Wall Street rallied and closed higher despite failed U.S.-Iran talks, amid a US blockade of Iran's ports in the Strait of Hormuz and Trump's threats to destroy impeding Iranian ships, boosting oil prices and energy stocks.

• Terranova highlights one public stock as a backdoor investment to capitalize on the private boom at Anthropic.
• Wells Fargo recommends securing 5% yields on select bonds right now.
• Stockton predicts further upside for a wind energy ETF due to a key technical catalyst.
• Chip stocks from Josh Brown’s recommendations have delivered strong gains and may keep climbing.
• Amazon shares have surged recently, with clear reasons now emerging for the rally.
• An options trade on a specific energy stock stands to profit as oil prices remain elevated longer than expected.
• Goldman Sachs advises buying a specialty retail stock, currently 14% below its peak.
• Morgan Stanley forecasts outperformance for a Chinese video platform amid expanding game releases.
• Nvidia continues its impressive streak with a ninth straight day of gains.
• Markets rallied to close higher on Wall Street, shrugging off collapsed U.S.-Iran negotiations.

Hang Seng Index closed at 25,660 points, down 232 points, with car stocks like BYD and NIO rising while medical platform stocks such as JD Health plunged over 9% amid subdued turnover.

• Hang Seng Index Decline: Hang Seng closed at 25,660 points, down 232 points with low volume; tech index fell 38 points, JD Health dropped over 9%, while auto stocks like BYD and NIO rose amid mixed medical sector performance.
• China Q1 Credit Data Misses Expectations: Social financing grew 14.83 trillion RMB (below 15.149T forecast), new loans at 8.6T (vs 9.075T expected), and March M2 up 8.5% YoY (short of 8.9%), signaling softer monetary expansion.
• Geopolitical Tensions Impact Markets: US military seals Strait of Hormuz, oil jumps 7%, Dow futures plunge 460 points; unresolved US-Iran issues drag Dow down 360 points, European stocks soften 0.9-1.3%.
• Sigenergy IPO Oversubscription: New listing Sigenergy (06656) sees public offer super-oversubscribed 1,103 times by 200,000 retail investors, highlighting strong demand for energy tech IPOs.
• Xiaomi Repurchase and VIP Visit: Xiaomi buys back 8.1M shares for 248M HKD; Spanish PM Sanchez tours Xiaomi park with Lei Jun showcasing autos and phones.
• Goldman Sachs Mixed Q1 Results: Earnings and revenue beat forecasts but fixed income underperformed, sending shares down 4% pre-market.
• New "Country Nine Articles" 2-Year Impact: Capital markets show deep changes in ecology, structure, and function two years post-reform, boosting shareholder returns over financing and new quality productive forces.
• A-Share IPO Surge and GEM Reforms: 36 IPOs YTD up 16% with 313B RMB raised, focused on electronics/new energy; GEM adds 4th listing standard for innovative firms, enhancing inclusivity.
• RMB Strengthens Amid Mideast Calm: RMB vs USD surges weekly to 2023 highs on de-escalating tensions, stable exports, and improving domestic demand/investment.
• Private Funds Positive Q1: Over 80% of 100B+私募 and 57% of securities products post gains (avg +0.65%), with optimism for tech/resources amid low rates and policy support.

Tokyo stocks plunged over 400 yen, with the market hit by more than 600 yen at one point, after Trump announced plans to block the Strait of Hormuz, fueling crude oil price surges and concerns over Middle East tensions.

• Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pushes to speed up major budget reviews using five key principles in the government's Basic Policies, as debates gain momentum.
• The yen weakens to the late 159 range against the dollar amid crisis-driven buying, fueled by escalating Middle East tensions and soaring crude oil prices.
• Tokyo Stock Exchange plummets over 400 yen (up to 600+ yen intraday), triggered by Trump's announcement of a Hormuz Strait blockade and resulting oil price fears.
• Japan's long-term bond yields spike to 2.49%—a 27-year high—due to crude oil surges and unresolved US-Iran talks heightening inflation worries.
• BOJ Governor Ueda warns of volatile global financial markets and pledges close monitoring of Middle East effects on achieving price stability.
• LDP and Japan Innovation Party align to shrink housewife pension eligibility, with social security officials targeting inclusion in Basic Policies.
• Keidanren opposes consumption tax cuts without alternative funding, suggesting higher burdens on the elderly via a national conference.
• TOTO suspends orders for unit baths and system baths indefinitely due to naphtha shortages linked to Middle East instability.
• Capital region governors urge Finance Minister to fix uneven tax revenues, citing intolerable gaps in public services.
• NHK poll reveals 54% of people do not sense adequate wage hikes despite official claims, highlighting public discontent.

Bitcoin erases its weekend decline and returns to $73,400 as oil prices retreat back under $100, signaling stabilization in the crypto market amid various token rallies and regulatory developments.

• A little-known cryptocurrency token has surged by 6,000%, sparking trader speculation on the reasons behind the massive rally.
• Bitcoin has rebounded to $73,400, wiping out weekend losses as oil prices drop below $100.
• Coinbase's VP of international policy has departed to join OpenAI.
• Crypto wallet company Exodus is suing W3C and CEO Garth Howat to enforce a $175 million acquisition deal.
• White House crypto adviser Witt reports progress in clearing hurdles for the Clarity Act.
• The U.S. SEC rules that software enabling crypto wallet transactions does not qualify as a broker.
• Kraken faces an extortion attempt but confirms no data breach or risk to client funds occurred.
• Circle's CEO vows not to freeze USDC without a court order, despite hackers stealing millions.
• Major Aave proposal has passed, potentially transforming the platform and boosting its 2026 price outlook.
• Bitcoin struggles to break $73K or $70K, prompting questions on its next price direction amid predictions it's trading 9.70% below targets.

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