News highlights President Trump's directive to pause military operations for safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz, the fragile US-Iran ceasefire impacting global oil reserves, and the economic fallout felt by countries like India and Australia as energy prices climb and geopolitical turbulence affects company outlooks.

• Trump says US will ‘pause’ military operations to guide ships through Strait of Hormuz — Financial Times -
• Opinion | Trump Halts the Blockade of U.S. Ports — Wall Street Journal -
• Opinion | Where Is Trump Going in the Gulf? — Wall Street Journal -

• Oil Prices Slide but Remain Elevated as U.S.-Iran Cease-Fire Is Tested — The New York Times Business -
• Spirit’s demise spurs finger-pointing as rivals survey remains — Financial Times -
• Global oil reserves plunge at record pace as Middle East war strains supplies — Financial Times -
• Tell Us How High Gas Prices Have Affected Your Finances — The New York Times Business -
• Saudi Arabia boosts defence spending by a quarter — Financial Times -
• Bypassing the Strait of Hormuz — Financial Times -
• Maersk Ship Passed Strait of Hormuz Under U.S. Military Protection — The New York Times Business -
• Confusion in Strait of Hormuz Leaves Shipping Firms Guessing — The New York Times Business -
• Fragile US-Iran ceasefire on even shakier ground after latest strikes — Financial Times -
• Central banks prepare for a long war — Financial Times -
• How a beer tax fuelled an Australian debate over energy exports — Financial Times -
• Zelenskyy calls Putin’s ceasefire appeal ‘cynical’ as strikes continue — Financial Times -
• Fashion Group Hugo Boss Backs Outlook But Warns of Geopolitical Clouds — Wall Street Journal -
• Audi Sticks to Guidance But Warns of Impact From Geopolitical, Economic Turbulence — Wall Street Journal -
• Australia bucks global trend and raises interest rates — Financial Times -
• Reeves clashed with Bessent over Iran war criticism — Financial Times -
• Why the Collapse of Spirit Airlines Means Higher Fares for Everyone — Wall Street Journal -
• Middle East war hits the Indian economy — Financial Times -

The tech sector sees Meta developing advanced AI assistants and facing lawsuits over copyrighted material for AI training, while Coinbase announces significant layoffs due to AI-driven efficiency and changing work dynamics, and chipmakers like AMD report strong growth fueled by AI demand.

• Super Micro Computer Posts Higher Profit As Revenue Surges — Wall Street Journal -
• Apple reaches $250mn settlement over delayed ‘AI Siri’ — Financial Times -
• AMD Profit, Revenue Jump on Growth of Data Center Business — Wall Street Journal -

• Meta plans advanced ‘agentic’ AI assistant for consumers — Financial Times -
• Coinbase Lays Off 14% of Employees as A.I. Changes Work — The New York Times Business -
• Public and private markets vie for gains from AI job disruption — Financial Times -
• JPMorgan and BlackRock bosses play down talk of AI bubble — Financial Times -
• Meta and Zuckerberg sued by publishers over ‘massive’ copyright infringement — Financial Times -
• Publishers Sue Meta for Allegedly Using Copyrighted Works to Train AI — Wall Street Journal -
• Coinbase Laying Off 14% of Staff, Eliminating ‘Pure Managers’ — Wall Street Journal -
• The Federal Safety Net Isn’t Ready for Artificial Intelligence — The New York Times Business -
• Coinbase to cut jobs and rebuild the group as an ‘intelligence’ — Financial Times -
• Behind the Trump Administration’s Potential Rethink on A.I. — The New York Times Business -
• AI Computing Is a Memory Hog. An Nvidia-Backed Startup Has an Answer. — Wall Street Journal -
• Anthropic and Wall Street Giants Join Forces to Create New A.I. Firm — The New York Times Business -
• Ahead of Race to IPO, OpenAI Discussed Spinning Out Robotics, Hardware Divisions — Wall Street Journal -

Companies across sectors are reporting varied financial results, with Live Nation posting a loss despite climbing revenue, Match Group's profit rising with Tinder's turnaround, and **major M&A activities like Vodafone taking full control of its UK mobile operator and GameStop's potential bid for eBay** reshaping market landscapes.

