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Market Chatter: ICE Raises Margin Requirements on Brent, Diesel Futures Amid Middle East Volatility

The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is set to sharply increase margin requirements for traders on its Brent crude and European diesel futures contracts amid heightened volatility driven by the Middle East conflict, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.The move will more than double the cost of trading some of the world's most liquid oil benchmarks, and the new margin requirements are to take effect at the close of business on Apr. 10.Margins for the front-month Brent crude contract are to increase to just over $11,000, more than double current levels. For the front-month ICE gasoil contract, a key diesel benchmark, margins are set to jump more than fourfold to nearly $21,000, Bloomberg reported.ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comment from.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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Asia Markets116d ago

TSX Closer: The Index Falls For The First Time In Seven Sessions

The Toronto Stock Exchange closed lower on Thursday, the first drop in seven sessions, on some profit taking, but also on wariness around continuing geopolitical tensions across the Middle East and lingering concerns around inflation with a recent spike in oil prices seen adding to existing tariff-related pressures on global economies.The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed down 142.86 points, or 0.4%, to 33,477.71, even as losses were capped with the Battery Metals Index up 4.5%. Losers were led down by Telecom, down near 3.4%, and Info Tech down near 2.1% as stock pickers weigh inflation risks and Fed minutes showed officials are open to rate hikes if inflation stays above target. Tech stocks are sensitive to interest rate changes due to their reliance on high capital spending. Higher interest rates increase borrowing costs, and could curb investment in innovation and expansion.RBC Economics, in featured analysis on the United States, noted it has been just over one year since 'Liberation Day', when the U.S. administration announced sweeping tariffs on all trade partners to reduce imbalances. But, RBC said, the trade deficit has not narrowed while trade has been diverted.At present, RBC added, all eyes are focused on a new shock: The conflict in the Middle East, which has sent oil prices soaring to near-2022 highs when Russia invaded Ukraine. "Still," the bank said, "beneath the surface, the ramifications of tariffs are building, and spiking oil prices will add to pre-existing tariff price pressures with both core and headline inflation rising in tandem."In a separate, related but more positive note for Canadians, RBC noted a rebalancing in travel from this country continues as U.S. cross border trips decline amid Canadian anger stemming from the U.S. targeting of certain industries here for tariffs and by President Trump calling Canada the 51st state .RBC added a sustained pullback in trips to the United States is increasingly being offset by rising travel to other destinations within Canada as well as abroad. The bank noted travel to the U.S. fell 25.4% in 2025 to 29.1-million trips with weakness persisting into early 2026. Dollars that might have been spent abroad are being recycled domestically with total tourism spending up 1.7% in 2025.RBC also noted the shift kept Canada as a net exporter of travel services in 2025 as spending stayed closer to home, and that tourism GDP grew 4.8% in Q4, outpacing a broader economy that contracted 0.6%, marking the third consecutive quarter of outperformance.Of commodities, West Texas Intermediate closed higher Thursday as Iran continues to block the Strait of Hormuz. WTI did fall off session highs after Israel said it will begin talks with Lebanon. Iran had maintained a two-week ceasefire agreement reached with the U.S. did include a pledge to halt Israeli attacks on Lebanon. WTI crude oil for May delivery closed up $3.46 to settle at US$97.87 per barrel after touching US$102.70 earlier. June Brent oil was last seen up $0.96 to US$95.71.Gold traded higher by midafternoon Thursday as the dollar weakened after the United States reported a key inflation measure rose, and while the U.S. and Iran argued over the terms of their two-week ceasefire deal. Gold for May delivery was up $36.10 to US$4,813.30 per ounce.

Equitable Holdings Insider Sold Shares Worth $400,381, According to a Recent SEC Filing

Nick Lane, President of Equitable Financial, on April 08, 2026, sold 10,000 shares in Equitable Holdings (EQH) for $400,381. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Lane has control over a total of 124,218 common shares of the company, with 124,218 shares held directly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1333986/000162828026024461/xslF345X05/wk-form4_1775765475.xml

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Equinix Insider Sold Shares Worth $432,480, According to a Recent SEC Filing

Brandi Galvin Morandi, Chief People Officer, on April 08, 2026, sold 424 shares in Equinix (EQIX) for $432,480. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Morandi has control over a total of 9,970 common shares of the company, with 9,970 shares held directly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1101239/000110123926000076/xslF345X05/form4.xml

