negotiations

U.S. President Trump stated that there will be no bombing of Iran before the midterm elections. Meanwhile, the U.S. is evacuating some non-emergency personnel from Saudi Arabia, reducing troop strength at some bases in the Middle East, and increasing aircraft carrier and amphibious forces. The Israeli military reportedly deployed dozens of fighter jets near the Iranian border this week before turning back, and the target list for strikes is also being updated.The U.S. State Department has ordered the evacuation of non-emergency government employees and their families only within Saudi Arabia, citing attacks on Saudi civilian targets related to Iranian-backed Houthi forces. Additionally, reports indicate that U.S. military forces have quietly reduced troop levels in Jordan, Qatar, and Kuwait in recent days. The Wall Street Journal states that the U.S. is dispatching another aircraft carrier to the Middle East, with a third carrier strike group coming from the Pacific, and is sending an amphibious assault ship carrying Marines. If the new forces arrive and existing vessels are not rotated out, the total number of U.S. naval vessels in the region is expected to exceed 24, currently around 20.Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is reportedly continuing to advocate for a large-scale strike against Iran, and U.S. officials even suspect that Israel is deliberately provoking Iran to fire. Israeli Channel 12 cited U.S. sources stating that earlier this week, dozens of Israeli fighter jets and refueling aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq, approaching the Iranian border, with a flight path highly similar to that of an attack on Iran, turning back before entering Iranian airspace, which Israel claims was a drill and a deterrent. Pakistan, Qatar, and others are intensifying mediation, but the U.S. demands discussions on the nuclear program, while Iran hopes to first discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with no breakthroughs in negotiations yet.

Phoenix Technology cites a report from the Financial Times that on October 19, Beijing time, the AI company Anthropic is discussing with legal professionals how to enable AI agents to negotiate on behalf of users while adhering to reasonable negotiation rules to secure better deal terms. Two individuals familiar with Anthropic's thoughts stated that the company is seeking advice from law firms to understand how lawyers can balance client interests with fair negotiation outcomes. Anthropic declined to comment.The report mentions that as personal AI agent applications advance, related companies are beginning to consider allowing agents to communicate with each other to negotiate product prices, resolve customer service disputes, and even strive for better salary conditions on behalf of users. One person familiar with the related work stated that Anthropic is researching the negotiation norms that should be followed when models negotiate with each other, weighing factors such as how often to consult users during negotiations and how vigilant to remain against AI negotiation counterparts. Another individual close to the company mentioned that the company has also explored having users sign documents to confirm the tasks accepted by the agents and the rules they must adhere to.The Financial Times cites research released by Anthropic in April this year, stating that the policy and legal framework for AI models to conduct transactions on behalf of humans has yet to be established. This year, the company had the Claude agent negotiate around real goods and funds, and in a September experiment, employees bought and sold books through the agent, with agents employing tough strategies having a slight advantage in securing better outcomes. Harvard Business School Assistant Professor Michelle Vacharo conducted over 180,000 agent negotiations, covering scenarios such as employment contracts and lease agreements, and the research found that some agents attempted to induce the other party to disclose confidential information through prompt injections.

According to Bloomberg, informed sources revealed that Bank of America will no longer act as a potential underwriter for the initial public offering of the Chinese artificial intelligence startup Dark Side of the Moon.Previously, Bank of America had engaged in discussions to serve as the overall coordinator for Dark Side of the Moon's Hong Kong IPO, but negotiations ultimately failed to reach a formal authorization. The report noted that this change comes at a time when the company is facing strict scrutiny in the United States.

According to the New York Times, the negotiations between the United States and Russia regarding the Ukraine issue involve a multi-billion dollar oil deal related to allies of Trump. This deal involves large oil fields, refineries, and gas stations owned globally by Lukoil.

According to Al Arabiya TV, the Iraqi Hezbollah announced that with the end of the coalition mission, all military operations will be suspended starting today, and negotiations will begin regarding the issue of weapons.

The mediator is promoting an agreement between the United States and Iran and is expected to submit the latest draft of the temporary agreement to Iran. According to the terms, Iran will allow ships to pass freely through the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States will lift the blockade on Iranian ports.Subsequent measures include the United States restoring oil exemptions, allowing Iran to sell oil, and the return of International Atomic Energy Agency verification personnel to Iran.

As the peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran stall, oil prices rise during the day, and U.S. Treasury yields increase. The yield on the two-year U.S. Treasury note rose by 4.4 basis points to 4.907%, the yield on the ten-year note increased by 2.8 basis points to 5.208%, and the yield on the thirty-year note climbed by 1.7 basis points to 5.518%.

The fourth round of USMCA negotiations between the United States and Mexico will be postponed to September 28-29 in Washington. The U.S. side is expected to push Mexico to accept rules of origin for artificial intelligence devices, increase the share of the North American supply chain, and discuss tariff adjustments in the steel, aluminum, and automotive sectors.