• Live Nation Swings to Loss Due to Legal Fees; Revenue Climbs on Concert Demand — Wall Street Journal -
• Coty Third-Quarter Revenue Ticks Down as Middle East Conflict Weighs on Demand — Wall Street Journal -
• Electronic Arts Revenue Up as Net Bookings Grow; Buyout Deal Remains on Track — Wall Street Journal -

• Strategy Reports Wider First-Quarter Loss on Lower Value of Bitcoin — Wall Street Journal -
• Match Group Profit, Revenue Rise as Tinder Turnaround Continues — Wall Street Journal -
• Nissan Motor to Cut Jobs in Europe to Shore Up Competitiveness — Wall Street Journal -
• Shopify Guides for Weaker Second-Quarter Profitability Amid Climbing Expenses — Wall Street Journal -
• BioNTech to Shed Jobs, Plants as Covid Vaccine Sales Dwindle — Wall Street Journal -
• Secret Recordings, Hidden Shares and a Family Rift at the South Korean Giant LG — The New York Times Business -
• PayPal to Cut 20% of Staff Amid Turnaround Push — Wall Street Journal -
• Doris Fisher, Co-Founder of the Gap, Dies at 94 — The New York Times Business -
• KKR at 50: ‘It used to be easy in the old days’ — Financial Times -
• MSA Safety to Buy Autronica Fire & Security for $555 Million — Wall Street Journal -
• Victoria’s Secret Rebukes Major Shareholder in Proxy Fight — Wall Street Journal -
• Ford Says an Affordable Electric Pickup Truck is Still Coming Next Year — The New York Times Business -
• Pfizer Posts Better-Than-Expected Revenue, Profit — Wall Street Journal -
• Ferrari Maintains Guidance as New Models Help Boost Demand — Wall Street Journal -
• Rockwell Automation Raises Outlook on Higher Sales — Wall Street Journal -
• KKR Swings to a Profit as Revenue Climbs on Insurance Growth — Wall Street Journal -
• Harley-Davidson’s New Boss Wants to Sell You a Bike You Can Actually Afford — Wall Street Journal -
• Grab Expects Another Strong Year Ahead Despite Headwinds — Wall Street Journal -
• Archer-Daniels-Midland Raises Outlook After New U.S. Biofuels Policy — Wall Street Journal -
• Bud Brewer AB InBev Says Sales Are Rebounding, Eyes Fresh Lift From Summer’s World Cup — Wall Street Journal -
• Can GameStop’s meme stock king pull off a $56bn takeover of eBay? — Financial Times -
• DuPont Lifts Outlook, Plans $275 Million Buyback — Wall Street Journal -
• EQT Raises Takeover Bid For Intertek Again — Wall Street Journal -
• Fresenius Medical Care Shares Fall After Decline in U.S. Treatment Volumes — Wall Street Journal -
• Volvo Car Posts 10% Drop in Sales — Wall Street Journal -
• UniCredit Lifts Profit Outlook Amid Looming Commerzbank Bid — Wall Street Journal -
• Vodafone to take full control of UK mobile operator in £4.3bn deal — Financial Times -
• CK Hutchison Exits Vodafone Joint Venture for $5.8 Billion — Wall Street Journal -
• HSBC Posts Flat Quarterly Net Profit — Wall Street Journal -
• Regis Resources to Acquire Vault Minerals to Create $7.67 Billion Gold Miner — Wall Street Journal -
• The Secret Team Blowing Up Ford’s Assembly Line to Make a $30,000 Electric Truck — Wall Street Journal -
• Berkshire Picks Gen Re Chairman as Insurance Star Ajit Jain’s Successor — Wall Street Journal -

Key headlines feature India's Narendra Modi solidifying his political dominance, regulatory changes like the SEC's proposal to scrap quarterly reporting, debates around New York's business environment from figures like Ken Griffin, and global concerns over consumer pain from rising prices and persistent labor demand.

