Oil Hikes 7% After Trump Says US-Israel Will Keep Striking Iran
Oil prices surged nearly 7% on Thursday after President Donald Trump warned that the United States and Israel would continue striking Iran, reigniting concerns over supply disruptions. Brent crude rose to $108.81 a barrel and U.S. WTI to $107.18, marking the steepest daily gains in three weeks. The rally followed a brief dip before Trump’s televised address, which omitted any reference to a ceasefire or diplomatic solution. Analysts caution that heightened maritime risk in the Strait of Hormuz could push prices toward fresh highs.
FTSE Bursa Malaysia Crashes over 1% Amid Announcement of Work From Home for Malaysian Civil Servants
The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI dropped 1.17% to 1,688.89 after the government announced a work‑from‑home mandate for civil servants starting April 15. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the policy aims to cut fuel consumption amid soaring energy costs, with Malaysia spending...
UK Offers Madagascar Near Tariff-Free Access to £3tn Market to Boost Supply Chain
The United Kingdom has announced a new trade framework that gives Madagascar near‑total, 99% tariff‑free access to its market. The scheme combines the Developing Countries Trading Scheme with the UK‑Eastern and Southern Africa Economic Partnership Agreement, simplifying rules of origin...
High Fuel Costs Lead Nearly Half of Thai Fishing Fleet to Tie up, Sparking Supply Fears
Escalating fuel costs have forced more than 40% of Thailand’s commercial fishing fleet to dock. Fuel prices jumped nearly 120% in a month, making trips financially unsustainable. The government responded with a seven‑point aid package, including a discounted biodiesel subsidy,...
Eurizon SLJ Capital Lists Its First Emerging Markets Equity ETF on the LSE: Three Share Classes in Euros, Pounds and...
Eurizon SLJ Capital launched its first emerging‑markets equity ETF on the London Stock Exchange, offering three share classes in euros, pounds and dollars. The CO Eurizon SLJ EM Equity Magnificent 30 UCITS ETF targets the 30 highest‑quality EM stocks and...
Atlantic Salmon From Norway Prices Decline Again in Run-Up to Easter
Norwegian farmed Atlantic salmon prices slipped again ahead of Easter, marking a second consecutive weekly decline. The Sitagri Salmon Index reported a 5.4% week‑over‑week drop for the 3‑6 kg category, with the average price falling to NOK 91.01 per kilogram (≈ USD 9.41). The...
Turning Vacant Big-Box Stores Into Pickleball Facilities
Big‑box retailers are shuttering locations, creating large vacant shells that entrepreneurs are repurposing as indoor pickleball venues. Converting these spaces demands more than court markings; structural clearance, column spacing, and code‑compliant egress are critical first steps. Flooring must be leveled,...
Profile: Michael Paulus, Setting up a Family Office and Solving Financial Problems for Himself
Michael Paulus cashed out his insurance business to Prudential for $2.35 billion in 2019 and subsequently founded a dedicated family office to steward the proceeds. The office quickly moved beyond passive holdings, deploying capital into private‑equity, venture, real‑estate and impact projects...
Omniscient Raises $4.1m to Bring Real-Time Reputation Intelligence to the C-Suite
Omniscient announced a $4.1 million funding round led by Drysdale, Plug and Play and other investors to scale its real‑time reputation intelligence platform for C‑suite executives. The solution ingests data from over 100,000 sources—including press, social, video and audio—and delivers prioritized...
Trump’s Threat to Hit Iran 'Extremely Hard' Jolts Global Stocks, Bonds and Oil
President Donald Trump warned the United States would hit Iran "extremely hard" over the next two to three weeks, prompting a sharp sell‑off across global markets. Asian equities reversed gains, with South Korea's KOSPI plunging 5.5% and European indices falling...
Event Voice: How the Middle East Crisis Has Changed the Outlook for Bonds
The recent Middle East conflict has reignited energy price spikes, sending UK gilt yields sharply higher as investors price in additional Bank of England hikes. Unlike the 2022 inflation surge, current inflation is moderating and central banks enjoy greater credibility,...
Valero's Rally: Why This Refiner Is Built to Last
Valero Energy is leveraging record‑high crack spreads and a 98% refinery utilization rate to generate strong cash flow. Tight global refining capacity, driven by plant closures and regulatory headwinds, gives the company a structural pricing advantage. The refiner’s balance sheet...
