Oil Prices Rise as Failed Deal Between U.S. and Iran Raises Risk of Prolonged War
Oil prices surged above $100 per barrel on Monday after the United States and Iran failed to reach a deal in 21 hours of negotiations. West Texas Intermediate May futures jumped 8% to $104.39, while Brent June contracts rose to $102.78. The breakdown revives fears of a prolonged conflict and possible disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. SocGen notes the market reaction is muted compared with earlier crisis spikes.
S&P Dow Jones Launches New CDS Index Facilitating Bets Against Private Credit
S&P Dow Jones Indices has introduced a credit‑default‑swap (CDS) index that gives investors direct exposure to the private‑credit market, allowing them to take bearish positions. The index, comprising 25 North American financial entities—including banks, insurers, REITs and business development companies...
Custodian Flags High Occupancy, Rental Uplift at Grove Court Portfolio
Custodian, a commercial‑real‑estate data provider, reported that the Grove Court portfolio is sustaining a high occupancy rate after its recent acquisition. The portfolio also saw a notable rental uplift, indicating strong demand in its market segment. Occupancy remains above 95%,...
Eka Ventures Launches £80m Fund to Back Health and Sustainability Startups
Early‑stage impact VC Eka Ventures has closed a second fund of £80 million (about $102 million) to back UK‑founded health, wellbeing and sustainability startups. The British Business Bank is committing £40 million (~$51 million), matching its support for the firm’s first fund. The fund...
Bull of the Day: Broadcom (AVGO)
Broadcom (AVGO) posted a solid Q1 earnings beat, highlighted by a 77% year‑over‑year surge in AI revenue to $4.1 billion and an adjusted EBITDA of $10.1 billion. The company’s AI‑driven growth lifted earnings estimates across the board, prompting Morgan Stanley to raise...
Don’t Bet on a 1970s Replay: Why Today’s Oil Volatility Looks Different for the S&P 500
Morgan Stanley’s chief equity strategist, Mike Wilson, argues that today’s oil price shock will not mirror the 1970s or 1990s episodes because corporate earnings are strengthening rather than weakening. Historically, oil volatility compounded already‑slipping profits and helped tip the economy...
ARTY: The AI Train Powers Ahead
iShares Future AI & Tech ETF (ARTY) is reiterated as a buy after posting a strong year‑over‑year gain. The fund trades at a low 16.5× price‑to‑earnings multiple while projecting a 24.8% long‑term EPS growth rate, yielding a PEG ratio near...
FREQUENTIS: Strong Growth in Revenues, Earnings, and Jobs
Frequentis posted a fifth straight year of double‑digit growth in 2025, with revenue climbing 20.8% to €580.1 million (about $632 million) and EBIT surging 45.7% to €46.8 million (roughly $51 million), yielding an 8.1% margin. Order intake rose 16.5% to €680.2 million ($741 million), and the...
Cisco: The Stock Is Building 'Cause' While Fundamentals Pivot To AI Networking And Campus Refresh
Cisco reported a 10% year‑over‑year revenue increase to $15.35 B, signaling more than a routine beat‑and‑raise. The growth was driven by a shift toward AI‑focused networking solutions and a campus‑refresh demand wave. Subscription services now generate $7.84 B, roughly half of total...
Nu Holdings: Doubling Down Despite U.S. Expansion Concerns
Nu Holdings (NU) continues to pursue aggressive growth in Latin America, leveraging its founder‑led, digital‑first model that delivers 45% FX‑neutral revenue growth and a 33% return on equity. The bank’s unit economics remain strong, with low‑cost customer acquisition and prudent...
Iran Warns Persian Gulf Port Security ‘for All or None’ as Hormuz Tensions Escalate
Iran’s Khatam al‑Anbiya Central Headquarters warned on April 13 that security in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman must be collective, stating any threat to Iranian ports endangers all regional ports. The statement follows the collapse of Iran‑U.S. talks and...
Turkey’s Current Account Deficit Widens Further
Turkey’s current account deficit widened to $7.5 billion in February, surpassing forecasts and pushing the 12‑month deficit to $35.4 billion, or about 2.4 % of GDP. The trade gap turned negative, expanding to $‑7.5 billion, driven by higher gold imports despite lower energy costs....
