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1. US, Iran weigh ceasefire amid looming Trump threat
Both the U.S. and Iran are weighing plans for a ceasefire to end the war, Reuters reports. On Sunday morning, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened further strikes that would leave Iranians "living in Hell" if the country doesn't open up the Strait of Hormuz by Tuesday at 8 p.m. EDT.
Pakistan is brokering the peace talks, which would include an immediate ceasefire and negotiations on a broader peace settlement within 15 to 20 days afterward. Iran ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said negotiations were "incompatible with ultimatums and threats to commit war crimes."
2. American consumers feel the squeeze from oil prices
The rise in oil prices are affecting American consumers with services such as flights and package deliveries to go along with rising prices at the pump, CNBC reports. United Airlines and JetBlue raised prices on baggage and Amazon is pushing a 3.5% fuel surcharge on sellers.
U.S. crude oil is up 60% since the beginning of the U.S.-Iran war, and Brent crude is up close to 50%, the Associated Press reports.
“Discretionary spending is typically where the cycle starts. Consumers pull back from items which are discretionary first,” said MassMutual Wealth chief investment officer Daken Vanderburg.
3. Investment in hotel operating platforms grows in Europe
Travel to Europe has remained strong since the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has in turn fueled hotel investment in the region. There's also a growing demand in investing in operating platforms, CoStar News Hotels' Sean McCracken reports.
"A lot of what we've done is investing in operating businesses and trying to scale them to create a meaningful component of our return," said Lauren Okada Young, managing director at Brookfield Asset Management's real estate group.
4. Projects in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 in jeopardy
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 has run into some major complications over the past year, and the war in the Middle East is adding more hurdles to overcome, the Wall Street Journal reports. Nearly every mega-project in Vision 2030 is under review.
The country started shelving many of its proposed projects and investments due to budgetary constraints, the newspaper reports. The war has cost Saudi Arabia $10 billion in lost revenues and expenses. Major events such as an F1 race, a capital markets forum and a flag football event starring Tom Brady have been canceled.
“Everything’s now up in the air,” Chris Johnson, an American lawyer based in Riyadh who helps foreign companies doing business there, said four weeks into the war.
5. Kansas City's World Cup investments show positive early returns
Kansas City, Missouri, is the smallest of the 16 host markets for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but it may have the most to gain after making hefty investments in its soccer infrastructure over the past 15 years, the Wall Street Journal reports. In that timeframe, the city has invested $650 million into training facilities and stadiums.
The city expects 650,000 visitors for the World Cup. According to the newspaper, average daily rate at Kansas City hotels have jumped 145% from July 2025 to January, more than any other U.S. host.
“The World Cup is more impactful for Kansas City than any other market in the country,” said Ian Ross, managing principal at SomeraRoad.