‘China Shock 2.0’ Is a False Narrative Born of Western Anxiety: Chinese Media
Chinese state‑run Economic Daily published front‑page editorials denying the existence of a so‑called “China shock 2.0.” The outlet argues that China’s export engine remains strong and that the real threat to the global economy is rising protectionism, not a slowdown in...
JPMorgan Downgrades Bank of the Philippine Islands Stock Rating
JPMorgan downgraded Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) to Neutral from Overweight and cut its price target to PHP 105 (≈ $1.9) from PHP 145 (≈ $2.6). The stock has slipped 23% over the past year and is down 13% year‑to‑date. The downgrade reflects...
JPMorgan Upgrades Chagee Holdings Stock Rating on Sales Recovery
JPMorgan upgraded Chagee Holdings (NASDAQ: CHA) to Overweight, lifting its price target to $16 from $11.50. The move reflects a slowdown in same‑store sales declines, with Q1 2026 domestic same‑store sales falling only in the teens versus a 25.5% drop...
Phreesia Hits Bottom in Q1: Rebound Ahead, Timing Uncertain
Phreesia’s shares hit a trough of $8.38 after the company trimmed its 2026 revenue guidance, prompting a sharp sell‑off. Despite the price dip, Q1 2026 revenue climbed 16% to $127 million and free cash flow surged more than 200% to $28.5 million,...
Rice Imports Seen to Rise 15.9%, as Output Grows 0.4% – USDA
The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service projects Philippines rice production to rise modestly 0.4% to 19.68 million metric tons in marketing year 2026‑27. Despite this slight gain, imports are expected to jump 15.9% to 5.10 MMT as the country lifts a four‑month import...
Baird Cuts Akamai Stock Rating on Valuation After 33% Rally
Akamai Technologies' stock has surged 33% year‑to‑date, prompting Baird to downgrade its rating from Outperform to Neutral and set a new price target of $110. The firm cites the recent rally—driven by optimism around AI, compute, and agentic traffic—as unsustainable...
Iran Conflict Highlights Vietnam’s Energy Security and Foreign Policy Vulnerabilities
The Iran‑Israel war has shut the Strait of Hormuz, driving global oil and LNG prices to record highs and exposing Vietnam’s reliance on imported fuels. Since February, gasoline prices have jumped 50% and diesel 70%, prompting fuel shortages and longer...
India’s Central Bank Makes It Harder to Short the Rupee
India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has tightened regulations on shorting the rupee. Effective immediately, the RBI increased margin requirements for rupee futures and introduced stricter reporting thresholds for large short positions. The move targets speculative bets...
Why Tax Season Is Turning Into a Debt Trap for Canadians (and How to Avoid It)
A Vividata study finds 36% of Canadians carry credit‑card balances and 49% live paycheque‑to‑paycheque, making tax season a financial minefield. Many households count on tax refunds to clear debt, but smaller refunds or unexpected bills can deepen indebtedness. Money Mentors...
Why Dave & Buster's Stock Is Ripping Higher Despite Ugly Earnings
Dave & Buster's (NASDAQ: PLAY) posted fiscal Q4 2026 revenue and earnings below consensus, yet its shares surged as short sellers scrambled to cover. Short interest hovers around 30% with more than eight days‑to‑cover, creating a potent catalyst for price rebounds....
Copper Companies with Exposure to Grid Expansion>
Copper is emerging as a strategic bottleneck as grid modernization, electric‑vehicle adoption, and AI‑driven data centers drive unprecedented demand. Its conductivity and durability make it essential across power generation, transmission, distribution, and digital infrastructure. Investors can access exposure through pure‑play...
IG Japan Launches Vanilla Options for Corporate Accounts
IG Securities, the Japanese arm of IG Group, has introduced vanilla options for corporate accounts, expanding its product lineup beyond CFDs and spread‑betting. The offering includes options on stock indices, commodities and volatility indices, with daily, weekly and monthly expiry...
Australian Wool Auction Market Rebounds Strongly
Australian wool auctions rebounded after two weeks of declines, with 36,252 bales offered on the opening day. Prices rose across all grades, especially for high‑yield Merino fleeces, pushing the Eastern Market Indicator up 62 cents to 1,786 cents/kg clean. Currency fluctuations...
