Images By Tang Ming Tung/DigitalVision via Getty Images April 2026 – Dire Strait 2026 has been defined so far by a relentless series of geopolitical events. Markets absorbed these shocks through January and February—alongside episodic Artificial Intelligence-related (AI) volatility—but ultimately faltered in March amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. The war in Iran has had material and fa...
Images By Tang Ming Tung/DigitalVision via Getty Images April 2026 – Dire Strait 2026 has been defined so far by a relentless series of geopolitical events. Markets absorbed these shocks through January and February—alongside episodic Artificial Intelligence-related (AI) volatility—but ultimately faltered in March amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. The war in Iran has had material and far-reaching consequences, with disruptions in global energy markets reverberating across bond yields, asset prices, and inflation expectations. Were this any other year, the sheer number of geopolitical shifts would already have made it one for the books. In January, the United States entered Venezuela and detained its president. At the same time, tensions between the U.S. and its traditional allies intensified over America’s stated desire to annex Greenland, culminating in a moment when Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly rebuked the U.S., describing a “rupture, not a transition” in the global order. In February, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that tariff authority rests with Congress rather than the executive branch, only for the administration to introduce sweeping new tariffs the same day. Then, in March, the United States initiated its most significant military campaign in the Middle East in decades. As Figure 1 illustrates, crude oil spiked more than 50% as global shipping all but shut down through the Strait of Hormuz. Previous expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts dissipated, inflation expectations repriced higher, and concerns about the broader impact of the energy shock intensified. All this, and we are only in April. Global equity markets have been, needless to say, challenged by this environment. Although the S&P 500 Index has declined nearly 4% to date, it took a last-minute tweet from the White House (announcing a possible halt to the war) to mitigate much larger losses. European equities have also generally moved lower, with broad indices down mid-single di...
Ukrainian president says nearly 700 Russian drones and 19 ballistic missiles mostly targeted Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro The Kremlin’s latest deadly attack comes after the end of a 32-hour Orthodox Easter truce marred by accusations of mass violations , according to both countries, AFP noted. Peace talks spearheaded by the United States t o end the war now grinding through its fifth year have been dera...
Ukrainian president says nearly 700 Russian drones and 19 ballistic missiles mostly targeted Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro The Kremlin’s latest deadly attack comes after the end of a 32-hour Orthodox Easter truce marred by accusations of mass violations , according to both countries, AFP noted. Peace talks spearheaded by the United States t o end the war now grinding through its fifth year have been derailed by US and Israeli war with Iran, it noted. Continue reading...
Two renovation subcontractors involved in a HK$336 million (US$42.9 million) project at a Hong Kong subsidised estate ravaged by the city’s deadliest fire in decades have conceded they did not regulate workers’ smoking behaviour before the inferno. The two engineering firms on Thursday also told an independent committee that they had partially replaced fireproof windows at Wang Fuk Court’s evacuat...
Two renovation subcontractors involved in a HK$336 million (US$42.9 million) project at a Hong Kong subsidised estate ravaged by the city’s deadliest fire in decades have conceded they did not regulate workers’ smoking behaviour before the inferno. The two engineering firms on Thursday also told an independent committee that they had partially replaced fireproof windows at Wang Fuk Court’s evacuation passages with movable wooden boards to allow workers’ easy access to scaffolding at the behest...
Nadia Fall calls for bold thinking as she announces new shows including anti-Trump version of Thelma & Louise Theatres facing financial difficulty can only prosper by “programming their way out of it”, according to the Young Vic artistic director, Nadia Fall, who has announces her new slate of shows, including an anti-Trump musical version of Thelma & Louise . Fall, who took the helm at the Young ...
Nadia Fall calls for bold thinking as she announces new shows including anti-Trump version of Thelma & Louise Theatres facing financial difficulty can only prosper by “programming their way out of it”, according to the Young Vic artistic director, Nadia Fall, who has announces her new slate of shows, including an anti-Trump musical version of Thelma & Louise . Fall, who took the helm at the Young Vic in 2025 and oversaw staff cuts after a £500,000 deficit in the last financial year , said theatres must put on unmissable productions in order to balance the books. Continue reading...