The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is solidifying the US dollar’s dominant role in global trade, according to one measure of activity in the interbank foreign-exchange markets. The greenback’s portion of international transactions rose to a record 51.1% in March, up from 49.2% a month earlier, according to the latest data compiled by global financial messaging service Swift, or the Society fo...
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is solidifying the US dollar’s dominant role in global trade, according to one measure of activity in the interbank foreign-exchange markets. The greenback’s portion of international transactions rose to a record 51.1% in March, up from 49.2% a month earlier, according to the latest data compiled by global financial messaging service Swift, or the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication . That’s the highest share since 2023 when the Belgium-headquartered consortium revised how it collects the transaction data. Large global banks use Swift to communicate with each other and facilitate interbank currency deals. The world’s primary reserve currency was followed by the euro, which carried about a 21% share via Swift, then the pound, yen, Chinese yuan and Canadian dollar. Read More: Unpredictable America Shakes Foundations of the Global Economy “Dollar weakness seen last year has not translated into any clear decline in the dollar’s role as a reserve or base currency for capital markets,” a JPMorgan research team led by Joyce Chang said in an April 21 note. In 2025, a gauge of the greenback fell by 8% to its lowest level in four years. Since the start of the Iran war in late February, it has gained about 0.8%. Trading in the currency markets was exceptionally choppy last month following the launch of US and Israeli strikes against Iran, driving a global selloff in risky assets, a surge in oil prices and demand for the haven dollar. A gauge of the greenback’s expected volatility over the next month surged to a 10-month high in March, although gyrations have quieted since as investors focus on the outlook of ceasefire negotiations between the US and Iran. What Bloomberg Strategists Say... “Markets are putting a lot of faith in President Trump’s desire to end the Iran war, treating renewed escalation as a low-probability risk even though the facts on the ground remain highly uncertain. Investors have gone back to t...
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) has long been the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, behind Bitcoin . The blockchain builds on Bitcoin's idea, introducing smart contracts, and it's powered by the native Ether token. Many other companies have since introduced their own blockchains and tokens optimized for certain applications. One of the most successful is Ripple's XRP Ledger. XRP Ledger is design...
Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) has long been the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, behind Bitcoin . The blockchain builds on Bitcoin's idea, introducing smart contracts, and it's powered by the native Ether token. Many other companies have since introduced their own blockchains and tokens optimized for certain applications. One of the most successful is Ripple's XRP Ledger. XRP Ledger is designed to facilitate fast, low-cost financial transfers, and Ripple has been driving adoption among banks and other financial institutions for years. Every transaction on the ledger requires a small amount of native token XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) , and it can also be used as a bridge currency for cross-border transactions. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently suggested that XRP could overtake Ether as the second-largest digital asset, driven by strong adoption of its blockchain. Despite the strong bias of Garlinghouse, there are reasons to remain bullish on XRP. Continue reading
kodda/iStock via Getty Images Kinder Morgan ( KMI ) reported first-quarter earnings above Wall Street expectations on Wednesday, helped by stronger natural gas demand tied to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and rising power needs from data centers. Shares rose 1% in extended trading; they've risen about 20% in the 12 months through today's close. Pipeline operators in the United States ha...
kodda/iStock via Getty Images Kinder Morgan ( KMI ) reported first-quarter earnings above Wall Street expectations on Wednesday, helped by stronger natural gas demand tied to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and rising power needs from data centers. Shares rose 1% in extended trading; they've risen about 20% in the 12 months through today's close. Pipeline operators in the United States have benefited from steady oil and gas production in the Permian Basin, while uncertainty surrounding shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz has increased demand for U.S.-sourced liquefied natural gas. “The geopolitical landscape became even more turbulent this quarter, with conflict in the Middle East joining the ongoing war in Ukraine as a source of significant commodity price volatility,” Executive Chairman Richard Kinder said in a statement. The company said disruptions affecting competing LNG suppliers could also improve the longer-term outlook for U.S. gas consumption. Kinder Morgan ( KMI ) projects total U.S. natural gas demand will reach 150 billion cubic feet per day by 2031, up roughly 27% from current levels. Kinder Morgan ( KMI ), one of North America’s largest energy infrastructure companies, also said it has agreed to buy Monument Pipeline, a 225-mile natural gas pipeline network serving Houston and surrounding markets, for $505 million in cash. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026. Looking ahead, the company forecast 2026 net income attributable to Kinder Morgan to remain steady at $3.1 billion, while adjusted earnings per share are expected to increase 5% to $1.36. It also reiterated expectations for adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $8.6 billion this year. For the quarter ended March 31, Kinder Morgan ( KMI ) posted adjusted earnings of $0.48 a share, topping analysts’ consensus estimate of $0.39. Revenue rose to $4.83 billion, ahead of expectations for $4.55 billion. Kinder Morgan ( KMI ) ...