Form 8.5 (EPT/RI) - Kore Potash Plc
Shore Capital Stockbrokers Ltd, acting as an exempt principal trader, disclosed its dealings in Kore Potash Plc on 10 April 2026. The broker bought 32,747 ordinary shares at 3.075 pence per share (≈$0.038) and sold 21,000 shares at 3.3 pence per share (≈$0.041). No derivatives, options,...
HKEX Advances Index Ecosystem with Two Tech-Focused Benchmarks
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) unveiled two new technology‑focused benchmarks – the HKEX KRX Semiconductor Index and the HKEX Tech & US Tech 100 Index – marking its first co‑branded index with Korea Exchange. The semiconductor index blends Hong Kong‑listed semiconductor firms eligible for...
System Integrator Guoxia’s Revenue and Profits Surge over 100% Amidst Shift to Utility-Scale
Guoxia Technology (02655.HK) posted FY 2025 operating revenue of RMB 2.057 billion (≈$301 million), a 100.6% jump from the prior year, and net profit of RMB 103 million (≈$15 million), up 109.5%. The company’s revenue mix shifted dramatically toward utility‑scale storage, which now accounts for 76.6%...
Finnish Proptech Jaakko.com Secures €500K to Scale Beyond Domestic Market
Finnish proptech startup Jaakko.com secured €500,000 (about $545,000) in a mixed angel‑institutional round to accelerate product development and push beyond Finland. The marketplace already hosts over 2,000 hidden properties and 3,000 active buy‑sell listings, with seller activity more than doubling...
Dutch Pig Slaughter Falls by 780K in Five Years
Dutch pork processors reported a 7.4% year‑on‑year drop in slaughter, with 3,733,125 pigs processed up to week 14 of Q2 2026 – about 300,000 fewer than a year earlier. The decline reflects a five‑year fall of roughly 780,000 pigs, pushing the national...
Dalal Street Midday: Sensex, Nifty Down Nearly 1%, Reliance, Eicher Among Top Laggards, Auto, Oil Stocks Weigh
Indian equity benchmarks slipped nearly 1% on Monday as Brent crude surged to $102.2 a barrel following the collapse of US‑Iran negotiations. The BSE Sensex dropped 1,682 points to 76,794.32 and the Nifty 50 fell 223.75 points to 23,826.85. Auto, oil...
Hormuz Crisis Signals New Era of Risk for Gulf Energy
The six‑week Iran‑Israel‑U.S. war culminated in Iran’s unprecedented closure of the Strait of Hormuz, halting roughly one‑fifth of the world’s oil supply. The shutdown and missile strikes knocked out about 11 million barrels per day of regional production, including Saudi Arabia’s...
The Federal Reserve's April Inflation Forecast Is In -- and It Just Keeps Getting Worse for Wall Street
The Cleveland Federal Reserve’s nowcast pushed its April inflation projection to 3.56% YoY, up from 2.40% in February, as the Iran‑Israel conflict choked the Strait of Hormuz and spiked oil prices. Gas prices surged roughly 40% to $4.16 a gallon,...
Beyond The Magnificent Seven: Discovering Equity Opportunities In The S&P 493
The S&P 500 is now heavily concentrated, with the top ten stocks representing about 40 % of the index’s market value. Excluding the Magnificent Seven, the remaining 493 companies posted earnings growth of over 10 % in 2024, driven by renewed activity...
Amundi ETF: ETF Market Flows – March 2026
Amundi’s March 2026 ETF report shows European UCITS net new assets falling to €9.4 bn ($10.2 bn) after two months of record inflows. Investors gravitated toward all‑country world equity funds, which captured over half of total inflows, while short‑duration, low‑credit‑risk bond funds...
Louisiana Citizens Seeks $150m Named Storm Reinsurance with Bayou Re 2026-1 Cat Bond
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state’s non‑profit insurer for high‑risk homeowners, is issuing a $150 million Class A tranche cat bond through Bayou Re Ltd. Series 2026‑1. The deal, its twelfth cat‑bond sponsorship and seventh consecutive year of new issuances, will replace...
China, the Iran War and the Chemical Suddenly Stoking Global Supply Fears
China announced an abrupt halt to sulphuric acid exports, a key input for fertilizer and mining industries worldwide. The decision coincides with renewed tensions in the Iran‑U.S. conflict, where failed peace talks have heightened geopolitical risk. Analysts warn that reduced...
