NEWS

SYDNEY — Australia's fuel crisis, triggered by disruptions from the ongoing Middle East conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, showed tentative signs of stabilization Tuesday as national petrol stockpiles climbed to 46 days of emergency supplies, yet diesel shortages continued to hammer rural communities, transport operators and food supply chains.

SYDNEY — The S&P/ASX 200 index closed fractionally lower Tuesday, shedding 3.9 points or 0.04 percent to finish at 8,949.4 as investors adopted a wait-and-see stance ahead of a critical Middle East ceasefire deadline and weighed mixed signals from commodity prices and domestic sectors.

King Charles III led the tributes to his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, on what would have been her 100th birthday if she was still around.

Chinese President Xi Jinping directly addressed the issue involving the Strait of Hormuz, urging the US and Iran to keep it open.

NEW YORK — Hertz Global Holdings Inc. shares rose 4.44% in midday trading on April 20, 2026, climbing 33 cents to $7.76 as investors weighed early signs of operational improvement against persistent challenges in the car rental giant's path to sustainable profitability.

NEW YORK — Shares of USA Rare Earth Inc. climbed more than 8% in early Monday trading on April 20, 2026, rising $1.60 to $21.55 after the company announced a major $2.8 billion deal to acquire Serra Verde Group, a move that instantly expands its access to producing mines and all four key magnetic rare earth elements while strengthening its position in the global supply chain.

NEW YORK — Shares of Kaspi.kz JSC surged more than 7% in early Monday trading on April 20, 2026, rising $6.69 to $91.60 as investors cheered the Kazakh fintech giant's recent approval of a substantial cash dividend and growing confidence in its super app ecosystem amid regional expansion.

NEW YORK — TopBuild Corp. shares skyrocketed more than 16% in early Monday trading on April 20, 2026, surging $67.80 to $478.11 after the leading insulation and building products installer agreed to be acquired by QXO Inc. in a $17 billion cash-and-stock transaction that values the company at a substantial premium.

NEW YORK — Shares of Nektar Therapeutics surged more than 19% in early Monday trading on April 20, 2026, climbing $16.58 to $101.44 as investors cheered positive 52-week topline results from the Phase 2b REZOLVE-AA clinical trial of the company's lead immunology candidate, rezpegaldesleukin, in patients with severe-to-very-severe alopecia areata.

NEW YORK — The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged lower in early Monday trading on April 20, 2026, dipping 12.22 points, or 0.025%, to 49,428.12 as investors weighed fresh geopolitical risks in the Middle East that sent oil prices climbing and stock futures lower.

A tsunami warning has been issued for certain parts of northern Japan following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake that hit the country.

SYDNEY — Zip Co Ltd shares climbed 7.73 percent to close at A$2.51 on Monday, extending gains for the Australian buy-now-pay-later provider after last week's strong third-quarter results and an upgraded full-year profit forecast that highlighted accelerating growth in its key U.S. market.

World petrol prices jumped sharply Monday amid renewed tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, with Brent crude climbing more than 5% to trade near $95-96 per barrel as Iran reimposed restrictions on the vital shipping lane following a brief reopening, sending shockwaves through global energy markets and raising concerns about prolonged supply disruptions.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran has reimposed restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz, shutting the critical waterway to most commercial shipping less than 24 hours after declaring it fully open, escalating a high-stakes maritime standoff with the United States that threatens global oil supplies and has already driven volatile swings in energy prices.

SYDNEY — Australian motorists are seeing modest relief at the bowser this week as national petrol prices continue to fall slowly following government intervention and improving fuel stocks, yet analysts warn that long-term price stability hinges on fragile developments in the Middle East and could take months to fully materialise.

Australia will take part in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and safe if and when a deal is reached amid the ongoing Iran war.

Doctors and nurses are increasingly dominating Australia's fast-growing cosmetic injectables sector, with many clinicians choosing to step away from high-pressure hospital environments to establish their own practices and apply their medical expertise in a more balanced, flexible and patient-focused setting.

SYDNEY — The S&P/ASX 200 index traded virtually flat in thin afternoon trade Monday, closing down a negligible 2.0 points, or 0.02 percent, at 8,944.9 as investors weighed escalating tensions in the Middle East against hopes for renewed diplomacy and shifting commodity prices.

SYDNEY — Australians are ditching petrol pumps for electric vehicle showrooms in record numbers as a severe fuel crisis triggered by conflict in the Middle East sends petrol and diesel prices skyrocketing and leaves hundreds of service stations dry.

SHIBUYA, Japan — A towering blue sculpture of Shohei Ohtani captured mid-slide, clutching a bottle of sunscreen, is turning heads and drawing crowds in one of Tokyo's busiest districts as the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar's latest endorsement deal rolls through the streets in a custom promotional truck.

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines on Friday categorically rejected any possibility of merging with rival United Airlines, dashing speculation sparked by United CEO Scott Kirby's reported pitch to President Donald Trump earlier this year.

Shares of Maase Inc. skyrocketed more than 31% Friday, climbing to $9.84 in midday trading on the Nasdaq as investors piled into the small-cap stock following its recent strategic shift toward becoming a full-stack artificial intelligence player through the completed acquisition of China's Huazhi Group.

Smith & Wesson Brands Inc., one of America's most iconic firearm manufacturers, continues to navigate a shifting market with improving financial results and fresh product launches, even as the company marks more than 170 years of innovation in revolvers, pistols and long guns.

Tesla Inc. shares surged more than 4.6% Friday, climbing to $407.02 midday as investors bet on accelerating progress in artificial intelligence, autonomous driving technology and upcoming product catalysts, even after the electric vehicle maker posted weaker-than-expected first-quarter deliveries.

NEW YORK — Shares of Bath & Body Works Inc. surged more than 8% Friday, climbing to $19.64 in midday trading as Wall Street showed renewed confidence in the retailer's efforts to revive its iconic brand through innovation and smarter pricing, even as the company braces for another year of declining sales.

NEW YORK — Shares of Autoliv Inc. surged almost 10 percent Friday as the world's largest maker of automotive airbags and seatbelts reported first-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations, driven by robust demand in Asia and better-than-anticipated operational performance despite softer global vehicle production.

NEW YORK — Shares of Hims & Hers Health Inc. climbed sharply in morning trading Friday as investors bet that potential regulatory relief on compounded peptides could strengthen the telehealth company's weight-loss offerings and broader platform growth.

SEATTLE — Alaska Air Group Inc. shares surged more than 12 percent in morning trading Friday as plunging oil prices following the Middle East ceasefire delivered welcome relief to fuel-burdened airlines and boosted sentiment across the sector ahead of the carrier's first-quarter earnings next week.

CHICAGO — United Airlines Holdings Inc. shares surged nearly 10 percent in early trading Friday, extending a rebound for the airline sector as falling oil prices eased fuel-cost concerns and fresh speculation about a potential blockbuster merger with American Airlines fueled investor optimism.