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Oil Edges Lower Amid a Shaky Ceasefire Between the U.S. and Iran as Israel Continues to Attack Lebanon

Oil prices edged lower early on Friday amid doubts over the state of the ceasefire between Iran and the United States as Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.West Texas Intermediate crude oil for May delivery was last seen down US$0.29 to US$97.58 per barrel, while June Brent oil was down US$0.27 to US$95.65.A fragile two-week ceasefire for the United States' war on Iran reached this week looked more uncertain on Friday as Iran is said to be refusing to attend peace talks scheduled to be held this weekend in Pakistan as long as Israel continues its attacks on Lebanon. Reports on Thursday said Israeli Prime Minister plans to open talks with Lebanon but its attacks on Hezbollah militants in the country continue."Western outlets have reported that the Iranian delegation has already arrived in-country while some Iranian outlets dispute this claim, continuing to suggest that the talks are conditional on a ceasefire with Lebanon where Israel / Hezbollah continue to trade strikes," Tudor, Pickering, Holt analyst Matt Portillo wrote.Iran continues to block the passage of tankers stranded in the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, the choke point for exports from the region that supplies 20% of daily oil demand. The closure of the Strait has pushed oil futures up 41% since the start of the conflict, but spot prices have risen even more, reaching a record high this week as buyers hunt for supply."The physical market remains relatively supported as traders resist significant revisions in differentials in the near term, largely opting for a "show me" mentality despite speculation over the future of Strait of Hormuz transits swirling in oil markets. While Dated (spot) Brent trimmed from Tuesday's all-time record of $144.42/bbl (assessed at $124.68/bbl on April 8) and Middle Eastern cash differentials waned, Atlantic Basin crudes have continued to see strength as limited prompt availability of cargoes remains," Christopher Louney, a commodities strategist at RBC Capital Markets, wrote.

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Dow JonesNasdaq CompositeS&P 500$MRVL$NOW$TSM

Sector Update: Health Care

Health care stocks were steady pre-bell Friday, with the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) inactive and the State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) marginally lower.Telix Pharmaceuticals (TLX) shares were up more than 5% after the company said the US Food and Drug Administration accepted its resubmitted new drug application for its investigational glioma imaging agent Pixclara.

$TLX

Asia Markets155d ago

US Equity Futures Flat Pre-Bell as Traders Track Developments in Fragile US-Iran Ceasefire

US equity futures were flat pre-bell Friday as traders were wary of the fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran.Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.1% higher, S&P 500 futures were up 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures were 0.3% higher.The Strait of Hormuz remains shut, while Israel continues to exchange fire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, even with the US-Iran talks scheduled on Saturday morning in Islamabad. Israel has said it would start talks with the Lebanese government targeting to disarm Hezbollah and end attacks in the nation.Oil prices were lower, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 0.5% at $95.42 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.5% lower at $97.42 per barrel.The March consumer price index, released at 8:30 am ET, gained 0.9% as expected, compared with a 0.3% increase in the previous month, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for April is expected at 51.5%, down from 53.3% previously, and the February factory orders are expected to have declined 0.2% following an increase of 0.1% in January. The two reports are scheduled for 10 am ET.In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.8% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.6% higher, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.5% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 was up 0.4%, and Germany's DAX index was up 0.8% in Europe's early afternoon session.In equities, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) shares were up 2.3% after the company reported higher Q1 net revenue. Marvell Technology (MRVL) shares were 3.5% higher after Barclays upgraded the company's stock to overweight from equalweight.On the losing side, ServiceNow (NOW) shares were down 1.6% after the company said it is shifting its entire product portfolio from artificial intelligence sidecars to full AI integration. UBS also downgraded the company's stock to neutral from buy.

Sector Update: Consumer

Consumer stocks were edging higher pre-bell Friday, with the State Street Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) up 0.1% and the State Street Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLY) advancing by 0.2%.Brown-Forman (BF.A, BF.B) was approached by Sazerac about a potential transaction amid ongoing discussions with French spirits company Pernod Ricard, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Brown-Forman stock was up 1% premarket.