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Arteris Insider Sold Shares Worth $1,332,786, According to a Recent SEC Filing

K Charles Janac, 10% Owner, Director, President, and CEO, on April 08, 2026, sold 70,000 shares in Arteris (AIP) for $1,332,786. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Janac has control over a total of 9,372,052 common shares of the company, with 196,729 shares held directly and 9,175,323 controlled indirectly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1667011/000106898726000011/xslF345X05/primarydocument.xml

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Equitable Holdings Insider Sold Shares Worth $574,840, According to a Recent SEC Filing

Jeffrey J Hurd, Chief Operating Officer, on April 08, 2026, sold 14,358 shares in Equitable Holdings (EQH) for $574,840. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Hurd has control over a total of 89,403 common shares of the company, with 89,403 shares held directly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1333986/000162828026024463/xslF345X05/wk-form4_1775765542.xml

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Market Chatter: Trump Signals Confidence on Iran Talks Despite Strait Disruptions

US President Donald Trump said Thursday he is "very optimistic" about a potential peace deal with Iran as talks begin, despite a fragile ceasefire and shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, NBC News reported.Trump said Iranian officials are "much more reasonable" in negotiations, noting they are showing willingness to meet key conditions, while warning that failure to reach an agreement would have serious consequences.A US team led by Vice President J D Vance is set to travel to Pakistan for key negotiations in Islamabad aimed at resolving the nearly six-week-long conflict.The ceasefire is under pressure as Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon continue, leading Trump to call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reduce military activity, the report added, citing two senior administration officials.Trump said he had spoken with Netanyahu, who reportedly told Trump, "he's going to low-key it." Vance also suggested Israel may scale back its actions during the ongoing offensive, according to the report.Netanyahu said Israel will continue targeting Hezbollah, stating he insisted the ceasefire "not include Hezbollah," while also signaling openness to direct negotiations with Lebanon.European leaders have urged that Lebanon be included in the limited ceasefire, according to the report.Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited, with only five vessels crossing on Wednesday, the first day of the truce and none carrying oil or gas, raising doubts about whether flows are truly resuming, the report added.As of midday Thursday, two vessels had crossed the strait.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Global Ship Lease Insider Sold Shares Worth $296,227, According to a Recent SEC Filing

Georgios Giannopoulos, Chief Compliance Officer, on April 07, 2026, sold 7,692 shares in Global Ship Lease (GSL) for $296,227. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Giannopoulos has control over a total of 142,308 Class A common shares of the company, with 142,308 shares held directly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1430725/000114036126014005/xslF345X05/form4.xml

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Dorian Lpg Insider Sold Shares Worth $355,040, According to a Recent SEC Filing

John Lycouris, Director, Head of Energy Transition, on April 08, 2026, sold 10,000 shares in Dorian Lpg (LPG) for $355,040. Following the Form 4 filing with the SEC, Lycouris has control over a total of 357,939 common shares of the company, with 157,939 shares held directly and 200,000 controlled indirectly.SEC Filing:https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1596993/000091957426002140/xslF345X05/ownership.xml

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Sector Update: Financial Stocks Advance Late Afternoon

Financial stocks increased late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Financial Index adding 0.3% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) up 0.4%.The Philadelphia Housing Index was climbing 1.2%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLRE) rose 0.8%.Bitcoin (BTC-USD) rose 1.1% to $72,174, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was slightly lower at 4.29%.In economic news, US economic growth, measured by gross domestic product, was revised lower to a 0.5% increase in Q4 from a 0.7% gain in the second estimate, compared with estimates for no revision in a Bloomberg survey.US initial jobless claims rose to 219,000 in the week ended April 4 from an upwardly revised 203,000 in the previous week, compared with expectations for 210,000 in a Bloomberg poll.In corporate news, Ares Management (ARES) on Thursday agreed to acquire Whitestone REIT (WSR) in an all-cash deal worth about $1.7 billion. Ares shares were fractionally down, and Whitestone jumped nearly 12%.Carlyle (CG) will limit redemptions to 5% for its Tactical Private Credit Fund after receiving repurchase requests amounting to roughly 15.7% of shares outstanding, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing a shareholder letter. Carlyle shares were little changed.Goldman Sachs-backed (GS) Japanese taxi-hailing provider Go plans an initial public offering in 2026 that could raise between 50 billion yen ($314.5 million) and 80 billion yen, Bloomberg reported. Goldman shares shed 0.2%.TPG (TPG) has hired UBS (UBS) and Malayan Banking to help weigh options for Malaysian medical services provider Asia OneHealthcare, Bloomberg reported. TPG shares rose 1.2%, and UBS added 0.3%.

