FIIs Cover Short Bets as Markets Rebound, but Stay Wary
Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) trimmed their bearish bets on Nifty futures, lifting the long‑short ratio to 22% – the highest level since the February US‑Iran clash. The short covering coincided with a 5.9% weekly gain, pushing the Nifty to a one‑month high of 24,050.6. FPIs also bought roughly ₹672 crore (about $81 million) in the cash market on Friday, ending a streak of net selling. Analysts caution that while the reversal cues are positive, fresh long positions remain limited as investors await clearer geopolitical signals.
U.S. LNG Exports Soar to Record Levels
U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports surged to a record 11.7 million metric tons in March 2026, driven by panic buying after missile and drone attacks on Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City. Louisiana’s export terminals handled 1.8 million more tons than a year...
Why Gasoline Prices Don't Fall as Quickly as Crude
U.S. gasoline prices remain elevated despite recent softening in crude oil markets. Drivers across the country are paying around $5 per gallon, with California often exceeding $6. The lag is driven by refinery margins, seasonal demand, and logistical constraints. Even...
Queen Alexandra Infill Hits Boost Redcastle’s Gold Development Plans
Redcastle Resources’ infill drilling at the Queen Alexandra (QA) gold project in Western Australia returned high‑grade assays, including 4 m at 12.3 g/t Au from 32 m depth, confirming that mineralisation extends below and beyond the 2025 conceptual pit. The results broaden the...
Global Banks Play Hedge Card After RBI Blow on Rupee Bets
The Reserve Bank of India imposed a $100 million cap on banks’ net open positions for on‑shore foreign‑exchange forwards, forcing foreign banks to unwind lucrative arbitrage trades that profit from price differentials with offshore non‑deliverable forwards (NDFs). To mitigate the impact,...
Move Now to Seize This Potential Stock-Market Crisis and Opportunity
Geopolitical tensions after the U.S. blocked Iran and ordered a Strait of Hormuz blockade have pushed oil above $100, raising the risk of a market panic. While the S&P 500 has risen over 7 % since late March, the rally rests on...
Partner Insight: Why Now Is the Time for Equity Income
Fidelity International argues that a dividend‑focused equity income strategy is well‑suited to today’s volatile, narrative‑driven markets. Geopolitical tensions, higher funding costs and a concentration of US tech stocks have heightened risk, prompting investors to seek fundamentals‑based returns. The...
IMF Director Says Shock From US-Iran War Is Already 'Baked' Into the Economy
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told CBS that the economic fallout from the U.S.-Iran war is already "baked" into global markets. She highlighted disruptions to oil tankers, Gulf energy infrastructure and attacks on Qatari gas fields as sources...
Geopolitical Tensions May Bolster Hong Kong Office Demand as Gulf Capital Looks East
Analysts say the US‑Israel conflict with Iran and rising oil prices are prompting Gulf investors to seek stable financial hubs, bolstering demand for premium office space in Hong Kong. Leasing activity slowed in March, with 42 transactions versus 76 in...
KKR Unit to Boost Buying in 450 Trillion Yen Japan Property Market
KKR’s Japan real‑estate arm, KJRM Holdings, announced a major push to buy corporate‑owned properties as Japanese firms accelerate divestitures. The firm estimates the addressable market at roughly ¥450 trillion (about $3 trillion) and says its own holdings grew 20% to ¥2.5 trillion ($16.7 bn)...
Foreign Capital Reprices The India Premium
Foreign investors have largely exited Indian equities, with FIIs selling about $5.8 bn in April and $21.6 bn year‑to‑date, pushing foreign ownership to a 14‑year low. Over the past 18 months FPIs withdrew roughly $28 bn, and the MSCI Emerging Markets weighting fell...
Earnings Season Kicks Off with War, AI Threat Among Key Worries
The MSCI World and S&P 500 indices posted their steepest quarterly decline since 2022 as March inflation surged and the Iran‑U.S. conflict pushed crude to about $95 a barrel, a 40% jump. Analysts now expect S&P 500 first‑quarter earnings to grow only...