How The Basic Fuel Price Is Calculated: A Breakdown
South Africa calculates its Basic Fuel Price (BFP) using an import parity model that mirrors international crude prices, freight costs and the Rand‑US dollar exchange rate. The Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) incorporates FOB values from Mediterranean, Arab...
Iran War Volatility Leads to 22% Leap in March 2026 Institutional FX Trading Volumes
The outbreak of war in Iran and the broader Middle East sparked extreme market volatility in March 2026, driving a sharp rise in institutional foreign‑exchange trading. Across leading eFX venues—FXSpotStream, Cboe FX, EuronextFX and Deutsche Börse’s 360 T—average daily volumes jumped between 14% and...
When to Consider Extra RRIF Withdrawals
A 91‑year‑old retiree with a strong RRIF is taking extra withdrawals to fund TFSA contributions and tax‑free gifts to his children. At age 91 the mandatory RRIF draw is 11.92% of the prior‑year balance, and the OAS clawback starts when...
Cboe Options to List Mini S&P 500 Index Binary Options
Cboe Options Exchange will start listing cash‑settled binary options on the Mini S&P 500 Index (XSP) effective June 1, 2026. Each contract pays a fixed $100 or $0 based on whether the settlement price meets the strike at expiration. The new products, identified...
ETF Options Clearing Connect Enhancement: SEC Rule Filing Approval and Go-Live Date
The SEC approved the NSCC rule change (SR‑NSCC‑2026‑001) on March 12, 2026 to enable central clearing of ETFs that contain options as underlying components. NSCC will establish a dedicated link with the Options Clearing Corporation to process these complex products....
Saudi Arabia Eyes African Critical Minerals
Saudi Arabia is pivoting from oil to critical minerals to meet Vision 2030 goals, targeting 30% electric‑vehicle sales and 50% renewable electricity by 2030. Africa, which holds about 30% of global critical‑mineral reserves, is becoming a key supply source. Riyadh has...
Is Wealthsimple’s New Direct Indexing Worth It?
Wealthsimple has introduced a direct‑indexing product for Canadian retail investors, letting taxable‑account holders own the individual stocks that replicate U.S. and Canadian market indices. The service charges a 0.15% annual fee with a $1,000 (≈ $740 USD) minimum and applies a 0.05%...
Vijay Kedia’s FY26 Scorecard: Losses Dominate with 14 Stocks Falling up to 68%; SME Multibagger Shines
Vijay Kedia’s FY26 portfolio of 17 stocks posted a largely negative performance, with 14 holdings ending the year in the red and two stocks plunging more than 68%. The only major outlier was TechD Cybersecurity, which surged 159% after its...
East Africa Crowds Out Businesses as Debt Costs Bite
East African economies are slipping toward a debt trap as governments replace concessional aid with costly commercial loans and Eurobonds, pushing debt‑service costs to record levels. In Kenya, roughly 68% of revenue now funds debt repayments, crowding out credit for...
Silver Crashes Rs 14,000/Kg, Gold Dips Rs 2,600/10 Grams as Trump's Plan to Hit Iran ‘Very Hard’ Reignites Inflation Fears....
U.S. President Donald Trump’s televised warning of a “hard” strike on Iran sent shockwaves through commodity markets, prompting sharp drops in precious metals on India’s MCX exchange. Silver futures for May 2026 fell 5.5% to Rs 2.29 lakh per kilogram (≈ $2,770 per ounce),...
ACCC Monitors Fuel Excise Cut, Fuel Surcharges and Fuel Price Movements
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has ordered fuel retailers to pass on the latest federal fuel excise reduction of about 5.7 Australian cents per litre (≈3.8 US cents) as quickly as possible. This follows an earlier 26.3‑cent cut...
Militias, Corrupt Officers Man 24 Roadblocks on Key DRC Trade Route
Twenty‑four roadblocks staffed by militias and corrupt officials line the Goli–Mahagi–Kisangani route, a vital segment of the Northern Corridor linking Uganda to eastern DRC. Unofficial fees of up to $300 per vehicle are inflating transport costs and delaying deliveries. The...
