Stocks extended their gains and oil held below $90 a barrel after a report on the proposed release of oil reserves to ease higher energy prices boosted market confidence, following recent volatility across assets. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 1.9%, gaining for a second day, as the Wall Street Journal reported that the International Energy Agency proposed the largest crude reserve release in its history. US equity-index futures rose 0.5%. Brent dropped 1% on Wednesday after plunging 11% in the prior session. Technology shares, seen as less exposed to the war in the Middle East, surged, with a regional gauge climbing 4%. Companies including Tencent Holdings Ltd. were among the gainers. Broader confidence was also supported as Oracle Corp. shares jumped 8% in aftermarket trading on better-than-expected revenue. Markets stayed choppy as oil suffered its steepest one-day slide in four years on Tuesday after mixed signals from the Trump administration on the Iran war. Volatility spiked as US Energy Secretary Chris Wright erroneously posted — and then deleted — a message that the US Navy had escorted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz, only for the White House to concede no such operation had occurred.
The initial oil shock appears to have been priced in, and the base case for oil prices is moving lower as there is “a lot of political will to try and make that happen,” said Joshua Crabb, head of Asia Pacific equities at Robeco in Hong Kong. The conflict, in its second week, showed no signs of easing with President Donald Trump warning Iran against laying mines in the key energy chokepoint after news reports suggested it was either preparing to or had already begun doing so. Brent crude prices have risen since the start of the year as the effective closure of the strait, which typically handles a fifth of global oil flows, forces producers to curtail output. Tuesday’s move lower came on expectations that world leaders would intervene before the worst of any supply shock emerges. In other corners of the market, gold extended gains from the prior session, trading over $5,200 an ounce. Treasuries rose, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year falling one basis point to 4.14% on Wednesday.
One market that is holding up unexpectedly well is China. Stocks in the country have fallen less than global peers since the conflict began, the yuan has held steady against the dollar and government bond yields have barely moved. Amid all the global market turmoil, traders geared up for Wednesday’s US inflation data, after the latest jobs report challenged perceptions the labor market is stabilizing. The consumer price index report is projected to show a core inflation measure, which strips out volatile food and energy costs, rose just 0.2% last month. That would suggest some easing in price pressures before the outbreak of the war in Iran introduced new uncertainty about the inflation outlook. Even though the oil reserve release report provided some temporary relief to markets, it’s prudent to keep hedges in place for now, said Jun Bei Liu, co-founder and lead portfolio manager of hedge fund Ten Cap Investment Management in Sydney. US After Hours ORCL +9.3% higher on earnings/guidance; GRPN -11.9%, AVAV -9% lower on earnings.
Nikkei +2.52% Hang Seng +0.08% CSI +0.51% Shanghai +0.05% Shenzen +0.54%
Eur$ 1.1633 CNH 6.8622 CNY 6.8630 JPY 158.21 GBP 1.3451 CHF 0.7771 RUB 78.9456 TRY 44.0780 WTI$ 82.70 -0.72% Gold 5,207 +0.30% BTC 69,948 -0.42% ETH 2,033 -0.43%
S&P +0.25% Nasdaq +0.22% EuroStoxx -0.43% FTSE -0.31% Dax -0.38% SMI -0.25%
Macro :
- Warburg-Backed PDG to Raise $5 Billion in Debt for Data Centers
