Beijing Tells Chinese Firms to Ignore US Sanctions on Refiners
China has instructed domestic companies to disregard U.S. sanctions targeting five local refiners tied to Iran's oil trade. The move follows recent penalties that froze assets and banned transactions for firms such as Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co. Beijing's directive aims to blunt the economic impact of the sanctions and signal resistance to external pressure. The order underscores escalating geopolitical friction over energy flows between the United States, China and Iran.
Thyssenkrupp, Jindal Steel Pause Talks on Steel Unit Stake
Thyssenkrupp AG announced it is pausing negotiations with Jindal Steel International over a potential stake in its steel division. The German firm said the original assumptions and prerequisites for a sale have shifted dramatically in recent months. Both parties agreed...
Berkshire Hathaway Posts $11.35 Billion Earning
Berkshire Hathaway reported $11.35 billion in operating earnings for the latest quarter, driven by strong performance from its BNSF railroad and insurance operations. The conglomerate’s cash hoard swelled to a record $397 billion, prompting the first share‑buyback program under new CEO Greg...
Iran Juggles Oil Cuts and Storage Strain to Resist US Blockade
Iran is confronting a tightening U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz that has slashed its crude exports and filled domestic storage tanks. A senior Iranian official confirmed the government has already begun curbing production to match the reduced...
Adam ‘Not Satoshi’ Back Is at Peace With Wall Street Crypto Era
Adam Back, the Bitcoin pioneer behind Hashcash and Blockstream, has again denied being Satoshi Nakamoto after a New York Times piece revived the claim in early April 2026. The speculation was further fueled by a documentary that suggested two alternative candidates. Back...
India-Linked Ship Carrying Cooking Fuel Manages Hormuz Exit
The Marshall Islands‑flagged tanker Sarv Shakti, carrying roughly 45,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas, successfully navigated the Strait of Hormuz on May 2, 2026. The vessel is linked to Indian interests and its passage marks a rare transit for LPG cargoes through the...
Record-Low Spreads on EM Asia High-Grade Debt Show Resilience
Emerging‑market Asian investment‑grade dollar bonds posted a record‑low spread of about 56 basis points on Thursday, the tightest level recorded since Bloomberg began tracking the index in 2009. The compression reflects a sharp drop in new issuance across the region...
Economic Crosscurrents Go Global as Energy Shock Meets AI Wave
Bloomberg AI reports that the global economy is being pulled in opposite directions by two powerful forces. An AI investment boom is accelerating trade, investment and consumer spending in many advanced markets. At the same time, the energy shock triggered...
Japan’s Mimura Declines to Comment on Yen Intervention Talk
Japan’s vice finance minister for international affairs, Atsushi Mimura, declined to comment on any direct yen intervention but reiterated that Tokyo remains prepared to act in the crude‑oil futures market. He said authorities are “always ready to act regarding crude...
Goldman’s Freund Sees Early Signs of Australia M&A Rebound
Goldman Sachs’ Australia‑New Zealand M&A head Marissa Freund said the country’s deal market is showing early signs of a rebound after a prolonged slump. The slowdown was driven by market volatility, high inflation, rising interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty. Freund highlighted...
S&P 500 and Nasdaq Futures Rise, Yen Pares Gain: Markets Wrap
US equity‑index futures nudged higher on Monday, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 each climbing about 0.3% after Thursday’s all‑time‑high closes. The rally was fueled by optimism surrounding corporate earnings, especially from megacap technology names. Apple posted a robust...
Yen Soars After Japan Intervened Following ‘Final’ Warning
The Japanese yen rallied 3% on April 30, marking its strongest gain in almost two years after the government intervened in the foreign‑exchange market. The move followed a “final” warning from officials urging investors to stop selling yen. While the...
