Oil prices remained elevated in Asian trading on Wednesday, as investors balanced tentative diplomatic signals on Iran against ongoing supply disruptions stemming from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. As of 20:18 ET (00:18 GMT), Brent crude futures for June delivery rose 0.5% to $104.47 per barrel, while U.S. …

U.S. equities opened firmly higher on Tuesday, as investor sentiment improved following reports that Donald Trump is open to ending the military campaign against Iran, even without reopening the Strait of Hormuz. At 09:31 ET (13:31 GMT), the S&P 500 advanced 1.2% to 6,419.17 points, while the Nasdaq Composite climbed …

Britain’s competition watchdog has announced plans to investigate whether Microsoft holds excessive market power in business software, in a move that could reshape licensing practices affecting hundreds of thousands of UK businesses and public sector organizations. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it will launch a Strategic Market Status …

Bitcoin traded largely unchanged on Tuesday, capping a muted performance for March as persistent risk aversion tied to the Middle East conflict continued to weigh on investor appetite for speculative assets. The world’s largest cryptocurrency edged up 0.2% to $67,401.9 as of 02:44 ET (06:44 GMT), remaining within a narrow …

U.S. stock futures moved higher on Tuesday, supported by reports that Donald Trump is considering ending the military campaign against Iran, even as the critical Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed. By 03:29 ET (07:29 GMT), Dow Jones futures rose 333 points, or 0.7%, while S&P 500 futures gained 42 …

European equities traded in a tight range on Tuesday, as investors balanced surging oil prices against reports that the United States may seek to wind down its military campaign in Iran even without reopening the Strait of Hormuz. By 03:10 ET (07:10 GMT), the pan-European STOXX 600 edged up 0.1%, …

Gold prices inched higher on Monday, supported by bargain hunting and slightly softer expectations for interest rate hikes, although the metal remains on track for its steepest monthly decline in nearly two decades. Spot gold rose 0.2% to $4,503.29 per ounce as of 16:25 ET (20:25 GMT), while gold futures …

Oil prices edged lower in Asian trading on Tuesday, reversing earlier gains as reports suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering ending military operations against Iran. However, losses remained limited as the outlook for global supply stayed constrained by the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude …

The U.S. dollar advanced on Friday, putting it on track for its strongest monthly performance since July, as investors flocked to safe-haven assets amid escalating uncertainty surrounding the Middle East conflict. As of 17:28 ET (21:28 GMT), the U.S. Dollar Index—which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major …

Iran has outlined strict conditions for any discussions over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, demanding security guarantees and recognition of its international rights from countries involved in recent military actions. Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref stated that any nation seeking negotiations must first commit to not invading Iran …