Navigating Market Volatility: Iran, Consumer Confidence, and AI Recruitment Trends | Weekly Business Briefs w/ Martin Perdomo

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The global economic landscape is shifting rapidly as three major developments converge to challenge businesses and investors. First, escalating tensions between the US and Iran have brought us to the brink of a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil markets into volatility with Brent crude touching $97 per barrel—up from $84 just two weeks ago. White House projections suggest prices could exceed $120 per barrel if a full closure materializes, triggering inflation spikes and supply chain disruptions across industries.

Meanwhile, consumer sentiment has taken an unexpected downturn, with the US Consumer Confidence Index falling to 93.0% in June from 98.4% in May, well below economists' projections. The data reveals troubling signs: fewer Americans believe jobs are plentiful, income expectations are declining, and the six-month business outlook has turned negative for the first time this year. This isn't merely an academic indicator—it signals potential changes in consumer spending patterns that could affect sales cycles, margins, and investment returns in the coming quarters.

The third major shift transforming business comes from technology, as artificial intelligence revolutionizes hiring practices at scale. Major companies like Amazon, Unilever, and Delta are now using machine learning to automate substantial portions of their recruitment processes, with algorithms filtering out 70% of applicants before human review. For business leaders, this presents both efficiency opportunities and ethical challenges; for job seekers, it fundamentally changes the application game. Whether you're building a company, managing investments, or navigating career transitions, staying ahead of these converging trends requires strategic adaptation rather than reactive responses. Follow me on Instagram @TheEliteStrategist for more real-time insights and visit WealthyAFmedia to access our free tools that can help you position yourself advantageously in this changing landscape.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome back to the Wealthy AF Business Brief where
we break down the latestbusiness and economic trends
that impact your investments andentrepreneurship journey.
I'm your host, tv strategistMartin Perdomo, and today we've
got three major stories makingheadlines, so let's dive in.
Following the US strikes onIranian nuclear infrastructure,

(00:49):
iran's parliament has authorizeda closure of the Strait of Horm
.
This briefing geopolitical riskhas already jolted oil markets.
The numbers Brent crude brieflytouched $97 per barrel on June
24, up from $84 just two weeksago.
Us energy future climbed 6.2%in the last five trading
sessions.
The White House estimates afull closure could spike oil

(01:11):
prices past $120 per barrel,triggering a 0.7% jump in the US
.
Inflation Rising energy costsrippled through every supply
chain.
If you're managing a businesswith shipping, production or
fuel exposure, start modelingfor volatility in Q3.

(01:34):
According to the ConferenceBoard, the US Consumer
Confidence Index fell 93.0% inJune, down from 98.4% in May and
well below economists'expectations of 100%.
The decline was driven byconcerns about business
conditions and income outlook.

(01:55):
The numbers consumers who saidjobs were plentiful dropped to
38.1% from 41.5% last month.
The percentage expecting incomeincreases fell to 16.7%, down
from 18.3%.
The six-month business outlookturned negative for the first

(02:16):
time since early 2024.
Why this matters?
Well, this matters becausefalling consumer confidence
often leads to reduced spending,longer sales cycles and tighter
margins, affecting both salesand investment returns.
For entrepreneurs, it's asignal to shift toward

(02:36):
value-driven offers and optimizecash flow.
For investors, it's a cue toreassess exposure to
consumer-driven sectors andprepare for potential earning
downgrades or market pullbacks.
This isn't panic-worthy, though, but it's absolutely strategic.
If you wait for the laggingindicators, you'll miss the

(03:00):
inflection point.
Smart operators adjustmarketing, capital reserves and
hiring ahead of the curve.
We'll get back to the businessbrief in just a moment, but
let's pause for something thatmight change your path.
If you're building income,scaling real estate or just
tired of playing small in yourfinancial life, I want you to

(03:23):
tap into what we're doing behindthe scenes.
Come hang with me on Instagramat the Elite Strategist.
That's where I share real-timeinsights, deal breakdowns and
behind-the-curtain moves wedon't put anywhere else.
You'll also find links tosubscribe to our Wealthy AF
newsletter on my main page.

(03:43):
You'll get early access toupcoming live events and grab my
free deal analyzer, a toolthat's helped me and our clients
spot profitable investments inliterally minutes.
If you're curious about how wehelp everyday people build real
wealth with strategy andexecution.

(04:03):
Head over to WealthyAFmedia andexplore what's possible.
Now let's get back to theheadlines.
A new report highlights how AIis reshaping hiring at scale.
From screening resumes toconducting first round
interviews, major employers likeAmazon, unilever and Delta are

(04:26):
now automating large portions oftheir recruitment funnels using
machine learning and naturallanguage processing tools.
This is scary and also amazingat the same time.
Scary if you're not payingattention and amazing if you are
.
The numbers Over 45% of Fortune500 companies now use AI in

(04:48):
some stage of hiring.
Resume filtering algorithms cancut applicants pooled by 70%
before humans can review.
Only 28% of companies haveclear internal guidelines on AI
hiring ethics or transparency.
For founders and leaders, thisis a hiring revolution, but also

(05:10):
a risk.
Use AI to streamline, but stayhuman in your judgment, boy,
don't?
We know that, as we in ourcompany use AI and if you're
applying, know how to optimizeyour application, so the tools
reading it before the people do.
That's it for today's businessbrief.
As always, stay sharp, stayinformed to keep your business

(05:34):
ahead of the curve.
Thanks for tuning in and we'llsee you next week with more
insights and updates from theworld of finance, economics.
Peace out.