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Sector Update: Energy Stocks Decline Late Afternoon

Energy stocks were lower late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Energy Sector Index decreasing 0.5% and the State Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) falling 1%.The Philadelphia Oil Service Sector Index was up 0.2%, and the Dow Jones US Utilities Index climbed 1%.In sector news, oil prices increased on Thursday as shipment activity through the Strait of Hormuz remained restricted despite a two-week ceasefire between Washington and Iran. The rebound in oil prices follows the sharpest one-day pullback since 2020 in the previous session as the US and Iran agreed to temporarily halt hostilities that had gripped the Middle East.Front-month West Texas Intermediate crude oil rose 5% to $99.24 a barrel, and the global benchmark Brent crude contract was advancing 2.5% to $97.12 a barrel.Henry Hub natural gas futures fell 1.5% to $2.68 per 1 million BTU.US natural gas stocks rose by 50 billion cubic feet in the week ended April 3, larger than the 48 billion increase expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET and following a revised increase of 32 billion cubic feet in the previous week.In corporate news, Kosmos Energy (KOS) shares dropped 8.1% after Goldman Sachs downgraded the company's stock to sell from neutral, with a $2.25 price target.Chevron (CVX) expects higher commodity prices driven by the Middle East conflict to boost Q1 earnings in its upstream segment by up to $2.2 billion, though timing impacts could weigh on its bottom line. Its shares were down 1.2%.Exxon Mobil (XOM) is planning an overhaul in the spring and another at the end of the year at its Beaumont refinery in Texas, Reuters reported late Wednesday. Exxon shares shed 0.8%.Energy Vault (NRGV) shares gained 3% after it said Thursday it has agreed to buy a pipeline of battery energy storage system, or BESS, projects in Japan from a local company.

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$APLD$CRWV$GOOGL$INTC$META$MSFT

Sector Update: Tech Stocks Higher Late Afternoon

Tech stocks were higher late Thursday afternoon, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) up 0.2% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) adding 1.2%.The Philadelphia Semiconductor index climbed 1.9%.In corporate news, Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI said on X that it is offering a new ChatGPT Pro tier for $100 per month. Also, OpenAI expects to report $2.5 billion in ad revenue this year and $100 billion by 2030, Axios reported. Microsoft shares eased 0.3%.Applied Digital (APLD) shares dropped past 7% following its fiscal Q3 results.CoreWeave (CRWV) agreed to supply AI cloud capacity to Meta Platforms (META) in a $21 billion deal as they expanded their partnership amid robust demand for infrastructure supporting AI workloads. Meta was up 2.7%, and CoreWeave climbed 3.6%.Intel (INTC) and Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google have expanded a multiyear agreement to develop AI and cloud infrastructure using Xeon processors and custom infrastructure processing units, the companies said Thursday. Intel shares gained 4.5%, and Alphabet increased 0.5%.

Sector Update: Health Care Stocks Mixed Late Afternoon

Health care stocks were mixed late Thursday afternoon, with the NYSE Health Care Index adding 0.1% and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) easing 0.1%.The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) increased 0.2%.In corporate news, STAAR Surgical (STAA) needs to show that the rebound in China is sustainable after the firm reported much higher preliminary Q1 net sales than consensus, Wedbush said in a note. Wedbush raised the company's price target to $26 from $21, while keeping its neutral rating. STAAR shares jumped 21%.Amazon.com's (AMZN) Amazon Pharmacy said Thursday it is offering Eli Lilly's (LLY) obesity pill Foundayo. Additionally, WW International (WW) said Thursday it is now offering access to Foundayo for weight loss through its Med+ program and affiliated medical groups. Lilly shares rose 0.4%.BridgeBio Pharma (BBIO) is transitioning from a single-asset transthyretin story into a diversified rare disease company, with growth poised to accelerate beyond its ATTR franchise, RBC Capital said in a note. RBC started coverage of the company with an outperform rating and a price target of $100. BridgeBio shares rose 2.7%.Vanda Pharmaceuticals (VNDA) said Thursday it is calling on the US Food and Drug Administration to withdraw a proposal in the regulator's fiscal 2027 Congressional Budget Justification that would extend drug review timelines. Vanda shares were down 0.3%.