$BF.A$BF.B

Mining & Metals155d ago

Winshear Metals Says Received $170,000 Non-Dilutive Funding Through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program

Winshear Metals (WINS.V) on Friday said that it qualified for and has received $169,892 from the Ontario government through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP), covering 50% of the company's qualifying exploration expenditures at the Thunder Bay Project, NW Ontario.The company said that it is planning to conduct a number of detailed infill soil sampling grids as soon as weather conditions permit, followed by airborne magnetics to refine the gold targets for prospecting and drill target definition."The Ontario Junior Exploration Program is an important program initiative provided by the Ontario Government to encourage, facilitate and speed up early stage, generative mineral exploration, which can lead to new mineral deposit discoveries," said Richard Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Winshear. "We are grateful for the support and recognition of what we are working to accomplish on the Thunder Bay Project."

$WINS.V

S&P/TSX CompositeS&P/TSX Composite$CXY

Canada Posts Small Jobs Gain in March, as Expected

Canada's employment was little changed in March, up 14,000 or 0.1% month over month, while the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7%, said the country's statistical agency in Friday's Labour Force Survey (LFS).The job increases were in line with a forecast 14,500 increase and 6.7% unemployement rate provided by MUFG.Across the major age groups, employment held steady and the unemployment rate was little changed, noted Statistics Canada in a statement.Employment rose in the 'other services' industry, which includes repair and maintenance services, by 15,000 and 1.9% month over month, and it also increased in natural resources, up 10,000 and 3.0% month over month. Employment declined in finance, insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing, or down 11,000 and 0.8%.Fewer people were employed in British Columbia (-19,000; -0.7%), while employment rose in Manitoba (+11,000; +1.5%), Saskatchewan (+5,800; +0.9%) and Nova Scotia (+3,900; +0.7%).Average hourly wages among employees increased 4.7% (+$1.68 to $37.73) on a year-over-year basis in March, following growth of 3.9% in February, not seasonally adjusted, added StatsCan.Recent increases in average hourly wages were partly due to a shift in the composition of employment. Using a method that holds constant the composition of employees by occupation and job tenure, average hourly wages grew by 3.6% on a year-over-year basis in March, similar to the rate of growth observed in January (+3.6%) and February 2025 (+3.5%), stated the Ottawa-based agency.The participation rate -- the proportion of the population aged 15 and older who were employed or looking for work -- was unchanged at 64.9%. On a year-over-year basis, the labor force participation rate was down 0.4 percentage point.The LFS estimates are based on a sample and are therefore subject to sampling variability. As a result, monthly estimates will show more variability than trends observed over longer time periods. This analysis focuses on differences between estimates that are statistically significant at the 68% confidence level.LFS estimates at the Canada level do not include the territories. The LFS estimates are the first in a series of labor market indicators released by StatsCan, which includes indicators from programs such as the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH); Employment Insurance Statistics; and the Job Vacancy and Wage Survey.

Sector Update: Tech

Technology stocks were edging higher premarket Friday, with the State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) up 0.4% and the State Street SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF (XSD) advancing by 1.2%.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) shares were up more than 2% after the company reported Q1 net revenue of 1.134 trillion New Taiwan dollars ($35.69 billion), up from NT$839.25 billion.

$TSM

March US Consumer Prices Rise as Expected, Energy Prices Post Largest Gain Since 2005

The US seasonally adjusted consumer price index, a measure of inflation, rose by 0.9% in March, as expected in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:30 am ET and following a 0.3% increase in February, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.Core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, rose by 0.2%, smaller than the consensus estimate for a 0.3% increase and the same as in the previous month.Energy prices were the key factor, as expected due to the conflict in Iran. Overall energy prices rose by 10.9%, the largest monthly increase since September 2005, with gasoline prices up a record 21.2%. Excluding just energy prices, CPI was up 0.2% for a second straight month as food prices were flat.Owners' equivalent rents rose by 0.3%, while regular rents increased by 0.2%. There were also notable gains in transportation services, especially airline fares.Providing some offset, new motor vehicle prices rose by only 0.1% and used vehicle prices fell by 0.4% for a second straight month.CPI excluding food, energy and shelter increased by 0.1% after a 0.2% gain in the previous month.The year-over-year rates for overall and core CPI accelerated to 3.3% and 2.6%, respectively, from 2.4% and 2.5% in the previous month.The monthly consumer price index, or CPI, reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, measures the index level of prices paid by consumers for a basket of goods and services such as food, energy, vehicle, medical care, apparel, and housing.The core measure, which excludes food and energy due to their volatility, is closely watched by markets and the Federal Reserve as a sign of underlying inflation pressures.Rising inflation is a sign of strong US consumer demand, but both stocks and bond normally react negatively to level of price growth that would necessitate higher interest rates.