Fed Can Stay on Hold This Year, JPMorgan's Michele Says
JPMorgan economist Michele says the Federal Reserve can keep its policy rate unchanged through the end of 2026 despite lingering inflation pressures. The commentary highlights that oil prices remain near $150 per barrel and gasoline above $4 per gallon, which...
Treasuries Slump as Fed Division Reveals Split on Rate Outlook
The Federal Reserve kept rates steady on April 29, but a clear split emerged among policymakers over the Middle East war’s inflation impact. Treasury yields rose sharply, with the two‑year note hitting 3.94% and the 30‑year approaching 5%. Market pricing...
Stocks and Bonds Fall as Fed Split Amid War Risks: Markets Wrap
Wall Street pushed stocks and bonds lower on April 28 after the Federal Reserve kept policy rates unchanged and warned that the ongoing war in Iran is clouding the outlook for the United States economy. Money‑market participants abandoned bets on...
UK Bond Selloff Sends 10-Year Yield Back to 5% Ahead of BOE Meet
UK government bond yields have surged, with the 10‑year benchmark climbing back above 5% for the first time in a month. The rise follows six of seven trading sessions up, adding roughly 30 basis points in under two weeks. The...
US Investor Said to Pay 70% Premium for Benfica Minority Stake
U.S. private‑equity firm Entrepreneur Equity Partners agreed to buy a 16.38% minority stake in Portuguese football club SL Benfica for €10‑11 per share (about $11‑$12), a roughly 70% premium to the prior‑day close of €6.46 ($7.05). The transaction values the...
Ping An Profit Falls as Market Decline Hurts Investments
Ping An Insurance (Group) Co. reported a 7.4% decline in first‑quarter profit, with net income dropping to 25 billion yuan ($3.7 billion) from 27 billion yuan a year earlier. The fall reflects weaker investment returns as China’s stock market weakened, eroding gains from...
Tech Drags Stocks Lower as Brent Tops $110 Again: Markets Wrap
Technology stocks pulled equity markets lower on Tuesday as doubts resurfaced about the profitability of massive AI investments. Nasdaq 100 futures slipped 0.6% after the Wall Street Journal reported OpenAI missed its targets for new users and sales. SoftBank, a...
Goldman, JPMorgan Show Wall Street’s Split in Quantum Computing Race
Three years after Goldman Sachs teamed with Amazon Web Services to explore quantum algorithms for portfolio optimization, the bank concluded the technology was still far from production‑ready. Meanwhile, JPMorgan Chase has accelerated its quantum push, allocating roughly $500 million to partnerships...
Record-Setting Momentum Rally Is Drawing Doubters
April’s equity rally has surged, with the S&P 500 up roughly 10 percent since late March, positioning it for the strongest monthly gain since 2020. Treasury yields fell after the Justice Department closed its probe of Fed Chair Jerome Powell, clearing the...
Bond Traders Await Powell Update, Slate of US Treasury Auctions
U.S. Treasury traders are zeroing in on this week’s Federal Reserve meeting to assess inflation pressures as Middle‑East tensions keep oil prices elevated. The consensus is that the Fed will hold rates steady on Wednesday, but market participants are increasingly...
King Charles' Security Under Review Ahead of DC State Visit
Buckingham Palace is reassessing security protocols for King Charles' first U.S. state visit after the Washington Hilton shooting. The monarch and Queen Camilla are slated to meet President Trump at a White House dinner before traveling to New York City. Officials...
Raízen Adds Cash in Offer to Creditors, Balks at Board Changes
Raízen SA submitted an alternative restructuring proposal to its creditors, aiming to resolve a 65 billion‑real ($13 billion) debt. The plan includes raising between 2.5 billion and 5 billion reais ($0.5‑$1 billion) in new capital, a figure lower than the creditors' request for an 8 billion‑real...
Fed Set to Lead Uneasy G-7 With Rates Kept on Hold This Week
The Federal Reserve will join other G7 central banks in keeping interest rates unchanged this week, maintaining the federal funds rate at 5.25‑5.50%. Policymakers cite softened inflation but warn that renewed energy price pressures from the Iran‑Israel conflict could reignite...
