India, the world’s largest urea importer, is seeking to buy about 2.5 million tons of the key crop nutrient ahead of the monsoon sowing season as the Middle East conflict disrupts domestic production, tightening availability. Indian Potash Ltd., which buys urea for the government, issued a tender on Saturday to import 1.5 million tons of urea through the country’s west coast, and the remaining vol...
India, the world’s largest urea importer, is seeking to buy about 2.5 million tons of the key crop nutrient ahead of the monsoon sowing season as the Middle East conflict disrupts domestic production, tightening availability. Indian Potash Ltd., which buys urea for the government, issued a tender on Saturday to import 1.5 million tons of urea through the country’s west coast, and the remaining volumes to come via the east coast, according to a tender document posted on the company’s website. The shipments should leave the load port by June 14. India regularly imports urea through global tenders to meet local demand. Sowing for the new crop, especially rice, corn and soybeans, is set to begin in a couple of months. The South Asian nation’s urea production relies heavily on natural gas, much of which is imported from the Middle East and used to make ammonia, a key input. However, a shortage of LNG due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz forced some producers in South Asia to shut plants last month. Indian authorities are in talks with major producers and exporters of nitrogen-based and phosphatic fertilizers to secure direct supplies. The deadline for the offers is April 15, and they must remain valid through April 23, the company said. India Approaches Fertilizer Producers as Iran War Curbs Supplies Nations Race to Secure Enough Fertilizer and Prevent Food Crisis
adventtr/iStock via Getty Images A Trump family-linked investment vehicle has backed Nasdaq-listed wellness and biosecurity company XWell ( XWEL ) in a deal aimed at rolling out AI-powered infectious disease screening at U.S. airports during the June 2026 football World Cup, the Financial Times reported. In late February, American Ventures, through a special purpose vehicle managed by Trump Tower-...
adventtr/iStock via Getty Images A Trump family-linked investment vehicle has backed Nasdaq-listed wellness and biosecurity company XWell ( XWEL ) in a deal aimed at rolling out AI-powered infectious disease screening at U.S. airports during the June 2026 football World Cup, the Financial Times reported. In late February, American Ventures, through a special purpose vehicle managed by Trump Tower-based broker Dominari Securities, agreed to buy about $31M convertible shares of XWell ( XWEL ). XWell ( XWEL ) runs brands like XpresSpa for airport wellness services, including medical screenings via XpresCheck, and a small chain of waxing salons along Florida’s west coast. The deal follows XWell’s ( XWEL ) partnership with AI predictive analytics startup PieQ, with the two companies planning to deploy a “next generation intelligence layer” designed to manage anticipated surges in U.S.-bound travel during major international events, including the upcoming football World Cup. It remains unclear whether Donald Trump’s two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, personally invested in XWell ( XWEL ), though the report pointed that the pair are involved in most American Ventures deals, citing a person familiar with the matter. XWell ( XWEL ) stock traded about 3% lower on Monday during pre-market hours. The stock jumped over 200% at the end of February after the company announced a private placement with American Ventures. The rally was mainly driven by the size of the funding relative to XWell’s ( XWEL ) sub-$10M market capitalization at the time. Publicly traded Trump‑linked tickers: Trump Media & Technology Group ( DJT ). Truth Social-branded ETFs: ( TSSD ), ( TSNF ), ( TSIC ), ( TSES ), ( TSRS ). More on XWELL XWELL reports FY results XWELL announces $31.3M private placement Financial information for XWELL
North Korea appears to be distancing itself from long-time partner Iran and carefully managing its public messaging to preserve the possibility of a new relationship with the US after the Iran war, South Korean lawmakers have said, citing the spy agency. Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said North Korea had not sent weapons or supplies so far to Iran since the conflict started on Febru...
North Korea appears to be distancing itself from long-time partner Iran and carefully managing its public messaging to preserve the possibility of a new relationship with the US after the Iran war, South Korean lawmakers have said, citing the spy agency. Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said North Korea had not sent weapons or supplies so far to Iran since the conflict started on February 28, and did not issue public condolences upon the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali...
Donny DBM/iStock via Getty Images Dear Partners, In the first quarter of 2026, fund assets appreciated by 3.2%. Over the three-year period, the fund is up 73.3% 1 compared to the S&P 500 return of 68.0%. 2 It was smooth sailing for us in the first two months of the year, but March was a different story. The effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz drove fund performance in the wrong direction in...
Donny DBM/iStock via Getty Images Dear Partners, In the first quarter of 2026, fund assets appreciated by 3.2%. Over the three-year period, the fund is up 73.3% 1 compared to the S&P 500 return of 68.0%. 2 It was smooth sailing for us in the first two months of the year, but March was a different story. The effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz drove fund performance in the wrong direction in March, with the fund declining 8.4% during the month. The Strait is one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints — approximately 20% of global oil consumption and a significant share of global LNG trade pass through it annually. 3 The overwhelming majority of that supply — roughly 80% — flows to Asian markets, meaning the physical supply shock is felt most acutely in Asia, even as the price shock reverberates globally. Japan is particularly exposed: the country sources approximately 95% of its oil imports from the Middle East, with around 70% passing the Strait directly. Unlike many of its neighbors, Japan entered this disruption with one of the world's largest strategic petroleum reserves — approximately 9 months of total supply. However, the severity of the disruption prompted Japan to begin its largest-ever reserve release in March. 4 Reserves provide a buffer, but they are not a permanent solution, and the uncertainty surrounding Japan’s near-term economic prospects remains considerable. The market downturn in the month triggered our hedging strategy, which I initiated in the first half of March. As the conflict in the Middle East escalated and oil prices surged above $100 per barrel, equity markets broadly declined, with the S&P 500 reaching a new low for the year in early March. The hedge is not signaling my ability to predict the outcome of this conflict (far from it!), but rather a response to the system I have in place, which should help the portfolio remain resilient. Volume of petroleum transported through the Strait of Hormuzmillion barrels per day Data ...