As Iran and US agree fragile ceasefire, Israel’s conflict has turned out to be a bust and, say opponents, ‘a political disaster’ Middle East crisis – live updates In a war where there have been no winners, Israel’s prime minister looks set to be the biggest loser entering a fragile and vague ceasefire with Iran. After years of Benjamin Netanyahu’s threats against Iran, his stunts at the UN’s gener...
As Iran and US agree fragile ceasefire, Israel’s conflict has turned out to be a bust and, say opponents, ‘a political disaster’ Middle East crisis – live updates In a war where there have been no winners, Israel’s prime minister looks set to be the biggest loser entering a fragile and vague ceasefire with Iran. After years of Benjamin Netanyahu’s threats against Iran, his stunts at the UN’s general assembly, the dodgy dossiers endlessly wafted under the noses of the world’s media, and diplomatic pressure on successive US presidents to agree to a war against Iran, Israel’s conflict has turned out to be a bust. Continue reading...
Seaport Research Partners says Broadcom may need to help finance AI data centers, including an Anthropic project, raising concerns about industry strain.
Seaport Research Partners says Broadcom may need to help finance AI data centers, including an Anthropic project, raising concerns about industry strain.
peterschreiber.media The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) climbed 2.7% on Wednesday, buoyed by easing geopolitical tensions after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. The agreement, contingent on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a halt to attacks, helped lift investor sentiment and drive risk appetite across growth-oriented equities. Within the Nasdaq 100 ( NDX ), m...
peterschreiber.media The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) climbed 2.7% on Wednesday, buoyed by easing geopolitical tensions after the United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire. The agreement, contingent on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a halt to attacks, helped lift investor sentiment and drive risk appetite across growth-oriented equities. Within the Nasdaq 100 ( NDX ), market breadth was notably strong, with 87 of its 100 constituents advancing during the session. Gains were led by several large-cap technology names, whose performance contributed meaningfully to the index’s overall rise. The broad-based rally underscores how sensitive equity markets remain to geopolitical developments. Investors will continue monitoring developments in the region for signs of sustained de-escalation and potential impacts on broader financial markets. In the near term, see the Nasdaq-100’s 10 best-performing stocks in Wednesday’s trading session. Lam Research Corporation ( LRCX ), +10.1% Applied Materials, Inc. ( AMAT ), +8.7% Intel Corporation ( INTC ), +8.6% Western Digital Corporation ( WDC ), +8.4% Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ), +7.7% Axon Enterprise, Inc. ( AXON ), +7.4% ASML Holding N.V. ( ASML ), +7.4% KLA Corporation ( KLAC ), +7.3% Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. ( MPWR ), +6.5% Airbnb, Inc. ( ABNB ), +6.5% Nasdaq ETFs: ( QQQ ), ( QQQM ), ( SQQQ ), ( TQQQ ), ( QLD ), and ( QID ). More on markets VIX falls below 20 for the first time since the conflict began in the Middle East Why this oil rally isn’t crashing stocks—Deutsche Bank breaks it down Ceasefire uncertainty looms large as prediction markets signal a long road to de-escalation Cantor Fitzgerald calls the market pullback a buying opportunity despite Middle East risks From oil surge to economic slowdown: SA analysts see recession risks rising
(L/R) US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth looks on as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 8, 2026. Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images The first vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the U.S. reached a two-week ceasefire deal, ship-tracking service MarineTraffic said Wednesday. Bu...
(L/R) US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth looks on as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on April 8, 2026. Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images The first vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz since Iran and the U.S. reached a two-week ceasefire deal, ship-tracking service MarineTraffic said Wednesday. But more than 12 hours into the ceasefire, traffic through the vital waterway has not picked up beyond the slow trickle it has experienced throughout the war, experts and industry professionals say. Uncertainty and confusion in the maritime industry remain high, despite Iran's assurance that vessels will be able to safely navigate the strait during the ceasefire. That confusion stems in part from Tehran's caveat that passage through the strait is only possible "via coordination with Iran's Armed Forces and with due consideration to technical limitations." The potential for Iran to heavily toll ships is a key sticking point, a marine insurance executive, who did not want to be named on the record, told CNBC. Iran is planning to demand that shipping firms pay tolls in cryptocurrency to let their oil tankers through the strait, the Financial Times reported Wednesday morning. Iran will also be inspecting each ship for weapons, the FT reported, citing a spokesperson for Iran's oil, gas and petrochemical products. U.S. officials, boasting that the ceasefire agreement represents total victory over Iran, insisted Wednesday morning that the path for ships is clear. "The strait is open," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a press briefing. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine, asked at the same briefing if the strait is open right now, said, "I believe so, based on the diplomatic negotiation." President Donald Trump , meanwhile, said in a Truth Social post overnight that the U.S. "will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz." "There will be lots of positive...
Bitcoin could return above $100,000 in the short- to medium-term horizon, according to VanEck Head of Digital Assets Research Matthew Sigel. "I think that’s totally reasonable in one year’s time," Sigel told CNBC on April 2 when asked when investors...
Bitcoin could return above $100,000 in the short- to medium-term horizon, according to VanEck Head of Digital Assets Research Matthew Sigel. "I think that’s totally reasonable in one year’s time," Sigel told CNBC on April 2 when asked when investors...
The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in Beijing. Photo: VCG China’s state asset regulator has set up a new bureau to oversee the overseas operations and assets of the country’s central state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) said Wednesday it has established an Overseas State-owned Assets Working Bureau. T...
The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in Beijing. Photo: VCG China’s state asset regulator has set up a new bureau to oversee the overseas operations and assets of the country’s central state-owned enterprises (SOEs). The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) said Wednesday it has established an Overseas State-owned Assets Working Bureau. The new unit will guide international operations, optimize offshore asset allocation, mitigate investment risks and handle overseas emergencies, according to the agency.
In Netflix’s Trust Me: The False Prophet, documentarians in disguise help bring down a cult leader now serving a 50-year sentence Film-making affects change. Director Rachel Dretzin, a former investigative journalist for Frontline, will testify to that. “These films that I’m making,” says Dretzin, “that other documentarians are making, are often more effective than the legal system at affecting ch...
In Netflix’s Trust Me: The False Prophet, documentarians in disguise help bring down a cult leader now serving a 50-year sentence Film-making affects change. Director Rachel Dretzin, a former investigative journalist for Frontline, will testify to that. “These films that I’m making,” says Dretzin, “that other documentarians are making, are often more effective than the legal system at affecting change; psychological change and also sometimes systemic and criminal change.” Continue reading...
Taoping ( TAOP ) secured over $3M in new smart elevator orders via its subsidiary Skyladder (Tianjin) Technology Development to support elevator deployment, upgrades, and maintenance services. Backed by this momentum, the company terminated its Oct 17, 2025, non-binding LOI to acquire Alphalion Holdings, prioritizing higher-return opportunities within its core elevator business. Stock is slightly ...
Taoping ( TAOP ) secured over $3M in new smart elevator orders via its subsidiary Skyladder (Tianjin) Technology Development to support elevator deployment, upgrades, and maintenance services. Backed by this momentum, the company terminated its Oct 17, 2025, non-binding LOI to acquire Alphalion Holdings, prioritizing higher-return opportunities within its core elevator business. Stock is slightly trading lower at $1.25. Source: Press Release More on Taoping Financial information for Taoping