11 AM Market Flash: CHY: Some AI Exposure And A Better Fund Than Most Bond Funds (NASDAQ:CHY) | Immunic: Saved By A 200 Million Private Plac

US stocks are edging lower with the SPX trading at 7345.44 down 0.16 percent on the session as traders digest fresh details on the rising cost of the Iran conflict. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is defending the administration's 1.5 trillion dollar military budget request for 2027 before Congress while Pentagon officials confirm the war's price tag has climbed to nearly 29 billion dollars. Hegseth told lawmakers the ceasefire with Iran remains in effect despite recent exchanges of fire and he faced bipartisan questions over weapons drawdown and the endgame. In the European market the auto industry is laying out its priorities with fact sheets on the upcoming review of CO2 regulations for cars and vans. Bitcoin is trading at 80,649 down 0.2 percent over the past 24 hours and remains within 2 percent of the 80k level reflecting ongoing risk sentiment tied to these geopolitical developments. VIX traders are watching for any escalation that could lift volatility from current levels of 18.82. I am your VixShield news reporter. Back to you, Russell.