BUSINESS

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.

Block Inc. shares climbed 4.65% to close at $90.76 on Tuesday, gaining $4.03 on elevated trading volume as investors cheered preliminary signs of strength in the company's Cash App Bitcoin ecosystem and ongoing execution of its aggressive artificial intelligence-driven restructuring.

SYDNEY — WiseTech Global Ltd shares climbed 4.66% to close at $38.89 on Tuesday, adding $1.73 amid renewed investor enthusiasm for the Australian logistics software provider's aggressive push into artificial intelligence and steady progress integrating its major e2open acquisition.

SYDNEY — Paladin Energy Ltd shares jumped as much as 6.60% to an intraday high of $13.32 on Tuesday, closing near $13.24 after heavy trading volume of more than 1.47 million shares, pushing the Australian uranium producer's market capitalization above $5.9 billion and extending its remarkable 185.96% gain over the past year.

SYDNEY — Australia's real estate market entered 2026 riding strong momentum from the previous year, but early data and revised forecasts point to a widening divide between booming mid-tier capitals and cooling major eastern cities, even as national dwelling values continue to climb.

LONDON — The FTSE 100 closed modestly lower on Monday, ending at 10,582.96 after shedding 17.57 points or 0.17%, as lingering concerns over the U.S.-Iran standoff and a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz kept investors cautious despite some resilience in commodity-linked shares.

TORONTO — Capstone Copper Corp. shares surged more than 6% on Tuesday, closing at C$12.69 after trading as high as C$12.73, as investors cheered robust copper market fundamentals, record 2025 production results and positive momentum across the company's key Chilean operations.

SYDNEY — Deep Yellow Ltd. shares have delivered explosive returns for investors betting on the global uranium renaissance, climbing more than 100% over the past year even as the stock pulled back sharply in recent sessions amid broader sector volatility and profit-taking.

SYDNEY — The S&P/ASX 200 index rose 52.5 points, or 0.59%, to close at 8,978.5 on Tuesday, clawing back ground as soaring oil prices lifted energy shares even as broader market caution persisted over escalating U.S.-Iran tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

SYDNEY — Australia's unemployment rate rose modestly to 4.3 per cent in February 2026, the latest official data show, marking a slight uptick from 4.1 per cent in January but remaining near historic lows as the labour market continued to absorb a growing workforce amid steady economic conditions.

WINONA, Minn. — Shares of Fastenal Co. tumbled more than 6% Monday to $45.77 after the industrial distributor posted first-quarter results that largely met Wall Street expectations but failed to excite investors amid concerns over margin trends, pricing contributions and a cautious outlook in a mixed manufacturing environment.

NEW YORK — Shares of MARA Holdings Inc. jumped Monday to $10.02, up 48 cents or 4.98%, as the Bitcoin mining company continued to draw trader interest following its aggressive balance sheet cleanup, strategic shift toward artificial intelligence infrastructure and ongoing volatility tied to cryptocurrency prices.

NEW YORK — Shares of Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. rose Monday to $21.57, up 28 cents or 1.32%, as the Ethereum-heavy treasury company continued to draw investor attention following its recent uplisting to the New York Stock Exchange and aggressive accumulation of digital assets.

NEW YORK — Shares of SoFi Technologies Inc. climbed Monday as the digital banking disruptor traded at $16.58, up 36 cents or 2.25%, reflecting renewed investor interest ahead of its first-quarter 2026 earnings and amid fresh moves into enterprise banking and crypto services.