US Grants Maduro Access to Funds for Defense in Criminal Case
U.S. officials have reversed a prior restriction, allowing former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores to use Venezuelan‑origin funds to pay legal counsel in their New York drug‑trafficking case. The change eliminates the financial roadblock that had stalled the...
Xi Calls Laos Key Priority in China’s Neighborhood Diplomacy
Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted Laos as a top priority in Beijing’s neighborhood diplomacy, marking the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties. He emphasized a strategic, long‑term partnership rooted in shared socialist values and mutual development goals. The statement signals likely...
China Says US Export Bills Risk Disrupting Chip Supply Chains
China’s Ministry of Commerce warned that pending U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee bills targeting semiconductor exports could destabilize global chip supply chains. The legislation seeks to broaden national‑security justifications for export curbs, prompting Beijing to label the move a misuse...
Malaysia Picks a Former Judge to Lead Its Anti-Graft Agency
Malaysia has appointed former High Court judge Abdul Halim Aman as the next chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti‑Corruption Commission, succeeding embattled Azam Baki. Halim will take office on May 13, following a government statement that aims to restore the...
AI Chip Surge Elevates Taiwan, Korea in Global Equity Rankings
The artificial‑intelligence chip boom is reshaping global equity markets, propelling Taiwan and South Korea ahead of Europe’s largest economies. Taiwan’s stock market now totals roughly $4.3 trillion, nudging the United Kingdom into third place, while South Korea sits about $140 billion shy...
Mid-Market Investment Bank Lincoln International Files for IPO
Lincoln International Inc., a Chicago‑based mid‑market investment bank, filed for a U.S. initial public offering on April 24, 2026. The S‑1 reveals 2025 net income of $214.1 million on revenue of $783.8 million, marking a 31% rise in profit and a 35%...
US Sanctions Giant Chinese Refiner Hengli Over Iran Links
U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control placed Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co., one of China’s largest private refiners, on its sanctions list for buying Iranian oil. The action intensifies Washington’s campaign to choke Iran’s oil revenues while signaling a...
China Hit Brakes on Fiscal Stimulus as Economy Holds Up Amid War
China’s fiscal engine, a key driver of its post‑COVID rebound, showed a notable pullback in March 2026. Bloomberg’s analysis of Ministry of Finance data reveals a 2.5% year‑on‑year decline in total public expenditure, the steepest since October 2023. The contraction...
China’s Major Credit Rating Firms to Meet on Improving Quality
China’s top credit‑rating agencies will convene next week at the behest of regulators to address quality concerns. Over ten firms have been invited to discuss inflated ratings, weak risk‑warning practices, and corporate‑governance improvements. The meeting will also explore how rating...
Goldman Strategist Sees European Earnings Pared by Weak Demand
Goldman Sachs’ senior European strategist warned that first‑quarter earnings growth across Europe will likely be limited to a few percent, far below the double‑digit expansion seen in the United States. The slowdown is driven by weak consumer demand, lingering industrial...
How Monarch Collective Made WNBA History in Cleveland
Monarch Collective, the first dedicated women’s‑sports investment platform, closed a $250 million fund and announced a minority stake in the Cleveland WNBA expansion franchise, becoming the league’s inaugural private‑equity shareholder. The fund already owns stakes in three NWSL clubs and a...
India’s Richest State Is Said to Prepare for Power Utility IPO
Maharashtra, India’s wealthiest state, is preparing an initial public offering for its power distribution arm, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. (MSLED). The IPO, being structured with SBI Capital and Deloitte, could raise between $500 million and $1 billion. The proceeds are expected...
Duterte Heads for Trial as ICC Confirms Drug War Charges
The International Criminal Court’s pre‑trial chamber confirmed crimes‑against‑humanity charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, committing him to trial over his 2016 drug‑war campaign. The decision follows allegations that the policy resulted in roughly 30,000 extrajudicial killings. This marks the...
