BUSINESS

NEW YORK — IREN Limited, the Nasdaq-listed former Bitcoin miner now aggressively pivoting to AI cloud infrastructure, presents a high-risk, high-reward opportunity in 2026 as the company targets $3.4 billion in annualized run-rate revenue from GPU-based AI services while navigating cryptocurrency price swings and intense competition in data centers.

SYDNEY — The S&P/ASX 200 index edged higher by 0.06 percent to close at 8,976.2 on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in a cautious session dominated by fuel crisis concerns, yet several standout stocks delivered strong gains that highlighted pockets of resilience in the resource, industrials and consumer sectors.

SYDNEY — Australia's fuel crisis, triggered by disruptions from the US-Israel conflict with Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, continued into mid-April 2026 with hundreds of service stations still reporting shortages, diesel prices exceeding $3 per litre in many areas and economists warning of growing recession risks if supply restrictions become necessary later this year.

NEW YORK — Bitcoin climbed above $75,000 on Tuesday, gaining more than 1% to trade around $75,249.84 as investors shrugged off lingering Middle East tensions and embraced signs of de-escalation in U.S.-Iran relations along with steady institutional buying through spot exchange-traded funds.

NEW YORK — The Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.40% to 23,507.62 Tuesday morning, extending its rebound from recent geopolitical shocks as investors bet on resilient corporate earnings and the enduring strength of artificial intelligence-driven growth.

NEW YORK — Oklo Inc. shares jumped more than 8% Tuesday, climbing to around $58 as investors piled into the advanced nuclear company amid surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centers and fresh regulatory progress on its small modular reactor technology.

NEW YORK — Shares of Strategy Inc. climbed more than 5% in early trading Tuesday as the company formerly known as MicroStrategy continued its aggressive Bitcoin accumulation strategy, with Bitcoin prices rebounding above $74,000 and investors positioning ahead of the firm's first-quarter 2026 earnings later next month.

NEW YORK — Shares of Circle Internet Group Inc. climbed sharply in early trading Tuesday as renewed enthusiasm for stablecoins and cryptocurrency adoption lifted the issuer of the USDC token, pushing the stock to $108.05 amid expectations for strong first-quarter results next month.

NEW YORK — Shares of Robinhood Markets Inc. jumped more than 10% in early trading Tuesday as investors positioned for the company's upcoming first-quarter 2026 earnings and bet on continued strength in cryptocurrency trading volumes and expanding product offerings.

NEW YORK — Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. climbed sharply in early trading Tuesday as easing oil prices and resilient consumer demand boosted sentiment for the carrier, sending the stock up more than 8% and extending a recent recovery amid hopes for a stronger 2026 performance.

NEW YORK — Shares of NuScale Power Corp. surged more than 12% in early trading Tuesday as investors piled into the small modular reactor developer ahead of its first-quarter 2026 earnings report next month, betting on progress in the global push for advanced nuclear power to meet surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centers and clean energy goals.

NEW YORK — Shares of Globalstar Inc. climbed sharply in early trading Tuesday after reports emerged that Amazon.com Inc. is in advanced negotiations to acquire the satellite communications company in a deal valued at approximately $11.6 billion, a move that would significantly bolster Amazon's low-Earth orbit satellite ambitions and intensify competition with SpaceX's Starlink network.

NEW YORK — Shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. traded near all-time highs Tuesday after the banking giant delivered stronger-than-expected first-quarter 2026 results, posting record net income of $16.5 billion and beating Wall Street forecasts on both revenue and earnings amid robust performance in markets, investment banking and asset management.

NEW YORK — Shares of Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd. jumped more than 13% in early trading Tuesday after the high-speed connectivity specialist announced a strategic acquisition of Israeli photonics company DustPhotonics, a deal that accelerates its push into silicon photonics and next-generation optical interconnects critical for powering massive AI data centers.

NEW YORK — Shares of Astera Labs Inc. fell more than 3% in early trading Tuesday as the semiconductor company specializing in high-speed connectivity for artificial intelligence infrastructure gave back some of its recent sharp gains, even as analysts continue to highlight its pivotal role in powering the AI data center buildout.

War risk insurance premiums for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz have skyrocketed in 2026, with rates reaching as high as 5% or more of a ship's hull value for a single passage, dramatically increasing costs for oil tankers and other commercial shipping through the world's most critical energy chokepoint.

SYDNEY — Qantas Airways Ltd. has cut domestic flight capacity by about 5% for May and June and raised fares as surging jet fuel prices linked to the escalating conflict in the Middle East threaten to add as much as $800 million to its second-half fuel bill.