> is scheduled to be sworn in as the new <strong>Federal Reserve Chair<\/strong> this Friday in a ceremony hosted by <strong>President Trump<\/strong> at the White House. The transition is moving at an accelerated pace, taking only <strong>six days<\/strong> from confirmation to swearing-in. <em>Market analysts are closely watching for any immediate shifts in monetary policy as Warsh takes the helm during a period of global market volatility.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In the broader financial system, the <strong>Federal Reserve&#39;s Reverse Repo<\/strong> operation saw <strong>21 counterparties<\/strong> take <strong>$7.193 billion<\/strong>, a sharp increase from the previous <strong>$647 million<\/strong>. This surge in liquidity absorption comes as <strong>G7 finance chiefs<\/strong> meet in Paris to discuss global imbalances and market stability.<\/p>\n<h2>Corporate Developments: AI Growth and Energy Shifts<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Dell Technologies (<a href=\"\/stock\/DELL\">DELL<\/a>)<\/strong> continues to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom, revealing it now has <strong>5,000 customers<\/strong> for AI servers integrated with <strong>Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>)<\/strong> hardware. The company\u2019s growth trajectory remains steep, having secured <strong>1,000 new AI server customers<\/strong> in the first quarter. Additionally, <strong>Apple (<a href=\"\/stock\/AAPL\">AAPL<\/a>)<\/strong> is reportedly developing new <strong>AI writing tools and shortcuts<\/strong> for the upcoming <strong>iOS 27<\/strong> release.<\/p>\n<p>In the energy sector, <strong>Enel (<a href=\"\/stock\/ENEL\">ENEL<\/a>)<\/strong> signed an agreement to acquire a <strong>270 MW solar portfolio<\/strong> in the U.S. (Virginia and the Carolinas) for approximately <strong>$140 million<\/strong>. The deal is expected to add <strong>$20 million annually<\/strong> to the group\u2019s EBITDA. Conversely, <strong>BP (<a href=\"\/stock\/BP\">BP<\/a>)<\/strong> is facing labor hurdles at its <strong>Whiting Refinery<\/strong>, stating it cannot return to prior operating agreements due to <strong>safety and operational risks<\/strong> after union representatives left the bargaining table.<\/p>\n<h2>Global Policy and Health Alerts<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Japanese Finance Minister Katayama<\/strong> urged <strong>G7<\/strong> nations to unite against <strong>China&#39;s export controls on critical minerals<\/strong>, citing the need to correct global imbalances. <em>The G7 is also monitoring speculative moves in the forex market driven by oil price volatility.<\/em> In a separate move for energy security, <strong>South Korea<\/strong> has agreed to participate in <strong>Japan\u2019s shared petroleum stockpile initiative<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>On the health front, the <strong>CDC<\/strong> has confirmed one case of <strong>Ebola<\/strong> in an American working in the <strong>Democratic Republic of Congo<\/strong>. While the risk to the U.S. remains low, the <strong>CDC<\/strong> is deploying technical experts to Africa and utilizing its <strong>Public Health Lab Network<\/strong> for expanded testing. The patient and six other individuals are currently being relocated for treatment and monitoring.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways President Trump signals imminent military or strategic action against Iran, stating the regime &quot;knows what\u2019s going to be 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