US markets and politics are sending confusing signals, and it's leaving people frustrated on nearly every front from war to grocery bills.

• Trump calls Iran talks the "last chance" to end the war, but Iran denies negotiating, and oil prices are rising on the confusion.
• Trump griped that Exxon and Chevron made too much money off high oil prices during the Iran conflict, even as his own moves keep prices unsettled.
• New York's plan for city-run grocery stores would cut prices on food staples, drawing fire from billionaires like Elon Musk while costing a fraction of what military deployments cost.
• Sending the National Guard to DC and other cities is set to cost an extra $1.4 billion, versus $70 million for the grocery plan — raising the question of food help versus troops on the streets.
• The AI boom is pulling in huge money, power, and water, pushing up the cost of everyday devices and crowding out spending on schools and healthcare.

Outlook: Watch Iran talks and Japan's currency troubles — the US is leaning on the Fed to prop up the yen and keep Japan from dumping US debt, and prices that rose during the conflict are unlikely to fall back.