Derwent: Prime London Property Assets for Just 50p in the Pound
Derwent London, the UK’s largest office‑focused REIT, owns 61 prime central‑London assets valued at about £33.22 ($42) per share but its stock trades at just £16.00 ($20) – roughly 50p in the pound, delivering a 5.1% yield. The company is...
Odd Lots: Daoud on How Iran War Will Reshape the Gulf (Podcast)
Ziad Daoud, Bloomberg Economics chief emerging‑markets economist, warned that the ongoing war with Iran will leave a lasting imprint on the Gulf region. Nations may need to rebuild damaged pipelines or construct new routes that bypass the vulnerable Strait of...
Iran: No Security for Persian Gulf Ports if Own Is Threatened
Iran warned that any threat to its Persian Gulf ports will trigger a collapse of regional shipping safety, effectively threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz to vessels linked to the U.S. blockade. Tehran called the U.S. naval restrictions illegal...
Home Prices Stay High Amid Supply Shortages and Mortgage Lock-In
Home prices have stayed elevated into early 2026 despite mortgage rates above 7% last year, because the market is constrained more by a chronic inventory shortage than by demand. The United States faces a supply gap of roughly 4.0 million homes...
Inflation Could Hit 4.2% This Year: 3 Stocks to Buy Now to Protect Your Portfolio
The OECD’s April 2026 outlook projects U.S. inflation at 4.2%, well above the Federal Reserve’s 2.7% forecast, driven by geopolitical tensions and tariff policies. Higher inflation threatens consumer spending, prompting investors to seek assets that can preserve purchasing power. Analysts highlight...
Round Raises $6M to Automate the Finance Workflows that Still Require a Human to Press a Button
London fintech Round announced a $6 million seed round led by Alstin Capital, with participation from Backed VC, Love Ventures, and several angel investors including Indeed co‑founder Paul Forster. The funding backs the launch of two new products—a natural‑language Agentic Workflow Builder and an...
2 Monster Stocks to Double Up On Right Now Before They Rebound
Palantir (PLTR) and MercadoLibre (MELI) have slumped 38% and 33% from 52‑week highs, sparking talk of a buying opportunity. Both stocks have delivered multi‑digit returns over longer horizons—Palantir a 15‑bagger in three years, MercadoLibre a 15‑bagger over a decade. Analysts...
ONEOK: Bullish Setup Remains Despite Slower Near-Term Growth
ONEOK (OKE) retains a Buy rating despite a recent 20% rally and a downgrade from Strong Buy. The analyst cites conservative 2026 EBITDA guidance of $8.1 billion, leaving upside if oil prices stay above modeled levels. Current EV/EBITDA sits at 10.6×,...
These 3 Stocks Have Crushed the Market, and the Next 10 Years Could Be Even Better
Costco, Intuitive Surgical, and Visa have delivered total returns of 671%, 250%, and 316% since 2016, far outpacing the S&P 500’s 281% gain. Despite high forward‑earnings multiples, each company possesses durable competitive advantages—Costco’s membership model, Intuitive’s da Vinci platform, and Visa’s global...
UK Impact VC Eka Ventures Closes Second Fund at $107M
Eka Ventures announced the close of its second fund at $107 million (£80 million), bringing total assets under management to $200 million and making it the UK’s largest early‑stage impact‑focused venture capital firm. Fund II will back up to 30 pre‑seed and seed...
TechnipFMC: Get Out While The Getting Out Is Good
TechnipFMC plc provides offshore and subsea services to the oil‑and‑gas sector, an industry known for sharp cycles and rapid technology shifts. Despite a long‑term trend of demand contraction, the stock trades at a premium with a price‑to‑earnings multiple above 20....
Diverging Paths: How Capital Markets Are Repricing Sports Technology Segments
Over the past five years sports technology has become core infrastructure, but public markets are now valuing its sub‑segments differently. The TSC SPIN 100 shows Technology & Digital Innovation delivering 215% total return and 96% year‑over‑year growth, while Data, Analytics &...
Steppe Cement Reports Strong Growth and Market Share Gains in Kazakhstan
Steppe Cement Ltd posted a 16% market‑share rise in Kazakhstan in Q1 2026, up from 13.5% a year earlier. Sales jumped to about $19.5 million from 344,058 t, versus $12.7 million and 276,217 t in Q1 2025, while the average price per tonne rose to $57...
