Investors appear to be in a holding pattern right now, waiting for further details of the U.S.-Iran agreement … hoping for confirmation (and not just a political announcement) that the Strait of Hormuz is open again, without reservation.

The Associated Press provides optimism that this could happen as soon as Friday with the claim Iran will take “immediate steps” to reopen the passageway … though that country’s possible receipt of $300 billion for a rebuild is being met with a lot of skepticism from members of both political parties.

But consumers in the United States have one thing in mind at the moment … gas prices … and happily see the national average ever-so-slowly glide towards the $4/gallon level.  Taking your eye off the news, just a simple car ride brings you past a few gas stations … and the posted price immediately tells you how things are going overseas.  Just yesterday I caught a glimpse of a sign shouting $3.99 … and almost drove directly into the car in front of me.

Meanwhile, regardless of rising prices the economy seems to be doing fine even with housing starts down … as hiring has held somewhat steady … and while the Atlanta GDPNow report shows a drop in expected economic activity, it is still positive as the terrible word “recession” does not seem to be in many conversations right now.

I included some articles that caught my attention this morning with the first being something of which we are all quite aware … and probably guilty of ourselves … which is pervasive electronic screen use at the dinner table. What makes this quite interesting is we will all look at our “kids” and feel this is obvious … but research shows that adults (that’s us, people!) are even worse offenders.

A news story also claims that dedicated “smart TVs’ might not be so smart after all … and on the way out.  How?  A simple plug-in device will handle it all … and I found it coincidental to come across this article as just yesterday I picked up a 4K Firestick (with remote) on Amazon for only $18.  I installed it last night and was so impressed that I bought another one this morning.

On a final note (and included below), we had seen reports that the GLP-1 drugs not only help people lose weight, but somehow also have the effect of reducing people’s tendencies toward alcohol abuse and gambling … and now there is something else it could reduce … violent behavior.

This is a big one … but I have one issue.

I have Wegovy in my closet … and have not started it yet.

Sure … I will be overjoyed to lose weight and reduce my gambling and alcohol use … but cutting back emotional outbursts?  I don’t see this as possible.

Take away my lottery cards, slot machine use and beer … and I’ll probably thank you for it.

But take away my pizza and ice cream?

That would make me very angry indeed.

Have a great day,

Joseph G. Witthohn, CFA

Have any questions? Please contact info@teamemerald.com

A Look At The News | June 17, 2026 As of 11:21 AM today … The Iran agreement … still a little vague … appears as if it is taking place.  And the President feels Iran will agree … or else … bombs (CNBC) https://www.cnbc.com/2026/06/17/trump-us-iran-deal-g7.html   When promoting employees, it is best to consider the candidate and what they offer, rather than longevity … for the wrong person could poison the workplace (FastCompany) https://www.fastcompany.com/91559648/how-accidental-managers-sink-teams-and-sour-workplaces   When comparing wind power against nuclear, you might wonder how many turbines would be needed to replace a reactor.  The answer is plenty … and required land is a factor (SlashGear) https://www.slashgear.com/2194306/how-many-wind-turbines-replace-nuclear-reactor/   There is probably an invited guest at your dinner table … the iPhone … as both kids and adults appear to constantly be looking at it … instead of each other (Independent.UK) https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/parents-children-devices-dinner-study-b2996940.html   … and many look at TVs (the larger the better, of course) for additional entertainment … but “smart TVs” might be on the way out as plug-in devices take over (Hunker) https://www.hunker.com/2194107/why-no-need-smart-tv-cons-best-alternatives/   The diet drugs that have come on the scene have claims that not only is the desire for food decreased, but gambling, alcohol abuse and now violent behavior also could drop (Gizmodo) https://gizmodo.com/scientists-find-intriguing-link-between-ozempic-and-violent-behavior-2000772629 The statements above are supplied for educational purposes only. The statements depict the viewpoints and opinion of the author and are not necessarily the views of Emerald Asset Management or its affiliates. The information described herein is taken from sources which are believed to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed by us. Emerald Asset Management PA, LLC | 717-556-8900 | 3175 Oregon Pike, Leola, PA 17540 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can unsubscribe from this list. ———————————————————————————- The statements above are supplied for educational purposes only. The statements depict the viewpoints and opinion of the author and are not necessarily the views of Emerald Asset Management or its affiliates. The information described herein is taken from sources which are believed to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed by us.