Asia155d ago

China CITIC Bank Sells 40 Billion Yuan Bonds

China CITIC Bank (HKG:0998, SHA:601998) completed the issue of 40 billion yuan of undated capital bonds in the interbank bond market on Friday, according to a same-day Hong Kong bourse filing.The bonds carry a coupon rate of 2.06% for the first five years, following which it will be adjusted every five years.The lender has a conditional redemption right on each interest payment date in the fifth year and the years to follow.The bank will use proceeds to replenish its other tier-one capital.

HKG:0998SHA:601998

Research155d ago

Research Alert: CFRA Drops Coverage On Shares Of Joyy Inc.

CFRA, an independent research provider, has providedwith the following research alert. Analysts at CFRA have summarized their opinion as follows:We are dropping STARS coverage on shares of JOYY Inc. as of April 10, 2026, in favor of stocks with greater investor interest. Our last recommendation on the shares was Hold.

$JOYY

CoreWeave Prices Upsized $3.5 Billion Convertible Notes Offering

CoreWeave (CRWV) said Friday it priced an upsized $3.5 billion private offering of 1.75% convertible senior notes due 2032, up from a previously announced $3 billion.The company said the deal is expected to close April 14, with an option for buyers to purchase an additional $500 million.CoreWeave said the notes carry a 1.75% annual interest rate and an initial conversion price of about $119.60 per share.The notes mature in October 2032 and can be converted into cash, shares, or a combination of both at the company's discretion, it added.CoreWeave said it expects net proceeds of about $3.45 billion, which it plans to use for general corporate purposes, including funding capped call transactions designed to limit shareholder dilution.

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Equities155d ago

Vessels Partially Blocked in Belgium's Port of Antwerp Due to Oil Spill

The Port of Antwerp in Belgium said Friday the passage of vessels were blocked due to an oil spill during a bunkering operation.The Scheldt Dock was closed early morning but was reopened to shipping hours around early afternoon. On the other hand, the Deurganck Dock, where the oil spill occurred, remains closed. The port added the Zandvliet and Berendrecht locks are also closed due to the presence of oil slicks.European refineries operated by Exxon Mobil Corp. (XONA.F) and TotalEnergies SE (TTE.PA, TTE.L) are located in the port, as reported by Bloomberg News.Exxon and TotalEnergies did not immediately respond to a request for comment from.

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US March CPI Energy Prices Up 10.9%, Gasoline Prices Up 21.2%, Accounts for Nearly 75% of Overall CPI Gain

Mining & Metals155d ago

Seabridge Gold Reports Delay in Decision to Issue Construction Permits for KSM Mitchell Treaty Tunnels Project

Seabridge Gold (SEA.TO) said Friday that a government decision to issue permit amendments for the construction and operation of the Mitchell Treaty Tunnels (MTT) in British Columbia over their full length has been delayed.The MTT is a key infrastructure component of Seabridge's KSM project, comprising two parallel tunnels connecting the mining operations in the Mitchell Valley with the processing operations in the Treaty Valley.The company said it has received a letter from the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals of British Columbia that referenced a legal action filed by Tudor Gold (TUD.V). About 12.5 kilometers of the MTT will pass through mineral claims owned by Tudor.

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Mining & Metals155d ago

Baylin Technologies Settles Litigation With SpaceBridge

Baylin Technologies (BYL.TO) said Friday that it has settled its litigation with SpaceBridge over claims arising out of the company's acquisition of Advantech Wireless Technologies in January 2018.According to a statement, the settlement is being funded by payments to the parties out of the escrow fund that was established in connection with the acquisition. Baylin will be receiving cash from the escrow as part of the settlement.Baylin shares closed up $0.005, to $0.265, on Thursday, on the Toronto Stock Exchange

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S&P/TSX CompositeS&P/TSX Composite$CXY

Brief: Canada's Average Hourly Wages Among Employees Accelerate by 4.7% Y/Y in March

S&P/TSX CompositeS&P/TSX Composite$CXY

Brief: Canada's Unemployment Rate Unchanged at 6.7% in March; MUFG Says Consensus Saw at 6.8%

US March Core CPI Rises 0.2% Vs. Expected 0.3% Increase, Prior 0.2% Gain