Payments Firm Wise Heads to New York With £181 Billion Year Behind It
Wise reported a 26% jump in Q4 FY2026 cross‑border volumes to £49.4 billion (about $63 billion) and a 25% rise for the full year to £181.7 billion (≈$233 billion). Active customers grew 22% to 11.3 million and underlying income rose 24% to £435.3 million (≈$557 million). The...
Gold Prices Come Under Pressure After the First Round of US-Iran Talks Fail. What's Next?
Gold opened lower after the first round of US‑Iran negotiations collapsed, pulling the metal below the $4,800 per ounce mark. The breakdown heightened geopolitical risk, especially as President Trump reaffirmed a blockade of Iranian ports, keeping war‑risk premiums elevated. Meanwhile,...
Can Retail Food Group Sustain Its Turnaround?
Retail Food Group (RFG) has emerged from years of franchise disputes, ACCC scrutiny and a heavy debt load through a balance‑sheet recapitalisation and brand‑portfolio reshuffle. Under turnaround chief Peter George, the company cut debt, settled disputes and refocused on six...
Yuan’s ‘Golden Window’ Is Open, Former PBOC Governor Says as US Dollar Credibility Teeters
Former PBOC governor Zhou Xiaochuan warned that U.S. policy choices—tariffs, sanctions and geopolitical tensions—are weakening dollar credibility, creating a "golden window" for the yuan. He noted rising capital inflows are putting upward pressure on the renminbi and highlighted China’s 2009...
Resources Top 5: Gas Drills, Tungsten Targets and Approvals Lift Small Caps
The latest Resources Top 5 roundup highlights three small‑cap catalysts. Invictus Energy secured a renewed environmental impact assessment in Zimbabwe, clearing the path for high‑impact gas drilling at Cabora Bassa. Viking Mines listed on the US OTC market, expanding access for North‑American...
US Tax Deadline 2026: Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) Explained for Investors
The Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) is a 3.8% federal surtax on passive income that kicks in when a taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $200,000 for singles or $250,000 for married couples filing jointly. With the April 15, 2026...
India's March Palm Oil Imports Fall 19% to Three-Month Low
India’s palm oil imports slumped 19% in March, falling to 689,462 metric tons—the lowest level since December 2025. The decline was driven by a rally in global tropical oil prices that prompted domestic refiners to delay purchases. Overall edible‑oil imports...
Asia Markets Trade Lower as Oil Surges After U.S. Moves to Blockade Iran Ports
Asian equity markets slipped on Monday as the United States moved toward a naval blockade of Iranian ports, reigniting fears of a protracted U.S.–Iran conflict. Crude prices surged, with West Texas Intermediate up 8.5% to $104.82 a barrel and Brent...
FX Daily: Failed Peace Talks Give the Dollar a Brief Lift
After US‑Iran peace talks in Islamabad stalled, the DXY index nudged up about 0.4%, while oil prices jumped 7‑8% on news of a U.S. naval blockade aimed at curbing Iran’s roughly one‑million‑barrel‑per‑day exports. The limited rally reflects market relief that...
Michael Burry Bets Against Nvidia as Jensen Huang Claims AGI
Michael Burry has taken a bearish stance on Nvidia by buying long‑dated put options, warning that the stock’s trillion‑dollar valuation may be unsustainable. At the same time, CEO Jensen Huang told a podcast that artificial general intelligence could already be...
Small-Cap Stock Enviro Infra Surges 15% Despite Weak Stock Market Sentiment After This Business Update
Enviro Infra Engineers’ shares surged nearly 15% on the BSE, climbing from ₹173.35 to an intraday high of ₹199.15, even as the broader Sensex fell more than 2%. The rally followed the company’s filing that it received Letter of Empanelment...
RHB Research Downgrades Hartalega to 'Sell' On Valuation
RHB Research downgraded Hartalega Holdings to Sell from Neutral, despite raising its target price to RM1.01 (≈$0.22) from RM0.82 (≈$0.18). The downgrade cites valuation expansion outpacing fundamentals, structural oversupply, and potential raw‑material disruptions. RHB expects only temporary margin gains as...
VLCC Newbuild Bonanza Smashes Two-Decade-Old Annual Record in Just Six Months
VLCC newbuilding orders in the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026 have already eclipsed the previous record annual total, with an estimated 125 vessels ordered—surpassing the 108 set in 2006. The orderbook‑to‑fleet ratio surged from 10%...