Trump Says He’s Closing the Strait of Hormuz. Has He Been Reading MarketWatch?
President Donald Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could trigger a sharp rise in global oil prices and create an energy‑price shock. The decision aligns with earlier MarketWatch analysis suggesting the president may be...
U.S. Loans 8.5 MMbbl From SPR in Second Release Amid Iran War
The U.S. Department of Energy has loaned 8.48 million barrels of crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to Gunvor USA, Phillips 66, Trafigura Trading and Macquarie Commodities Trading, marking the second emergency release aimed at cushioning oil markets amid the Iran conflict....
Gold Tumbles as US Blockade of Hormuz Raises Inflationary Risks
Gold prices plunged 2.2% on Monday, slipping below $4,650 an ounce after the United States announced a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The move triggered a sharp rise in oil and natural‑gas prices, pushing the Bloomberg Dollar Spot...
13 NASDAQ Stocks with Highest Dividends
The article spotlights the 13 NASDAQ‑listed companies offering the highest dividend yields, using a screening method that captured data as of April 12. It highlights Cintas Corp (CTAS) and PACCAR Inc (PCAR) as the top two, with yields of 1.03% and...
Lexaria Bioscience Corp (LEXX) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Lexaria Bioscience Corp (LEXX) reported a Q2 2026 net loss of $178.9 million, primarily from $164.5 million of unrealized Solana losses as the token fell 40% during the quarter. Revenue rose to $8.1 million, more than doubling year‑over‑year, driven by its newly launched digital‑asset...
FB Financial Corp (FBK) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
FB Financial Corp reported first‑quarter earnings of $0.84 EPS (adjusted $0.85) and net income of $39.4 million (adjusted $40.1 million). Net interest margin expanded to 3.55%, up five basis points sequentially, while loan balances grew 7.1% annualized to $9.8 billion, driven by...
Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
StoneX Group reported record Q1 fiscal 2026 results, posting net income of $139 million, a 63% year‑over‑year increase, and operating revenues of $1.4 billion, up 52%. The surge was powered by the integration of R.J. O’Brien and Benchmark, which contributed $28.5 million and...
Kopin Corp (KOPN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Koppers Holdings reported FY 2025 adjusted EBITDA of $256.7 million, a record‑high 13.7% margin. Total sales slipped 10% to $1.9 billion as all three segments posted lower revenue. The Catalyst transformation delivered $46 million in cost and efficiency benefits, enabling a 13% dividend increase...
Fastenal Co (FAST) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Fastenal posted modest top‑line growth in Q1 2025, with sales rising 3.4% year‑over‑year and daily sales up 5%. Operating margin slipped to 20.1% and gross margin to 45.1%, while earnings per share held steady at $0.52. The company launched pricing...
CLI Real Estate Credit Fund Raises US$320 Million in Final Close - #Wealth #AssetManagement #AssetFinance
CapitaLand Investment Limited completed the final close of its second real‑estate credit vehicle, the CapitaLand Asia Pacific Credit Programme II, securing US$320 million in equity commitments. The raise pushes the fund’s assets under management to roughly US$600 million. The fund targets real‑estate‑backed...
Biomerica Inc (BMRA) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Kestra Medical Technologies reported Q3 2026 revenue of $24.6 million, a 63% year‑over‑year increase driven by a 58% rise in Assure system prescriptions. Gross margin expanded to 52.6%, marking the ninth consecutive quarter of margin growth and supporting a path toward...
Meiko Investment in Vietnam Set to Break US$1 Billion Mark- #BeltAndRoad #Economy #Infrastructure
Japanese printed circuit board leader Meiko Electronics is on track to invest nearly US$1 billion in Vietnam, adding six new production plants to its Southeast Asian footprint. The expansion cements Vietnam’s role as a key node in Meiko’s global supply chain...
Armenia Looking for Additional Partners for TRIPP Implementation
Armenia is expanding the investor pool for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a 42‑kilometre land bridge linking Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia’s Syunik province. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan say...
