The US is waiting on Iran to respond to its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end a war that’s killed thousands of people and triggered a surge in energy prices. Iran is expected to give an answer in the coming days. Its leaders are yet to indicate whether they’ll accept it, though they’ve previously show little sign of yielding on their nuclear program and accepting a moratorium on enri...
The US is waiting on Iran to respond to its proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end a war that’s killed thousands of people and triggered a surge in energy prices. Iran is expected to give an answer in the coming days. Its leaders are yet to indicate whether they’ll accept it, though they’ve previously show little sign of yielding on their nuclear program and accepting a moratorium on enriching uranium, which the American proposal calls for. Washington has relayed a one-page memo to the Islamic Republic that could reopen the strategic Strait of Hormuz and lift the US blockade of Iranian ports, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information. That would set the stage for a month of talks aimed at securing a final peace agreement. Should the negotiation get to that stage, the sides will discuss Iran’s nuclear activities. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said the objective of the war is to prevent Tehran having a nuclear weapon, something Iran has always denied. Trump said Wednesday the US is “going to get” the Islamic Republic’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium as part of the agreement, though there’s been no indication Tehran is willing to make that concession. The US will start a broader and more intense bombing campaign if Iran rejects the initial 14-point peace plan, Trump said earlier in a social media post. He told PBS News Hour he believes there’s “a very good chance” of a deal, possibly before his scheduled visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping next week. Iran’s top leadership has yet to comment on the proposal. State-affiliated news agency ISNA said reports on elements of the proposal amount to “media speculation and atmosphere-building,” adding that nuclear enrichment is not part of the current discussions. Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said last week Iran would not give concessions on its nuclear program, describing it as a “national asset” that Iranians would protect at a...
The French league leader will face Arsenal in the final in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30, after the Gunners defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 on Tuesday to progress 2-1 on aggregate. (Image credit: Martin Meissner)
The French league leader will face Arsenal in the final in Budapest, Hungary, on May 30, after the Gunners defeated Atletico Madrid 1-0 on Tuesday to progress 2-1 on aggregate. (Image credit: Martin Meissner)
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is selling a multi-tranche US dollar bond, a sign Gulf issuers are returning to public markets after disruption tied to the Iran conflict. The sovereign wealth fund is offering three-year, seven-year and 30-year US dollar benchmark bonds, according to a person familiar with the matter. Initial price thoughts are at 130 to 170 basis points over US Treasuries, w...
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is selling a multi-tranche US dollar bond, a sign Gulf issuers are returning to public markets after disruption tied to the Iran conflict. The sovereign wealth fund is offering three-year, seven-year and 30-year US dollar benchmark bonds, according to a person familiar with the matter. Initial price thoughts are at 130 to 170 basis points over US Treasuries, with the final terms expected to be disclosed later Thursday, the person said. The sale comes amid a tentative reopening of the Middle East primary market, led by a recent Additional Tier 1 deal from Emirates NBD Bank PJSC and a sukuk placement from First Abu Dhabi Bank PJSC on Wednesday. Those deals marked a shift after issuers had leaned heavily on private placements during heightened geopolitical uncertainty. Read more: Abu Dhabi, Qatar Turn to Private Markets to Raise Billions Saudi Arabia has itself relied more on alternative funding channels during the market volatility. Earlier this week, its National Debt Management Center said it had completed its annual borrowing plan, securing roughly 90% of its financing needs through private markets and domestic issuance. A PIF outing offers a fresh test of investor appetite for longer-dated Gulf risk, particularly at the 30-year tenor, and could help re-establish pricing benchmarks for regional borrowers following the weeks of subdued syndicated activity. It last sold dollar debt in January, with that 10-year sukuk priced at a much narrower 85 basis-point spread over Treasuries. Read more: Saudi Arabia Posts Biggest Deficit Since 2018 On Hormuz Closure
China’s central bank has set the yuan’s exchange rate at its strongest level against the US dollar in more than three years, as Beijing pushes to internationalise its currency and global confidence in US dollar assets continues to waver. The People’s Bank of China set the yuan’s midpoint rate at 6.8487 per US dollar on Thursday, the strongest level since April 2023. The fixing rate, used as a refe...
China’s central bank has set the yuan’s exchange rate at its strongest level against the US dollar in more than three years, as Beijing pushes to internationalise its currency and global confidence in US dollar assets continues to waver. The People’s Bank of China set the yuan’s midpoint rate at 6.8487 per US dollar on Thursday, the strongest level since April 2023. The fixing rate, used as a reference for daily market trading, was 6.8562 a day earlier. Analysts expect the Chinese currency to...
Pair left MV Hondius before outbreak was detected and are not reporting symptoms, according to UK Health Security Agency Two people who were onboard a cruise ship hit with a deadly outbreak of hantavirus have returned to the UK and are self-isolating, British health officials have said. Neither of the two British people, who left MV Hondius at St Helena in late April, are reporting symptoms, accor...
Pair left MV Hondius before outbreak was detected and are not reporting symptoms, according to UK Health Security Agency Two people who were onboard a cruise ship hit with a deadly outbreak of hantavirus have returned to the UK and are self-isolating, British health officials have said. Neither of the two British people, who left MV Hondius at St Helena in late April, are reporting symptoms, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKSA). Continue reading...
Vessels navigate or anchor in the Strait of Hormuz on May 4, 2026. Photo: VCG Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated sharply following U.S. attempts to escort commercial vessels, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launching a series of attacks on merchant ships from multiple countries. CMA CGM, the world’s second-largest container shipping company, stated on May 6 that its smal...