Olstein Capital Management, L.P. increased its stake in Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) by 43,050 shares during the first quarter, an estimated $2.78 million trade based on quarterly average pricing, according to an April 21, 2026, SEC filing. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated April 21, 2026, Olstein Capital Management, L.P. increased its holdings in Korn Ferry by 43,050 s...
Olstein Capital Management, L.P. increased its stake in Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) by 43,050 shares during the first quarter, an estimated $2.78 million trade based on quarterly average pricing, according to an April 21, 2026, SEC filing. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated April 21, 2026, Olstein Capital Management, L.P. increased its holdings in Korn Ferry by 43,050 shares during the first quarter. The estimated transaction value was $2.78 million based on the average closing price for the quarter. At quarter end, the value of the Korn Ferry position rose by $2.47 million, a figure that includes both trading and stock price movements. Korn Ferry is a global leader in organizational consulting, leveraging a diversified business model across consulting, executive search, digital, and RPO segments. The company combines human capital expertise with technology-driven solutions to address complex talent and organizational challenges for clients worldwide. Continue reading
US Blocks Regular $500 Million Cash Pallets Flown To Iraq, Over Pro-Iran Militias In confirmation of some early reporting we featured at the start of this week, The Wall Street Journal has verified something that Iraqi officials themselves were denying just days ago: the US is blocking Iraq's regular dollar shipments in order to pressure it's Iran-backed militias . "The Trump administration has su...
US Blocks Regular $500 Million Cash Pallets Flown To Iraq, Over Pro-Iran Militias In confirmation of some early reporting we featured at the start of this week, The Wall Street Journal has verified something that Iraqi officials themselves were denying just days ago: the US is blocking Iraq's regular dollar shipments in order to pressure it's Iran-backed militias . "The Trump administration has suspended U.S. dollar shipments to Iraq and frozen security cooperation programs with its military, escalating the pressure on Baghdad to dismantle powerful Iranian-backed militias," said Iraqi and US officials interviewed in the report . Pallets of cash and the Middle East should ring familiar, stretching from the Bush-Cheney years to even the Obama years (and Iran sanctions relief as part of the original nuclear deal). In this case, like with the Obama/Iran deal saga before, this is actually Iraq's own oil revenue money . Memory lane via CNBC: The New York Federal Reserve shipped billions of dollars in physical cash to Baghdad to pay for the reopening of the government & restoration of basic services. Much of it went missing. In this latest case, a US military plane carrying a half-billion dollars has been delayed on its regularly scheduled delivery. "A cargo-plane delivery of nearly $500 million in U.S. banknotes, the proceeds from Iraqi oil sales from Federal Reserve Bank of New York accounts, was blocked recently by Treasury Department officials because of U.S. concerns about the militias ," WSJ continues, citing the officials. The publication details, "It was the second scheduled shipment of dollars to the Central Bank of Iraq delayed by the U.S. since the start of the Iran war in late February, the U.S. and Iraqi officials said." During the height of the March fighting between Iran and Israel, several American facilities across Iraq came under attack, even including the US Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone . Typically these were drones, or rocket fire, and Erbil and nort...
Robotics component supplier Leader Harmonious Drive Systems Co. saw stronger profits last year and in the first quarter as demand soars for Chinese humanoid robots. First-quarter net income rose 61% to 33 million yuan ($4.8 million) from a year before, according to a Wednesday evening filing . Full-year profit more than doubled to 124.4 million yuan, a separate filing showed , the highest since 20...
Robotics component supplier Leader Harmonious Drive Systems Co. saw stronger profits last year and in the first quarter as demand soars for Chinese humanoid robots. First-quarter net income rose 61% to 33 million yuan ($4.8 million) from a year before, according to a Wednesday evening filing . Full-year profit more than doubled to 124.4 million yuan, a separate filing showed , the highest since 2022. China, the world’s top industrial robot market, still isn’t producing enough core components, the company said, with demand for these parts expected to grow further as more large-scale production comes online. To meet this demand, the company said it has created dedicated R&D teams to develop the necessary components.
Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) – Bearish Risks Emerge As Broadening AI Investment Cycle Demands Strict Return Accountability Per UBS Analysis - Income Pick Xã Thanh Hà
Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) – Bearish Risks Emerge As Broadening AI Investment Cycle Demands Strict Return Accountability Per UBS Analysis - Income Pick Xã Thanh Hà