AstroNova Inc (ALOT) Q4 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
AstroNova Inc. posted Q4 FY 2025 net revenue of $37.4 million, a 5.6% decline year‑over‑year, and gross margin slipped to 34.1%. Recurring revenue now represents 71% of sales, while the Aerospace segment delivered a record $48.9 million in revenue and a 22.8% operating...
Envirotech Vehicles Inc (EVTV) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
EVgo reported a strong fourth quarter and full‑year 2025, delivering $384 million in revenue, a 50% year‑over‑year increase, and achieving adjusted EBITDA breakeven for the first time with $12 million for the year. The company expanded its network to 5,100 stalls, boosting...
Be Cautious of China ‘Incentive’: Expert
China announced ten new "incentive" measures for Taiwan, covering agricultural product sales, investment opportunities and the resumption of travel. Experts warn the package is tied to political conditions such as the "1992 consensus" and could be used to pressure Taiwan’s...
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Real Effective Exchange Rate (REER): Definition, Formula, and Importance
The real effective exchange rate (REER) is an inflation‑adjusted index that gauges a country’s currency strength against a weighted basket of its major trading partners’ currencies. It is calculated by averaging bilateral exchange rates, applying trade‑share weights, and adjusting for...
Hormuz Blockade, Australia Acts to Secure Urea
After US‑Iran peace talks collapsed, President Trump announced a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, heightening fears of oil and commodity disruptions. In response, Australia created a government‑industry working group to protect its urea supply, noting that roughly...
Nasdaq Expected to Consolidate in Near Term
The Nasdaq 100 rebounded sharply in early Q2 2026, breaking above the down‑trend channel that dominated from January to early April. The rally was fueled by easing U.S.–Iran tensions and improved market sentiment, pushing the index back to February‑level highs. However, the...
Price Tracker: Oil, Fuel Monitor for Apr. 13
The Philippine Department of Energy announced a sharp rollback of retail fuel prices for the week of April 14‑20, 2026. Diesel is set to fall by ₱20.89 per litre (about $0.38), gasoline by ₱4.43 ($0.08) and kerosene by ₱8.50 ($0.15)....
Why Global Imbalances Matter Again – and What to Do About Them
Global current‑account imbalances have widened sharply since 2018, reaching their highest levels since 2012, with the United States running a deficit of roughly 3.5‑4% of GDP and surplus economies such as China, Europe, Japan and oil exporters expanding their external...
PH Banks’ Loan Quality at Risk From Oil Shock
Fitch Ratings warns that prolonged Middle East conflict could keep oil prices high and disrupt Gulf remittances, pressuring Philippine borrowers. Loan growth accelerated to 9.5% year‑on‑year, reaching ₱14.3 trillion (≈$257 bn) in February, while non‑performing loans rose to 3.33% of total portfolios....
Gov’t Borrowings Jumped 41% in February to P 478.8B
The Philippines’ Treasury reported a 41% jump in total government borrowings in February, reaching P 478.8 billion (≈ $8.7 billion). Domestic financing accounted for 98% of the amount, with a fresh 10‑year Treasury bond raising P 235 billion (≈ $4.3 billion) and Treasury bills climbing to P 55.3 billion (≈ $1.0 billion). External...
Lower Capital Charge Eyed for Green Home Lending
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is seeking feedback on a draft circular that would assign a 20 percent credit risk weight to sustainable housing loans, down from the current 50 percent weight for standard home mortgages. By lowering the risk weight,...
Oil Prices Rise After the US Says It Would Block Iranian Ports
The United States announced a blockade of Iranian ports starting Monday, sending U.S. crude up 8% to $104.24 per barrel and Brent 7% to $102.29. The move follows Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for roughly 20%...
Stock-Market Futures Drop, Oil Surges Above $100 After Failed Talks Betwe...
U.S. and Iran failed to reach an agreement over the Strait of Hormuz, prompting President Donald Trump to threaten a naval blockade. Oil prices rebounded above $100 per barrel as the geopolitical risk premium widened. Futures on the Dow, S&P 500...
