Axios

A building boom across the South and Mountain West has cooled rents — but that relief could fade as new construction slows.

Why it matters: Housing is unaffordable for many. Although the median U.S. rent for new leases is down 1.5% from a year ago, it's still roughly 20% above pre-pandemic levels, at $1,400 a month, per Apartment List.

It's a CEO's job to sell their product — not scare people it'll ruin their lives.

• Tell that to OpenAI's Sam Altman and Palantir's Alex Karp, who've both delivered bleak warnings about the disruption AI could bring.

Why it matters: Portraying AI as immensely powerful — even dangerous — reinforces the idea that only a few companies can build it safely. That's an effective message for fundraising but a scary pitch to consumers.

Oil prices rose over $3 per barrel Sunday in the first major trading since President Trump's threat to strike Iran's main oil export hub unless Tehran allows tankers through the Strait of Hormuz — and they remained somewhat volatile into Monday.

Why it matters: The climb shortly after the markets' opening signals that traders see no major near-term market loosening or end to a conflict that has brought an unprecedented throttling of oil flows.