RBI’s Latest Attempt to Shield Rupee May Bring Near-Term Rebound
India’s central bank has moved to curb speculation on the rupee by prohibiting banks from offering non‑deliverable forwards (NDFs) to both resident and non‑resident clients, effective immediately. The RBI also reinforced a $100 million daily position limit for banks, aiming to...
Mount Hope Grows Mt Solitary with Standout Phase 2 Gold Hits
Mount Hope Mining announced Phase 2 drilling results from its Mt Solitary project, highlighted by a standout intercept of 6 metres grading 17.9 g/t gold, including 2 metres at 48.1 g/t. The program, comprising 14 holes and 2,161 m, expanded the mineralised envelope to roughly 180 m...
How Asset-Based Finance Is Finding Its Role in Commercial Real Estate Portfolios
Asset‑based finance (ABF) is transitioning from a niche product to a mainstream funding source for commercial‑real‑estate (CRE) owners, offering loans secured by property, equipment, or receivables. The secured structure enables higher leverage and lower covenant intensity than traditional cash‑flow loans,...
Stocks to Watch: ST Engineering, Nio, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, China Everbright Water
Singapore’s ST Engineering secured a six‑year, roughly $444 million marine subcontract from Abu Dhabi Ship Building to supply platform systems for eight missile‑gun boats for the Kuwait Navy, lifting its shares 2.7 % to S$11.10. Chinese EV maker Nio reported a 136 %...
No Need for a Rate Hike Unless Inflation Spikes: Economists
Indian economists briefed the Reserve Bank of India that a rate hike is unnecessary as long as inflation stays within the 2‑6% tolerance band. The discussion, held amid the West Asia war and soaring Brent crude at $110‑$120 per barrel,...
Is It Time to Buy IT ? Fund Managers Suggest Gradual Addition by Investors
Indian IT stocks have slipped to their cheapest valuations since mid‑2020, with the Nifty IT index trading at a 20.6‑times price‑to‑earnings multiple, well below its five‑year average of 29.16. The index has fallen 31.5% since October 2024, dragging the sector’s weight...
Pharvaris NV (PHVS) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Pharvaris NV reported a breakout quarter, with U.S. net product revenue for its epinephrine spray Neffy soaring to $31.3 million – a 2.5‑fold increase quarter‑over‑quarter and beating consensus. Adoption accelerated among new prescribers, reaching a 10.3% market share, while provider...
AngioDynamics Inc (ANGO) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
AngioDynamics reported first‑quarter FY2026 revenue of $75.7 million, a 12.2% year‑over‑year increase driven by strong Med Tech growth and modest Med Device gains. The Med Tech segment now represents 47% of total sales, expanding 26.1% and delivering double‑digit growth for 17...
Acuity Inc (AYI) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Accuray reported Q2 2026 net revenue of $102.2 million, down 12% year‑over‑year, as product sales fell 26% primarily due to tariff‑driven delays in China. Service revenue rose 4%, partially offsetting margin pressure, but gross margin slipped to 23.5% from 36.1%...
AirSculpt Technologies Inc (AIRS) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Artivion reported Q4 2025 adjusted revenue of $118.3 million, an 18.5% year‑over‑year increase, and adjusted EBITDA of $22.7 million, lifting the margin to 19.2%. Stent‑graft sales surged 36% and On‑X valve revenue rose 24%, driven by the AMDS platform and a newly...
Lindsay Corp (LNN) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Lindsay Corp reported Q2 2026 revenue of $155.8 million, a 6% decline driven primarily by a 9% drop in irrigation sales, while infrastructure revenue grew 17%. Operating income fell 6% to $19.6 million, but the operating margin held steady at 12.6% thanks...
Ask the Expert: How Do I Convert My Property Portfolio Into a Pension?
A property‑only portfolio can’t easily fund retirement, so investors must choose between living off rental yields, selling assets to fund pensions and ISAs, or a hybrid of both. Rental income is volatile and tied to a single asset class, while...
From World War Trade to Domino Regionalism: The Emergent Global Trading Order
In April 2025 the United States unleashed sweeping tariffs and China responded with export controls, creating a “World War Trade” that shattered the post‑World‑II rules‑based system. While the US‑China clash intensified, the other 75 % of global trade—countries responsible for three‑quarters of...