'Out of Control' Diesel Prices Threaten Australia's Crucial Freight Industry
Australian freight operators are grappling with a diesel price surge that has more than doubled since the Iran conflict, pushing the national average to A$3.13 per litre (≈US$2.07). Owner‑operator Aaron Fischer now spends about A$300,000 (≈US$200,000) a month on fuel,...
Citi Lowered PT on Astera Labs (ALAB), Is It Still the Best Growth Stock?
Citi lowered its price target for Astera Labs (NASDAQ:ALAB) from $250 to $200 on April 2, while keeping a Buy rating. The adjustment reflects concerns that AI‑related valuations have become stretched, but analysts still see strong upside from the company’s Scorpio...
Stocks and Bonds Fall With Brent Back Above $100: Markets Wrap
President Donald Trump ordered a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz after US‑Iran peace talks stalled, sending oil prices soaring. Brent crude jumped 6.8% to just above $102 a barrel, the first time since early 2025. The rally in...
Jim Cramer on Qnity: “It’s Probably the Most Undervalued of the Data Center Stocks Right Now”
Jim Cramer highlighted Qnity Electronics (NYSE: Q) as the most undervalued data‑center stock during a March 30 interview. The company, a 2023 spin‑off from DuPont, supplies specialty chemicals used in semiconductor and data‑center manufacturing and recently joined Apple’s American Manufacturing Program....
PORTUGAL CRACKS DOWN ON SHORT-TERM TOURIST RENTALS
Portugal is sharply reducing short‑term tourist rentals, with total registrations projected to fall below 90,000 by spring 2026, down from nearly 126,000 months earlier. Authorities have withdrawn about 7,000 permits since December 2025 and flagged another 10,700 listings for removal,...
Jim Cramer on The Vita Coco Company (COCO): “I Think This Could Be a Nice Buying Opportunity”
Jim Cramer praised The Vita Coco Company (NASDAQ:COCO) as a “nice buying opportunity” after a recent 20% pullback. He highlighted the stock’s 560% rally since its November 2022 low of $7 and noted it now trades at just under 32 times this year’s...
AASB Wants Public Sector Feedback on Risk-Mitigation Accounting
The Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) has issued an exposure draft proposing a new hedge‑accounting model and is seeking feedback from public‑sector financial officers. The draft aims to let government departments and agencies reflect risk‑mitigation activities more accurately on a...
U.K. Won’t Take Part in Trump’s Planned Blockade of Hormuz Strait
The United Kingdom announced it will not participate in President Donald Trump’s proposed naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. Trump publicly threatened to block any vessel entering the waterway, branding the U.S....
Live: Markets on Edge, Oil Set to Rise on US Gulf Blockade Threats
Wall Street’s brief relief rally stalled on Friday as US‑Iran peace talks collapsed, leaving the S&P 500 down 0.1%, the Dow down 0.6% and the Nasdaq up 0.4%. European markets outperformed, with the Eurostoxx 600 gaining 0.4% and Japan’s index rising over...
How the Iran War Is Disrupting Gulf Economies: 5 Key Effects
The Iran‑U.S./Israel war has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, cutting global oil flows by roughly 8 million barrels per day and driving war‑risk insurance premiums up to 1,000 %. Gulf Cooperation Council economies are confronting steep GDP declines—up to 14 % in...
ASX on Shaky Ground After Failed Iran Talks; Oil Jumps, A$ Falls
The Australian stock market reacted to the collapse of US‑Iran peace talks, with ASX futures edging up 0.8% and hinting at a breach of the 9,000‑point barrier. Brent crude surged roughly 8% as President Trump threatened a naval blockade of...
Kristie Batten: Javelin Counting Down to Gold Production
Javelin Minerals (ASX:JAV) is gearing up to produce gold at its Eureka mine in Western Australia after signing a right‑to‑mine agreement with MEGA Resources. MEGA will provide up to AUD 25 million (~US $16.5 million) in funding and $250,000 AUD (~US $165,000) per month in...