Iran Crisis and Strait of Hormuz Disruption Drive Wall Street Shift to 24/7 Tokenised Markets
Wall Street institutions are shifting to perpetual futures contracts and tokenized real‑world assets to trade 24/7 after the Strait of Hormuz closure exposed gaps in traditional markets. Crypto‑native platforms provided continuous price discovery for gold, oil and silver while CME, NYMEX and ICE were closed, forcing legacy exchanges to catch up on price levels. The IMF warns that atomic settlement removes temporal buffers, urging central‑bank digital currencies as a public anchor to mitigate instant liquidity stress. BlackRock’s BUIDL fund now manages roughly $3 billion in tokenized U.S. Treasuries, underscoring growing institutional momentum.
‘We Must Not Become Barcelona’: Athens Considers Banning New Hotels, Mayor Says
Athens mayor Haris Doukas warned the city could repeat Barcelona’s overtourism woes and floated a ban on new hotel licences. The capital already froze short‑term rental permits in three central districts and hosts roughly 68,934 hotel beds, with 35,000 in...
Armenia and Azerbaijan Open up to Trade After Years of Strained Ties
Armenia and Azerbaijan have recorded their first documented cross‑border trade in years, with Azerbaijan exporting roughly $5.75 million (about €5.1 million) to Armenia in the first quarter of 2026. Armenian customs have not yet released corresponding data, so the picture remains one‑sided....
Tim Cook Names Successor as He Steps Down as Apple CEO
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced he will step down after a 15‑year tenure, handing the role to hardware chief John Ternus on September 1 while remaining executive chairman. Under Cook, Apple’s market value surged from $350 billion in 2011 to roughly $4 trillion...
Mercedes and Samsung SDI Sign First EV Battery Supply Deal
Mercedes‑Benz has signed a multi‑year agreement with Samsung SDI to source EV batteries for its upcoming compact and midsize models. The contract, valued at over 10 trillion won (approximately $7.7 bn), also includes joint development of next‑generation battery technology. Samsung SDI will supply high‑nickel NCM...
Global Shock Feared as Iran Tightens Grip on Hormuz, Qatar Says Impact “Not Far Away”
Qatar’s finance minister warned that Iran’s tightening grip on the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a broader energy and commodity shock within months. The narrow waterway carries about one‑fifth of global energy supplies, a third of fertilizer trade and supports...
Which European Countries Will Be the Richest by 2030?
IMF’s World Economic Outlook projects that by 2030 Ireland will lead Europe in GDP‑per‑capita purchasing power parity (PPP), edging out Luxembourg, which tops the 2025 list. Norway, Switzerland and Denmark are expected to remain in the top five, while Germany,...
Exclusive: EU-Based Chemical Producers Ask Commission to Probe Chinese Group over Deal in the UK
A coalition of EU titanium‑dioxide producers has lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission, accusing Chinese LB Group of receiving unfair foreign subsidies to acquire Venator’s UK plant in Greatham. The acquisition would enable LB to ship products into...
Electric Cars: Which European Countries Offer the Most Support in 2026?
European governments are stepping up EV incentives as battery‑electric sales climb to 18.8% of the EU market in early 2026. France announced a €10 bn ($10.9 bn) annual budget through 2030, while Italy, Cyprus and Slovenia top the purchase‑grant list with up...
Europe Has Six Weeks of Jet Fuel Left Caused by 'Dire Strait' Crisis, IEA Chief Warns
The International Energy Agency warned that Europe has roughly six weeks of jet fuel left as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked by the Iran war. Airports Council International Europe says shortages could begin in early May if tankers cannot...
EU Cracks Down on Chinese Goods Bypassing Tariffs via Belt and Road Initiative
On April 15, 2026, the European Commission announced anti‑dumping duties on glass‑fibre produced by Chinese firms operating in Egypt, Bahrain and Thailand, aiming to block Belt‑and‑Road routes used to evade EU tariffs. The duties, ranging from 11 % to 25.4 % of...
AI Expansion Drives up Profits for Dutch Semiconductor Giant ASML
ASML reported a 15% jump in first‑quarter net profit to €2.76 billion (about $3.0 billion) and revenue of €8.77 billion (≈$9.6 billion), beating expectations. The Dutch lithography leader lifted its full‑year sales outlook to €36‑40 billion ($39‑44 billion), up from the prior €34‑39 billion range. Growth is...
Péter Magyar Walks Line Between Brussels and Beijing on China Trade
Hungary’s newly elected prime minister, Péter Magyar, confirmed he will not overturn the country’s open‑door policy toward Chinese electric‑vehicle (EV) manufacturers, but he pledged tighter alignment with European Union rules. Magyar praised China’s global stature while saying any review of...
House Prices Across Europe: Which Countries Saw the Highest Rises in 2025?
European house prices rose 5.5% YoY in Q4 2025 as mortgage rates stabilised, reigniting buyer demand. Hungary led the surge with a 21.2% increase, while Portugal, Croatia and Spain posted double‑digit gains above 16%. Central and Eastern European markets outpaced the...
TotalEnergies Closes Key Saudi Refinery After Attacks
TotalEnergies announced the shutdown of the SATORP refinery on Saudi Arabia's eastern Gulf coast after night‑time attacks damaged one of its two processing trains. The closure, part of a series of disruptions across Qatar, Iraq and offshore UAE, trims roughly...