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Update: Market Chatter: Yanbu Port Loadings Persist After Attack on Key Saudi Pipeline

(Updated with Aramco's response in the eighth paragraph.)Crude shipments from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port continued Thursday despite an attack on the 7 million barrels per day East-West pipeline, Reuters reported Thursday, citing three sources.Cargo loadings at the Red Sea terminal were continuing after the pipeline strike, with two buyers and one trading source indicating no immediate disruption to export operations.Iran carried out the attack shortly after a ceasefire agreement, targeting the pipeline that serves as Saudi Arabia's main alternative export route, an industry source told Reuters on Wednesday.The source said pipeline flows were expected to be disrupted, with authorities still evaluating the extent of the damage following the incident.Yanbu has become a critical outlet as the Strait of Hormuz faces effective closure, limiting shipments from the Gulf and shifting export reliance toward the Red Sea.Loadings at Yanbu averaged about 3.3 mmb/d in March, sharply higher than about 800,000 b/d in February, with the port capable of exporting up to 5 mmb/d, the report added, citing Kpler's data.Saudi Aramco is diverting about 2 mmb/d of crude flowing through the pipeline to supply its refineries in western Saudi Arabia, according to the report.Aramco declined to comment on' request.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

Sector Update: Consumer Stocks Rise Late Afternoon

Consumer stocks were higher late Thursday afternoon, with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) increasing 0.8% and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) rising 1.6%.In corporate news, Netflix (NFLX) may outperform its own guidance for the full year as the impact of earlier-than-expected price increases takes hold, UBS Securities said in a note emailed Thursday. Netflix shares were up 2.8%.Brown-Forman (BF.A, BF.B) was approached by Sazerac about a potential transaction amid ongoing talks with French spirits company Pernod Ricard, The Wall Street Journal reported. Brown-Forman Class A and Class B shares jumped 11% and 13% respectively.StubHub (STUB) will pay $10 million to settle US Federal Trade Commission charges that it deceptively advertised ticket prices by failing to disclose mandatory fees upfront, the agency said. StubHub shares fell 2.8%.Constellation Brands (STZ) shares climbed past 8% after the company reported late Wednesday fiscal Q4 non-GAAP net income and revenue that beat analysts' expectations.

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US Markets116d ago

Fourth-Quarter GDP Growth Unexpectedly Revised Lower Amid Weaker Consumer Spending

The US economy expanded at a slower rate in the fourth quarter than previously projected, as consumer spending growth decelerated, the Bureau of Economic Analysis' third estimate showed Thursday.Real gross domestic product increased at a 0.5% annualized rate in the December quarter, down from the 0.7% growth reported in the second estimate. The consensus was for the growth rate to be left unrevised in a survey compiled by Bloomberg.The final reading marks the slowest growth rate in three quarters and follows a 4.4% expansion in the previous quarter, according to government data. The report was delayed due to last year's US federal government shutdown.Growth in consumer spending -- as measured by personal consumption expenditures -- was revised to 1.9% from the 2% rate previously reported, which Wall Street also expected would not change."The downward revision to (fourth-quarter) GDP is not a major concern, as it was driven by the volatile inventory component," Oxford Economics Chief US Economist Michael Pearce said in remarks e-mailed to. "Gross domestic income -- a better gauge of underlying activity -- and gross domestic output of private business showed the core of the economy was still expanding at a healthy pace at the end of last year."Fourth-quarter headline PCE inflation growth was left unchanged at 2.9%. Core PCE inflation -- which excludes the volatile food and energy components -- was also unrevised at 2.7%, official data showed.In 2025, real GDP grew 2.1%, the same rate as previously forecast, according to the report.The BEA said in a separate report Thursday that US inflation accelerated sequentially in February as real consumer spending edged higher. Analysts expect price pressures to intensify due to the spillover effects of the Middle East conflict.

Treasury116d ago

US Treasury Closing Levels

3:00 Thursday vs 3:00 Wednesday2yr 100-04 vs 100-05; 3.777% vs 3.790%5yr 99-26+ vs 99-25+; 3.911% vs 3.918%10yr 98-22 vs 98-21+; 4.287% vs 4.289%30yr 97-23 vs 97-27+; 4.895% vs 4.885%2/10 50.809 bps vs 49.745 bps5/30 98.163 bps vs 96.448 bps