This week, my feeds have been dominated by highlights from Coachella, one of the world’s largest music festivals (and probably the highest density of Influencers-per-square-capita on the music festival calendar).

But beyond Justin Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Karol G (and the endless list of pop’s biggest names) was one particularly startling part of the Coachella experience - the food and drink prices.

Have a look at this (in AUD): a $24 cup of coffee, $37 for chicken tenders and chips, and $57 for a slice of pizza and a Coke Zero. That better be damn good pizza.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has come into effect, after ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran failed.

Over the weekend, representatives from both countries spent 21 hours in talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, in an effort to broker a deal. But no agreement was reached.

The U.S. has since announced that no ships en route to or from Iran will be allowed to enter or exit the Strait.

Last week, the U.S, Israel, and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire.

As part of the agreement, Iran was due to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key international oil passage. However, soon after, Iran accused Israel of breaking the ceasefire by continuing to strike Lebanon.

The U.S. and Israel disputed that Lebanon was included in the agreement. In response, Iran declared it would keep the Strait closed.

On Sunday (local time), Trump announced that the U.S. Navy would begin a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, applying to vessels attempting to enter or leave the waterway.

Hours later, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on X that its forces would begin the blockade. It said: “The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.”

CENTCOM clarified that vessels transiting through the Strait to or from non-Iranian ports will not be impacted.

Despite some confusion online, Trump does not control the Strait of Hormuz – no single country does.

The narrow shipping route between Iran and Oman is considered an international waterway. That means it’s used by countries around the world, particularly for transporting oil, which makes it one of the most strategically important routes globally.

However, the U.S. plays a major role in the region. Through the U.S. Navy, it maintains a strong military presence aimed at keeping the Strait open. This means the U.S. has the military capability to enforce actions there – including a blockade – especially in moments of heightened conflict.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf addressed the blockade in a post to X: “Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called 'blockade', Soon you'll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.”

Long-term vs short-term investing: which is right for you?

-  Long-term investing means holding your investments for years to grow steadily and benefit from compounding returns. 

- Short-term investing focuses on quick trades to ride market swings.

Many investors combine both: a stable long-term “core” with short-term “satellite” trades for flexibility.

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_{^{Disclaimer: Information is general in nature. Investing carries risk. To find out more, you can visit commsec.com.au}}  

The world’s most-followed TikToker, Khaby Lame, signed a near $US1 billion ($AU1.4 billion) deal earlier this year to create an AI version of himself to promote products online 24/7.

But the deal is now being questioned, after the stock behind it crashed in value and investment firms restricted trading on their platforms.

This week, Business Insider revealed the deal was under scrutiny, with brokerages restricting trading as the stock behind it collapsed.

Khabane Serigne "Khaby" Lame, a Senegalese-Italian influencer, is TikTok's most followed creator, with over 160 million followers – and another 77.6 million on Instagram.

After losing his job in 2020, Lame rose to fame by posting silent videos that mocked overly complicated “life hack” videos.

By early 2021, he was Italy’s most followed TikToker. A year later, he was number one globally – overtaking Charli D'Amelio with 158 million followers.

Since 2022, Lame has landed a Hugo Boss deal, become a judge on Italia’s Got Talent, and has even appeared as a character on the video game Fortnite.

In January, Hong Kong-based Rich Sparkle Holdings announced a $US975 million all-stock deal to buy Step Distinctive Ltd, the company behind Khaby Lame’s brand and business operations.

The deal gave Rich Sparkle rights to use Lame’s name, image, voice and likeness for three years, which it used to create an AI “digital twin” of him for advertising.

The company has claimed this AI system could generate up to $US4 billion a year by producing promotional content around the clock – far more than major creator businesses, including MrBeast, whose company earned about US$400 million in 2024.

Under the agreement, Lame – who owns 49% of Step Distinctive – received a 41% stake in Rich Sparkle.

The announcement sent Rich Sparkle shares soaring more than 650% to a peak of $US180.64, briefly valuing Lame’s stake at up to US$6.6 billion, according to Forbes.

But since then, the company’s share price has fallen by more than 90%, amid confusion over the deal's future.

Some initially praised the deal as a major milestone for creators, both for its huge price tag and as one of the first examples of a creator selling rights to their own likeness for use in AI.

But others are wary of what it signals, arguing creators risk losing control over how their image is used.

There are also concerns that an AI version of Lame – able to speak any language – could strip away the silent, universal humour that made him so famous in the first place.

Since the share price collapse, several investment firms have restricted trading in the stock, with Business Insider reporting that some have classified it as “non-tradable.”

The deal itself has also come under further scrutiny. Rich Sparkle only listed on the Nasdaq six months before the agreement, in a small initial offering of 1.25 million shares with an enterprise value of US$50 million.

While the company has said the acquisition is complete, filings dated March 31 suggest several conditions are still unresolved.

Meanwhile, Lame has quietly distanced himself from the deal, removing references to Rich Sparkle Holdings from his TikTok and Instagram bios.

Australia-focused vs international ETFs: expanding your world

Many investors start with Australian ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) – they’re familiar and give exposure to local companies and industries. But adding international ETFs can open the door to industries and businesses that aren’t well represented in Australia, like global technology.

Investing globally can also help reduce home-market bias and spread risk across different economies and currencies.

Some ETFs even offer currency hedging, which aims to reduce the impact of exchange rate swings on returns.

_{^{Disclaimer: Information is general in nature. Investing carries risk. To find out more, you can visit commsec.com.au}}  

Artemis II touched back down on Earth on Saturday, safely returning four astronauts after the first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.

Now, the US space agency NASA is turning its attention to its plan to land humans on the Moon in 2028.

Unlike the Apollo missions of the 1960s, this new program is being built through public-private partnerships. NASA will lead the mission, but it has tapped companies including SpaceX and Blue Origin to build the lunar landers that will take astronauts to and from the Moon’s surface.

SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, is developing a lander for Artemis III and Artemis IV, while Blue Origin is building a lander for Artemis V.

Apollo-era missions allowed just two astronauts to spend a few days on the Moon. Artemis IV aims to go further – with up to four astronauts staying for weeks at a time, laying the groundwork for a future lunar base.

Reporting by Lachlan Keller.