Vessels navigate or anchor in the Strait of Hormuz on May 4, 2026. Photo: VCG Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have escalated sharply following U.S. attempts to escort commercial vessels, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launching a series of attacks on merchant ships from multiple countries. CMA CGM, the world’s second-largest container shipping company, stated on May 6 that its small container ship, the San Antonio, was attacked the previous day while transiting the strait, resulting in crew injuries and vessel damage.
Amazon.com Inc. said a “small number of roles” in Singapore will be impacted as it phases out local fulfillment including Amazon Fresh in the city-state. The move is part of a broader shift toward international e-commerce and prioritizes growing demand in Singapore for products sourced from overseas, Amazon said in a statement on Thursday. Amazon Fresh and grocery partnerships with Little Farms an...
Amazon.com Inc. said a “small number of roles” in Singapore will be impacted as it phases out local fulfillment including Amazon Fresh in the city-state. The move is part of a broader shift toward international e-commerce and prioritizes growing demand in Singapore for products sourced from overseas, Amazon said in a statement on Thursday. Amazon Fresh and grocery partnerships with Little Farms and A.S. Watson Group will be discontinued from July 6, the company said in a separate email update to members. “We’re responding by increasing our investment in what customers tell us they want most,” said Peter Li, Amazon Singapore country manager. The e-commerce giant is helping affected workers find new roles within the company and offering severance payments and career transition services for those who are unable to. Amazon said it’s working to transition vendors and sellers to alternative ways to continue serving customers in Singapore and remains committed to the island. It employs 2,500 people in Singapore across its retail, global selling, entertainment, devices and Amazon Web Services businesses. The company didn’t immediately respond to an email request for comment. Amazon said in January it would cut 16,000 corporate roles globally as part of a drive to reduce bureaucracy and “increase ownership.” It also announced the closure of its Amazon-branded grocery stores and automated grab-and-go outlets, removing two key elements of its expansion into physical retail.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Futures linked to the S&P 500 edged higher early Thursday after the index touched new highs, buoyed by hopes that the U.S. and Iran were closing in on an agreement to end the war. S&P 500 futures moved 0.16% higher and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.19%....
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Futures linked to the S&P 500 edged higher early Thursday after the index touched new highs, buoyed by hopes that the U.S. and Iran were closing in on an agreement to end the war. S&P 500 futures moved 0.16% higher and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.19%. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 120 points, or 0.24%. Shares of DoorDash popped 10% in Wednesday's extended trading session after the food delivery giant issued rosy guidance for orders in its second quarter. Meanwhile, cybersecurity stock Fortinet climbed 16% after lifting its full-year billings guidance . During the day's regular session, the broad S&P 500 climbed 1.46%, while the tech-dominated Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.02%. Both indexes reached new intraday and closing highs. The Dow surged 612.34 points, or 1.24%. Stocks moved higher and oil prices cooled after Axios reported, citing sources, that the U.S. and Iran are nearing a deal to end the war. Specifically, two U.S. officials and two other sources briefed on the issue told the outlet that the White House believes it is nearing a one-page, 14-point memorandum of understanding to not only end the war, but also establish a framework for more detailed nuclear talks. Stocks came off their highs after President Donald Trump said that a deal was not finalized, saying that it was "perhaps, a big assumption " that Iran would accept the proposal. The president threatened to resume military strikes if it did not comply. "If they don't agree, the bombing starts, and it will be, sadly, at a much higher level and intensity than it was before," the president wrote in a Truth Social post . An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said to CNBC on Wednesday that Iran was evaluating a U.S. proposal for a resolution. Outside of these hopes for easing Middle East tensions, a strong earnings season has also boo...
3 Stocks You’ll Love to Own, But Hate To EncounterVerra Mobility (NASDAQ:VRRM) reported first-quarter 2026 results that management described as “a solid start to 2026,” with revenue aligned to internal expectations and profitability coming in slightly ahead due to favorable mix a
3 Stocks You’ll Love to Own, But Hate To EncounterVerra Mobility (NASDAQ:VRRM) reported first-quarter 2026 results that management described as “a solid start to 2026,” with revenue aligned to internal expectations and profitability coming in slightly ahead due to favorable mix a
Wondering whether Tesla's current US$398.73 share price offers good value, or whether expectations are running ahead of reality? This article breaks down what the numbers actually say. The stock has returned 4.5% over the last 7 days and 15.0% over the last 30 days, while the 1 year return sits at 40.0% and the 3 year and 5 year returns are 131.7% and 109.2% respectively, with a year to date retur...
Wondering whether Tesla's current US$398.73 share price offers good value, or whether expectations are running ahead of reality? This article breaks down what the numbers actually say. The stock has returned 4.5% over the last 7 days and 15.0% over the last 30 days, while the 1 year return sits at 40.0% and the 3 year and 5 year returns are 131.7% and 109.2% respectively, with a year to date return of a 9.0% decline. Recent headlines around Tesla have focused on ongoing debates about...
Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:BABA) is expanding its global cloud footprint with new data center regions in Brazil, France, and the Netherlands. The company is increasing capital expenditure to support rising AI infrastructure demand across international markets. Alibaba has designated Hong Kong as its base for international expansion, securing prime office space for its global headquarters. Chinese...
Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:BABA) is expanding its global cloud footprint with new data center regions in Brazil, France, and the Netherlands. The company is increasing capital expenditure to support rising AI infrastructure demand across international markets. Alibaba has designated Hong Kong as its base for international expansion, securing prime office space for its global headquarters. Chinese CIOs rank Alibaba among the top companies for expected AI spending, reinforcing its role in...