Crypto In America host Eleanor Terrett posted that there is only about one hour left until the senators vote on the Clarity Act, and the atmosphere among negotiators on Capitol Hill is tense as negotiations enter the final stages.The Democrats still insist on modifications to the ethical provisions of the bill. Any further adjustments may require approval from the White House again, and those involved are aware that time is running out. A Democratic source stated: A lot of hard work is underway, but time is very tight. A Republican source also expressed a similar view.An industry insider told her on Capitol Hill that after speaking with lawmakers, it is expected that the bill will not secure the 60 votes needed to advance. She also noted that this is Congress, and anything can happen.

According to CoinDesk, cryptocurrency custody company Copper's CEO Amar Kuchinad has resigned as the company seeks to sell and negotiations have entered their fourth month. Kuchinad joined Copper as CEO in October 2024, following the departure of the company's founder and CEO Dmitry Tokarev. Kuchinad previously worked at Goldman Sachs and served as an advisor at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.Copper has been looking for buyers since May of this year and has hired Cantor Fitzgerald to assist with the sale, initially asking for $500 million. CoinDesk reported last month that the company received offers of about $200 million, while Copper's valuation at its peak exceeded $2 billion.Recently, Copper also added two executives: Elin Cherry as Chief Compliance Officer and Sean Bowen as Chief Operating Officer. As of the time of publication, neither Copper nor Kuchinad has responded to requests for comment.

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai stated that Canada raised negotiation conditions in the final stages, leading to the breakdown of the U.S.-Canada trade agreement negotiations.The two sides were previously close to reaching a compromise but ultimately failed to finalize the agreement. The U.S. has implemented new tariff measures on certain Canadian goods, and Canada has indicated it will take countermeasures, escalating trade tensions.

Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Mark Wiseman, stated that the Canada-U.S. trade negotiations broke down on the evening of the 22nd due to multiple issues. Wiseman noted that the written text of the potential agreement differed from the consensus that Canada believed existed, and it was not a single issue that led to the failure of the negotiations. The breakdown of the talks triggered a new round of tariff measures, which could lead to an escalation of the Canada-U.S. trade dispute.

As a new round of tariffs is set to take effect on Wednesday, the Trump administration has lowered expectations for a last-minute deal between the U.S. and Canada. Sources say the likelihood of reaching an agreement on Tuesday is "50-50 or lower."Both sides face a midnight deadline, at which point billions of dollars' worth of Canadian goods will be subject to a 50% tariff. Trump is expected to speak again with Canadian Prime Minister Carney on Tuesday.

According to three informed sources, in mid-May, when U.S. negotiators attempted to reach an agreement to end the war with Iran, they encountered a problem: they could not determine whether the Iranian representatives across the negotiating table truly represented the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which holds significant influence in the country. The report stated that, as a result, officials from the Trump administration took an unusual approach—bypassing the Iranian negotiating representatives and directly contacting senior leaders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.The U.S. chose Nechirvan Barzani, the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to handle this secret communication channel. He possesses a rare advantage: he has gained the trust of both the U.S. and the leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. This incident highlights that one of the significant reasons for the difficulties in U.S.-Iran negotiations is Washington's inability to determine who truly holds decision-making power in Iran. The U.S. and Iran did eventually reach a memorandum of understanding, but it quickly fell apart.

As the deadline for the United States to impose tariffs on Canada approaches, the U.S.-Canada tariff negotiations have stalled due to core interest differences.U.S. President Trump has signed a notice to impose a 50% tariff on Canadian imports starting August 19.

HTX global advisor Sun Yuchen tweeted, "I have communicated with Binance, which only involves Binance users in the UK and EU. HTX itself does not operate in the UK and EU. We are also in ongoing settlement negotiations with UK and EU regulatory authorities. If any users are affected by this settlement negotiation, they can always reach out to HTX customer service, and we will coordinate a solution."

Supported by the uncertainty of the reopening prospects of the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, both WTI and Brent crude oil prices continued to rise in the U.S. trading session. Iran reiterated several conditions before agreeing to fully reopen the strait. According to Al Jazeera, the conditions proposed by the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Zolghadr, include: ending the U.S. maritime blockade and the withdrawal of the U.S. Navy and Air Force from around Iran.Tehran also demanded compensation for damages caused by recent conflicts, the lifting of sanctions, and the unconditional unfreezing of Iranian assets. These demands currently reduce the likelihood of a swift return to normal shipping and help maintain the risk premium in WTI prices. Meanwhile, negotiations with Oman to establish a secure shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz seem to be making progress.However, due to the failure to reach an agreement on full reopening, investors remain cautious about the risks of long-term disruptions to oil supply. Regional tensions are not limited to the Strait of Hormuz. The Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Saudi Aramco's refinery in Saudi Arabia. The latest attacks on major energy infrastructure have heightened market concerns about the security of regional oil supplies.