PwC Pays $166 Million to Settle HK Evergrande Audit Probe
PwC agreed to pay HK$1.3 billion ($166 million) in compensation and fines to settle Hong Kong’s probe into its audit of China Evergrande Group. The Accounting and Financial Reporting Council also levied a HK$300 million ($38 million) fine and imposed a six‑month suspension on PwC...
WH Smith Suspends Dividend as Retailer Warns of Iran War Hit
UK retailer WH Smith Plc announced suspension of its dividend as the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, particularly the war involving Iran, drags on and impacts its operations. The move follows a dividend cut in December and aims to...
Nestlé Sales Rise as Coffee and Snacks Outweigh Recall Hit
Nestlé SA reported a 3.5% rise in organic revenue for the first quarter of 2026, driven primarily by strong coffee and snack sales. The growth outpaced analyst expectations and helped cushion the financial impact of the company’s largest‑ever infant‑formula recall,...
China Exporters Beset by Yuan Surge Look to Sell Dollar Rallies
Chinese exporters are grappling with a rapid yuan appreciation that has eroded profit margins on overseas orders. Gloria Yu, a bicycle parts supplier, reported heavy losses after the currency surged earlier this year and is now seeking ways to manage...
Can the Iran Conflict Become a Forever War?
The interview with Jessica Genauer, Academic Director at UNSW Public Policy Institute, examines why the United States and Iran appear unwilling to resolve core disputes, leaving the conflict in a potentially perpetual state. A recent truce extension has shifted focus...
Treasury Wine Jumps Most in 12 Years on Strong China Results
Treasury Wine Estates Ltd. saw its shares surge—the biggest rise in 12 years—after reporting a 40% year‑over‑year jump in wine depletions to front‑end retailers in China for the three months ended February 2026. The growth was seasonally adjusted for the Lunar...
Cochlear Plunges Most in 30 Years After Profit Guidance Cut
Cochlear Ltd., the Australian leader in hearing‑implant technology, slashed its fiscal‑year profit guidance, triggering a dramatic sell‑off. Shares tumbled as much as 39% in early Sydney trading, marking the steepest decline since the company’s 1995 IPO. The warning reflects heightened...
US Stock Futures Rise, Dollar Falls on Iran Truce: Markets Wrap
US equity-index futures rose on Tuesday as President Donald Trump announced an extension of the cease‑fire with Iran. The S&P 500 futures gained 0.5% and Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.6%, reflecting investor optimism that reduced tensions could curb oil prices. Brent crude...
Oil Holds Advance as Trump Extends Truce But Maintains Blockade
Oil prices continued their two‑day rally after President Donald Trump announced an extension of the cease‑fire with Iran, even as diplomatic talks collapsed. Brent crude climbed almost 9% in two sessions, settling just under $99 a barrel, while U.S. West...
Middle East Conflict Weighs on Thai Banks as Profits Slip
Thai banks entered 2026 with a cautious outlook after Q1 earnings fell sharply amid heightened Middle East tensions and a global energy shock. SCB X posted an 18% net‑income decline to 10.2 bn baht (≈$317 m), missing forecasts. Kasikornbank’s profit slipped 3% once...
Asia’s Largest Oil Buyers Running Low on Hormuz Alternatives
Asia’s biggest oil importers—including China, India, Japan and South Korea—have relied on a patchwork of alternative routes and supplies for more than seven weeks of war in the Persian Gulf, which has threatened the strategic Strait of Hormuz. These workarounds,...
China’s Silver Imports Jump to Record on Retail and Solar Demand
China set a new record by importing 836 tons of silver in March, far exceeding the 10‑year seasonal average of about 306 tons. The surge was driven primarily by heightened demand from retail investors buying physical silver and the country’s expansive solar‑panel...