Iran declares “decisive victory” and signals new phase in Strait of Hormuz control
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei has declared a “decisive victory” over the U.S. and Israel, signalling a &...
Wall Street climbed sharply on Monday, with Nvidia up 5.8% and Palantir 8.8%, as artificial intelligence (AI) stocks rebound and progress in Congress raises hopes of ending the U.S. government shutdown.
The Senate cleared an initial hurdle late Sunday on a compromise to restore federal funding, though final approval from Congress remains uncertain.
“The government shutdown lasted longer than expected. There were concerns about the economy, potential flight disruptions, and broader impacts,” said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management. Tech Stocks Lead the Rebound
Heavyweight tech companies recovered from recent losses. The S&P 500 technology sector index had fallen 4.2% last week. Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company, rose 5.8%, while AI analytics firm Palantir jumped 8.8%. Tesla added 3.7%.
Ross Mayfield, investment strategy analyst at Baird, said, “This is a rebound after being slightly oversold last week. The 'buy the dip' approach is acting quickly in the tech and AI space. Earnings in this sector have been strong.”
Overall, the S&P 500 climbed 1.54% to 6,832.43 points, the Nasdaq gained 2.27% to 23,527.17 points — its largest one-day percentage gain since May 27 — and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.81% to 47,368.63 points.
The small-cap Russell 2000 added 0.9%, while the PHLX semiconductor index jumped 3%. Trading volume was relatively light at 17.9 billion shares, compared with a 20-session average of 20.8 billion. Airlines Face Pressure
Airlines were under pressure as flight cuts and air traffic controller shortages continued to disrupt travel. United Airlines fell 1.3%, and American Airlines declined 2.5%. Betting website Polymarket indicated an 88% probability that the shutdown would end this week.
The historic shutdown has left gaps in federal economic data, forcing markets and the Federal Reserve to rely on private indicators, providing a mixed picture. Some Fed officials reiterated caution ahead of upcoming monetary policy decisions, while Fed Governor Stephen Miran called for a significant rate cut. AI Optimism and Earnings Season
The AI sector has fuelled a broader bull run in U.S. stocks this year, though monetisation concerns and internal spending previously triggered a market sell-off. Last week, the Nasdaq recorded its worst performance in more than seven months.
Third-quarter earnings season is nearly complete, with 83% of the 446 S&P 500 companies reporting results exceeding expectations, according to LSEG data.
Health insurer stocks fell after the Senate’s shutdown deal excluded extensions for Affordable Care Act subsidies, pushing the issue to a December vote. Centene dropped 8.8%, Humana fell 5.4%, and Elevance Health declined 4.4%.
Metsera plunged 14.8% after Pfizer won a $10 billion bidding war to acquire the company, while Eli Lilly rose 4.6% to a record high following a Leerink Partners upgrade.
Advancing stocks outnumbered decliners in the S&P 500 by a 1.7-to-1 ratio. The S&P 500 recorded 32 new highs and 8 new lows, while the Nasdaq saw 106 new highs and 128 new lows.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has given an instruction for Israel to begin peace talks with Lebanon that would also include the disarming of Hezbollah.
Some geographies are small on the map yet immense in history. The Strait of Hormuz is one. About a quarter of global oil trade and a fifth of LNG flows pass through this narrow corridor - around 20 million barrels per day sustaining the global system.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to continue dialogue and avoid steps that could worsen tensions after China-hosted talks in Urumqi, with Kabul and Beijing saying the meetings focused on easing differences and improving relations.
Memorial events were held in Tehran’s main squares on Wednesday (8 April) to mark the 40th day since the killing of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died during U.S.-Israeli attacks on 28 February.
Pakistan‑brokered talks between the U.S., Israel and Iran get underway today as disagreements continue over the two‑week ceasefire, including Israel‑Hezbollah conflict and Iran’s handling of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump warned the terms were being misapplied.
A French fashion label is placing China at the heart of its global ambitions, choosing Shanghai for its worldwide debut in a move that shows growing confidence in the country’s consumer market and cultural influence.
Walt Disney is planning to cut up to 1,000 jobs in the coming weeks, with many of the reductions expected to affect its marketing division, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the plans.
Major automakers showcased new electric vehicles at the New York Auto Show this week, under the slogan “electrification is the future." However, weakening demand in the United States and intense competition with China are raising questions for markets across the globe, including the South Caucasus.
The U.S. national average retail price of petrol rose above $4 a gallon for the first time in over three years on Monday (30 March), according to GasBuddy data, as the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran continued to roil global energy markets.
Japan and Indonesia will deepen coordination on energy security, Tokyo said, as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran disrupts vital oil and gas flows to Asia.
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