WS #6213
No material new developments in the last 30 minutes. The Iran war narrative remains dominant with oil above $115/barrel, and no counter-signals or de-escalation have emerged. The Fed decision later today remains the key macro event, but no new data points have surfaced within this window.
Key developments
- US signals extended blockade of Iranian ports and Strait of Hormuz; Brent crude tops $115/barrel
- UAE announces exit from OPEC and OPEC+ effective May 1, weakening cartel cohesion
- EU Commission adopts temporary crisis framework allowing up to 70% energy cost subsidies for affected sectors
- Seagate Technology reports strong Q3 with AI-driven demand; raises guidance
- Bloom Energy beats Q1 estimates and raises FY26 guidance on data center demand
- SoFi Technologies misses revenue estimates; stock sinks 9.3% premarket
- Cognizant forecasts Q2 revenue below estimates on cautious IT spending
- Starbucks beats Q2 estimates and raises FY26 adjusted EPS guidance