• Ken Griffin Says New York ‘Doesn’t Welcome Success’ Under Mamdani — Wall Street Journal -
• Canada Antitrust Watchdog Seeks to Block Keyera Deal for Plains’ Canada Gas Business — Wall Street Journal -
• After Trump Pressure, FDA Chief OKs Some Flavored Vapes — Wall Street Journal -

• Energy & Utilities Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• Auto & Transport Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• India’s Modi celebrates a return to dominance — Financial Times -
• Macron nominates former adviser to run the Bank of France — Financial Times -
• SEC moves to scrap quarterly reporting requirement — Financial Times -
• Modi’s Triumph in West Bengal Elections Puts Him Closer to an Opposition-Free India — The New York Times Business -
• U.S. Trade Deficit Grew in March — The New York Times Business -
• Uzbekistan’s London IPO brings frontier markets closer to home — Financial Times -
• Football referees win tax battle with HMRC — Financial Times -
• UK long-term borrowing costs hit highest level since 1998 — Financial Times -
• Tech, Media & Telecom Roundup: Market Talk — Wall Street Journal -
• Carney appoints former international prosecutor as Canada’s Governor General — Financial Times -
• His Carwash Was Raided Last Year. The Business Still Hasn’t Fully Recovered. — Wall Street Journal -
• US labour demand resilient in March — Financial Times -
• Opinion | The Rush to Point Fingers at the Secret Service — Wall Street Journal -
• A 22,000-Home Community Is Being Built in a 5,000-Person Town — The New York Times Business -
• China’s Big Bet on Wind Power Is Paying Off — The New York Times Business -
• Romanian PM loses confidence vote as Socialists team up with far right — Financial Times -
• US bankruptcy fights are heading to London — Financial Times -
• FirstFT: Consumers to face more pain, company executives warn — Financial Times -
• Trump’s threats give EU pause for thought ahead of US trade deal vote — Financial Times -
• Consumers face more pain as companies threaten price rises — Financial Times -
• Welcome to the Great Hunkering Down — Financial Times -
• How Germany’s Merz torpedoed his plan to contain Trump — Financial Times -
• Shell lobbying EU over rules on how green its green hydrogen must be — Financial Times -
• Starmer loyalist urges prime minister to go further on tax — Financial Times -
• What is at stake in Britain’s elections? — Financial Times -
• Argentina’s Milei battered by scandals and slowing economy — Financial Times -
• Solar panel prices rise after China clampdown on producer competition — Financial Times -
• ‘An existential crisis’: residents pay for Nashville boom — Financial Times -
• Private equity firms face reckoning as £31bn broadband push turns sour — Financial Times -
• EU Commission spending on energy consultants jumps 400% over decade — Financial Times -

The sector is buzzing with Barry Diller's interest in acquiring CNN, James Murdoch's ongoing talks to buy parts of Vox Media, and The New York Times facing a discrimination lawsuit, alongside Pulitzer Prize announcements and a proposed settlement in the Musk-SEC Twitter lawsuit.

• Barry Diller Says He Would Buy CNN ‘Tonight’ — Wall Street Journal -
• U.S. Sues The New York Times, Claiming Discrimination Against a White Man — The New York Times Business -
• James Murdoch in Talks to Buy Vox’s New York Magazine and Podcast Division — Wall Street Journal -

• James Murdoch’s Company Said to Be in Talks to Acquire Major Parts of Vox Media — The New York Times Business -
• The FBI Searched a Washington Post Reporter’s Home. She Is Now a Pulitzer Prize Winner. — The New York Times Business -
• James Murdoch in talks to buy New York Magazine — Financial Times -
• Pulitzer Prizes: 2026 Winners List — The New York Times Business -
• Musk and SEC propose to settle Twitter lawsuit for just $1.5mn — Financial Times -

Concerns are raised regarding antisemitic hatred in UK politics, with Labour urging action against Green candidates and London police seeking increased funding to protect the Jewish community, while broader discussions on anti-racism movements continue.

• Labour urges Greens to expel candidates who have spread ‘antisemitic hatred’ — Financial Times -
• Police seek major boost in funding to protect London’s Jewish community — Financial Times -
• Anti-racism movement is not ‘muted’ — it has been left to shrink — Financial Times -

• How not to defeat antisemitism — Financial Times -