- France Plans G-7 Call on Middle East Wednesday
- Nuclear Power Gets EU Commission Chief Backing: Brussels Edition
- JPMorgan Marking Down Loan Portfolios of Pvt Credit Groups: FT
Keep an eye on :
Keep an eye on :
- AGFB BB :Agfa-Gevaert FY Adjusted Ebit Beats Estimates
- ALO FP : Alstom Secures €1.03b Train Contract From Portugal’s CP
- ALO FP : Alstom Secures €1.03b Train Contract From Portugal’s CP
- Anduril IPO : Anduril To Double Size of Space Unit With Defense Acquisition
- AVOL SW : Avolta FY Organic Sales Beat Estimates
- BFIT NA : Basic-Fit FY Revenue Meets Estimates
- BKV US : BKV, Holder Offer 9.69m Shares via RBC Capital Markets
- BA US : Boeing Tumbles After Wiring Flaw Found on 737 Max Planes
- BA US : Boeing Gets $298 Million Israel Deal for Smart Bombs
- EN FP : Colas Gets About €264m California Highway Lanes Contract
- KMX US : Activist Starboard Is Said to Build $350 Million Stake in CarMax
- CVC NA : Top CVC Capital Partners dealmaker resigns for new AI gig
- FANG US : Diamondback Holder SGF FANG to Offer 11m Shares, Permian Tycoon’s Heir Seeks $2 Billion in Diamondback Share Sale
- DIE BB : D'Ieteren FY Adjusted Pretax Profit EU955.6M Vs. EU1.07B Y/y, D’Ieteren Group CEO Says Belron IPO Is Possible
- SATS US : EchoStar Says Gray Blocks DISH Access to 226 Local Channels
- ELIS FP : Elis FY Ebitda Meets Estimates
- ELK NO : Elkem to Cut Global Workforce by About 300, Introduces Cost Plan
- RF FP : Eurazeo FY Net Loss EU403M, Est. Loss EU195.4M
- GALD SW : Galderma Holders Offer About 28m Shares, Terms Show, Holders Upsize Offering to About 34m Shares @ 143.75
- GALD SW : Galderma Holders Offer About 28m Shares, Terms Show, Holders Upsize Offering to About 34m Shares @ 143.75
- GALD SW : Galderma Backers Poised to Exit with $6.3 Billion Stake Sale
- GLEN LN : Workers Set to Strike at Glencore’s Australian Copper Refinery
- HLN LN : Haleon CEO Targets China, India Growth With New Plant, M&A Push
- HBR LN : Harbour Energy Holder EIG Management Offers ~60m Shares: Terms
- HEN3 GY : Henkel Sees 2026 Organic Sales +1% to +3%, Est. +2.23%
- ITX SM : Inditex 4Q Net Sales Meet Estimates
- KOS US : Kosmos Energy Offers $175m Shares via Barclays, Stifel, 1.90 to 2.30
- MAERSKB DC : China Warns Maersk, MSC Over Freight Rates From Iran War: FT
- MDA IPO : MDA Space Launches $300 Million US IPO
- MBG GY : Mercedes Unveils Luxury Van to Win Over Wealthy Chinese Buyers
- MFEB IM : MFE Takes 32.9% Stake in Impresa
- MSFT US : *Microsoft says court should temporarily block Pentagon's blacklist of Anthropic
- BMPS IM : Banca Monte Dei Paschi Di Siena Purchase of Mediobanca Approved
- NIO US : Nio Shares Rally 20% as 4Q Revenue Beats Estimates: Street Wrap
- ORCL US : Oracle Up Following ‘Clean Beat,’ Raised Outlook: Street Wrap
- PSKY US : Paramount’s David Ellison Addresses Warner Bros. Execs at Town Hall: CEO Says ‘Turbulent’ Deal Process Is ‘Now Behind
- P911 GY : Porsche Warns of Challenging Sales Year on Tariffs, China Slump
- QIA GY : QIAGEN Gets FDA Clearance For GI Panels On QIAstat-Dx Rise
- RAND NA : SBM Offshore to Join AEX Index, Randstad to Exit
- RNO FP : Renault Says Brand Balance Crucial to Brazil JV With Geely
- RHM GY : Rheinmetall 2026 Outlooks Fall Short of Estimates
- SBMO NA : SBM Offshore to Join AEX Index, Randstad to Exit
- SEDG US : SolarEdge CFO Alperovitz Resigns to Join Another Company
- UCB BB : UCB’s Bimzelx Reaches Primary Endpoint in Be Bold Study
- VIRI FP : Guyana to Launch 3D Seismic Survey South of Stabroek Block
- WBD US : Paramount’s David Ellison Addresses Warner Bros. Execs at Town Hall: CEO Says ‘Turbulent’ Deal Process Is ‘Now Behind