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Real-time financial news from around the world.
Published Monday – Friday, 24 hours a day.
New Zealand
New Zealand Stocks Extend Gains After Inflation Data
The NZX 50 climbed 29 points, or 0.2%, to 12,944 in early trading on Tuesday, extending gains from the previous session after fresh data showed inflation remained steady in Q1. Inflation stood at 3.1% in Q1, unchanged from Q4’s 1.5-year high and above forecasts of 2.9%, topping the RBNZ’s 1–3% target range and raising expectations that the RBNZ will hold interest rates at its upcoming meeting, as GDP growth eased (qoq) in Q4 2025. Most sectors traded in the green, including energy, consumer staples, healthcare, and real estate. The broader index tracked gains in US futures, though renewed Middle East tensions following a setback in US–Iran negotiations limited upside. Data released on Monday continued to lift sentiment, as the country posted an NZ$0.70 billion surplus in March, swinging from an NZ$0.79 billion deficit in the same month of 2025. Early gainers included F&C Investment Trust (2.9%), A2 Milk (1.4%), Fisher & Paykel (1.1%), Sky Network TV (1.0%), and Mainfreight (0.4%).
New Zealand
New Zealand Q1 Inflation Stays at 1-1/2-Year High
Annual inflation in New Zealand stood at 3.1% in Q1 2026, unchanged from Q4’s 1.5-year high and above forecasts of 2.9%, surpassing the RBNZ’s 1–3% target range. The largest contributors were in the housing and household utilities group, which rose 3.4%, mainly driven by electricity prices (up 12.5%) and local authority rates and payments (up 8.8%). Upward price pressures also came from food (4.0% vs 4.3%), mainly due to higher meat and poultry prices. Transport inflation accelerated (3.3% vs 2.6%), largely driven by increases in private transport supplies and services. Meanwhile, faster inflation was also seen in alcoholic beverages and tobacco (2.8% vs 2.4%), health (4.1% vs 0.7%), and miscellaneous (2.2% vs 2.1%), while it moderated in clothing (1.3% vs 1.7%), communication (4.6% vs 4.8%), and recreation and culture (2.2% vs 3.2%). Education inflation was steady at 2.5%. On a quarterly basis, the CPI increased by 0.9% in Q1, accelerating from a 0.6% rise in the previous quarter.
Crypto Updates: Bitcoin Increases by 2.90%
Top crypto gainers are Bitcoin (2.90%), Ether (2.49%) and XRP (2.34%).
Agricultural Commodities Updates: Orange Juice Slumps by 5.29%
Top commodity losers are Orange Juice (-5.29%), Oat (-2.64%) and Rubber (-1.08%). Gains are led by Cocoa (2.59%), Canola (2.20%) and Coffee (1.25%).
Metals Commodities Updates: Platinum Falls by 2.00%
Top commodity losers are Platinum (-2%), Copper (-1.12%), Silver (-0.89%) and Gold (-0.11%). Gains are led by Lithium Carbonate (1.77%), Steel Rebar (1.32%) and Iron Ore CNY (1.03%).
Energy Commodities Updates: Crude Oil WTI Spikes by 5.06%
Top commodity gainers are Crude Oil WTI (5.06%), Brent Crude Oil (4.76%) and Heating Oil (3.96%). Biggest loser is Methanol (-3.53%).
FX Updates: Norwegian Krone Rises by 0.61%
Top currency gainers are Norwegian Krone (0.61%), Brazilian Real (0.50%), Swiss Franc (0.46%), Euro (0.18%) and British Pound (0.13%). Biggest losers are Indian Rupee (-0.41%) and Japanese Yen (-0.11%). Meanwhile Dollar Index was little changed.
Oil Rises Again on Monday on Hormuz Escalations
WTI crude oil futures surged more than 5% to $88.8 per barrel on Monday, after an 11.5% plunge on Friday, as tensions between the US and Iran intensified over the weekend. US President Trump said he is unlikely to extend the current truce with Tehran if an agreement isn’t reached before it ends this week, adding that the Strait of Hormuz would remain blocked until a deal is finalized. The remarks followed escalating threats and the US seizure of an Iranian cargo vessel, dimming hopes that oil exports from the region could resume in the near term. Trump also noted that a US delegation was en route to Pakistan, while Iran has yet to confirm whether it will participate in further talks. The standoff risks exacerbating the global energy crunch, with the critical Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil and gas flows, remaining largely obstructed.
United States
S&P 500, Nasdaq Snap Winning Streaks on US-Iran Tensions
US stocks ended Monday on a softer note, as the S&P 500 slipped 0.2%, snapping a five-day winning streak. The Nasdaq fell 0.3%, bringing its 13-day rally to an end, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average hovered near flat at 49,442. Markets were weighed down by renewed geopolitical tensions following a setback in negotiations with Iran. US President Trump said it’s unlikely he would extend a truce with Tehran if an agreement isn’t reached before it ends this week, adding the Strait of Hormuz would remain blocked until an accord is finalized. The developments pushed oil prices higher. Sector performance was mixed, with communication services, utilities, and healthcare leading the declines, while materials, financials and energy posted gains. Among major stocks, Meta (-2.6%), Tesla (-2.0%), Alphabet (-1.2%), and Broadcom (-1.7%) recorded notable losses. Meanwhile, Apple (-1.0%) pared some declines, and JPMorgan (+2.2%) closed higher.
