BUSINESS

Gold prices fell sharply Friday, with spot gold trading at $4,654.86 per ounce, down $130.53 or 2.73%, as a firmer U.S. dollar and rising Treasury yields weighed on the non-yielding precious metal amid shifting market sentiment.

Alphabet Inc. shares traded near $294 on Friday morning as investors weighed whether the Google parent company represents a compelling buy amid robust artificial intelligence growth, record revenue and looming capital spending increases.

SYDNEY — As the Australian sharemarket navigates mixed economic signals in April 2026, including steady Reserve Bank of Australia rates and sector-specific pressures, several S&P/ASX 200 stocks are trading at significant discounts to their estimated intrinsic value, positioning them for potential substantial upside as earnings momentum builds through the year.

SYDNEY — Investors seeking reliable income in a volatile interest rate environment are turning to high-yield dividend stocks within the S&P/ASX 200 Index as the Reserve Bank of Australia holds the cash rate at 4.1% following recent hikes, making dividend yields from established companies an attractive alternative to term deposits and bonds.

Shares of Blue Owl Capital Inc. fell sharply in morning trading Thursday after the alternative asset manager announced it would limit redemptions on two major private credit funds following unprecedented withdrawal requests from investors, raising fresh concerns about liquidity in the booming but scrutinized private credit sector.

Shares of Iridium Communications Inc. jumped more than 10% in early trading Thursday after the satellite services provider announced the release date for its first-quarter 2026 financial results, signaling investor optimism about the company's expanding role in global connectivity and positioning, navigation and timing technologies.

Shares of Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYQ) exploded more than 94% in early trading Thursday, climbing from a previous close near $2.53 to $4.93 as investors reacted to a fresh company statement highlighting the strategic importance of its Nevada refinery amid surging Brent crude prices above $110 per barrel and shrinking West Coast refining capacity.

Dow Jones futures tumbled more than 640 points early Thursday, signaling a sharply lower open for Wall Street as surging oil prices and renewed fears over the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran rattled investor confidence and raised concerns about inflation and global economic growth.

Global oil and gas disruptions can trigger long-term economic damage by raising prices, limiting supply, and slowing growth across industries.

SYDNEY, Australia — The S&P/ASX 200 index fell 97.80 points, or 1.13%, to close at 8,574.00 on Thursday, April 2, 2026, extending recent weakness as persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, elevated oil prices and concerns over sticky inflation continued to weigh on investor sentiment.

NVIDIA Corp. landed at No. 6 on Fortune's 2026 list of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, the chipmaker announced Wednesday, highlighting its ability to maintain a high-trust culture even as it powers the global AI revolution and navigates explosive growth.

Shares of Axe Compute Inc. more than doubled Wednesday, surging as much as 102% to trade around $3.32 midday after the company announced $12 million in newly executed agreements expected to generate roughly $835,000 in monthly recurring revenue as it ramps up its enterprise GPU infrastructure business.

Shares of Cyclerion Therapeutics Inc. skyrocketed more than 313% Wednesday, surging from around $1.55 at Tuesday's close to trade near $6.47 midday as the micro-cap biotech announced a transformative all-stock merger with privately held Korsana Biosciences Inc.

Nike Inc. shares tumbled more than 14% Wednesday, plunging as low as $45.19 intraday after the athletic giant issued a disappointing sales forecast for the current quarter despite beating Wall Street expectations for its fiscal third quarter.

Netflix Inc. shares edged lower Wednesday, trading around $95.66 midday after closing at $96.15 the previous session, as Wall Street positioned for the streaming giant's first-quarter 2026 earnings report scheduled for April 16.

Intel Corp. shares jumped more than 9% to $48.39 in morning trading Wednesday, extending a remarkable recovery that has seen the chipmaker's stock more than double over the past year as investors bet on the company's aggressive foundry ambitions, AI processor momentum and progress under the U.S. CHIPS Act.

Alphabet Inc. shares rose more than 2% to around $294.42 in morning trading Wednesday as investors weighed the Google parent's aggressive push into artificial intelligence against its dominant search business and surging cloud revenue, with most Wall Street analysts maintaining a strong buy rating and projecting further gains over the next five years.