Argentina
Argentina Trade Surplus Widens in March
Argentina’s trade surplus rose to $2,523 million in March 2026, up from $623 million a year earlier, as exports climbed 30.1% year-on-year to $8,645 million. The increase was driven by a 56.2% surge in primary products, while manufactured and industrial goods rose 26.4% and fuels and energy gained 23.2%. Imports rose 1.7% to $6,122 million, led by a 105.9% jump in miscellaneous goods, which include postal deliveries, and a 61.7% rise in food and basic beverages. Intermediate goods purchases increased 10.2%, capital goods rose 6.6%, and durable goods climbed 4.5%.
Crypto Updates: Bitcoin Increases by 3.11%
Top crypto gainers are Bitcoin (3.11%), Ether (2.86%) and XRP (2.73%).
Agricultural Commodities Updates: Orange Juice Slumps by 5.11%
Top commodity losers are Orange Juice (-5.11%), Oat (-2.26%) and Rubber (-1.08%). Gains are led by Cocoa (2.65%), Canola (1.86%) and Coffee (1.27%).
Metals Commodities Updates: Platinum Drops by 2.48%
Top commodity losers are Platinum (-2.48%), Copper (-1.22%), Silver (-1.10%) and Gold (-0.42%). Gains are led by Lithium Carbonate (1.77%), Steel Rebar (1.32%) and Iron Ore CNY (1.03%).
Energy Commodities Updates: Crude Oil WTI Rallies by 7.06%
Top commodity gainers are Crude Oil WTI (7.06%), Brent Crude Oil (5.64%) and Heating Oil (4.32%). Biggest loser is Methanol (-1.61%).
Colombia
Colombia ISE Rises in February
Colombia's leading economic index s rose 1.65% year-on-year in February 2026, following a 1.76% gain in January. This marks the weakest pace since April 2025. The tertiary sector led growth at 2.55%, while the primary sector declined 2.08% and the secondary sector rose 0.40%. The primary sector declined 2.12% to, the secondary sector rose 0.19% to, and the tertiary sector gained 2.60%.
United States
US Stocks Extend Losses
US stocks extended their losses on Monday, pausing the surge from last week that slingshot indices to record highs as doubts of peace prospects in the Middle East threatened its energy supply. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 dropped around 0.5% each, while the Dow fell around 0.3%. President Trump signaled that the current ceasefire with Iran will not be extended past Wednesday, likely maintaining the US and Iran blockades of commercial vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz and preventing energy flows form the region. Heavyweight tech companies led the decline. Broadcom and Meta fell over 2%, while Microsoft, Nvidia, and Alphabet dropped more than 1%. Notably, Tesla reversed its early gains to trade 2% lower ahead of its earnings event this week, the first among Magnificent 7 companies. Similarly, Intel dropped over 1% ahead of its call, as investors prioritize risk management over speculative growth.
United States
Cisco Systems Stock Price Hits All-time High
Cisco Systems shares increased to an all-time high of 88.23 USD. Over the past 4 weeks, Cisco Systems gained 11.68%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 61.91%.
Germany
DAX Closes in the Red
Frankfurt's DAX 40 finished about 1.2% lower at 24,444 on Monday, after an escalation in US–Iran tensions over the weekend led to a renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz and pushed oil prices higher. Hostilities flared following the US seizure of an Iranian vessel, with Tehran threatening retaliation, as the truce between Washington and Tehran approaches its expiration. Attention remains on the possibility of a second round of talks in Islamabad this week after Tehran indicated it may not take part. Industrials, tech and autos were among the hardest hit. In equities, Lufthansa dropped 3.2% and TUI fell 3.1%, respectively, on the back of higher oil prices and concerns over jet fuel reserves. Other top losers included MTU Aero Engines (-4.3%), SAP (-3.5%), Volkswagen (-2.7%), Siemens Healthineers (-2.3%) and Deutsche Bank (-2.3%). On the upside, RWE (2.5%), Commerzbank (1.2%) and Deutsche Borse (1.1%) advanced the most.
United Kingdom
FTSE 100 Falls on Monday
The FTSE 100 fell more than 0.5% on Monday as renewed tensions between the US and Iran weighed on sentiment, with oil and gas prices jumping around 6%. President Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz will remain blocked until a deal is reached, adding he would not rush negotiations. Rolls Royce dropped over 3.5% and mining stocks were under pressure as Antofagasta lost more than 4.5% while Fresnillo and Endeavour fell about 3% and 1.2%. Travel stocks also weakened, with EasyJet down over 3% and IAG falling 2.1%, while major banks including HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays and NatWest declined between 1.4% and 2.5%. In contrast, energy and utility names gained, with BP and Shell rising 2.6% and 2.2% and Centrica and SSE also advancing. Investors now look ahead to updates from Rio Tinto, AB Foods and British Land.
US Natgas Prices Edge Up Slightly
US natural gas futures climbed to $2.70 per MMBtu, supported by a drop in output over the past couple of weeks and near-record gas flows to US LNG export plants, but were still close to their lowest level since October 2024. Average daily output dropped by approximately 3.9 bcfd over the last fortnight to a 10-week low of 108.3 bcfd. Simultaneously, gas deliveries to major US LNG terminals rose to 18.9 bcfd so far in April, positioning the month for a potential record high. However, the upside remains capped by a persistent storage surplus. Unseasonably mild spring weather has facilitated aggressive inventory injections, pushing stockpiles to an estimated 7% above the five-year average during the week ended April 17. Looking ahead, meteorologists forecast near-normal temperatures through early May, and analysts expect storage levels to stay elevated.
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