Track the evolution of major financial and economic events
Ondas Holdings secured a $10 million initial order through its subsidiary 4M Defense as part of a $50 million demining program. This project is part of a larger $1.7 billion initiative by the Israeli Ministry of Defense for security barriers along the Eastern Border. Ondas now has aggregate tender values of $80 million across Syrian and Eastern border demining projects.
The U.S. Justice Department has launched a criminal probe into major meatpackers over alleged price-fixing. Shares of Tyson Foods and Smithfield Foods fell following the announcement of the investigation. Four meatpackers control 85 percent of the meat processed in the United States.
Bayer is facing ongoing legal challenges as thousands of new cases related to the Roundup herbicide accumulate in U.S. courts. The company's settlement plans are at risk of failing due to opposition from cancer victims.
On April 20, USA Rare Earth agreed to acquire Serra Verde, the owner of a rare-earth mine and processing plant in Brazil. The deal is valued at $2.8 billion and aims to strengthen the U.S. mine-to-magnets supply chain.
On April 20, President Trump signed an Executive Order to expedite research and approvals for psychedelic drugs to treat serious mental illnesses. NRx Pharmaceuticals welcomed the order as it supports their drug pipeline for depression and suicidality. IGC Pharma secured authorization to research psilocybin, expanding its focus on neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease. Enveric Biosciences stock surged over 92% in premarket trading, sparking a sector-wide rally in psychedelic-focused biotech companies.
UBS has slashed its 2026 profit before tax forecast for easyJet by 53%, reducing the price target from 700p to 635p. The company is facing unforeseen pressures, including a £30 million legal provision and rising fuel prices.
Italy's Eni announced the discovery of a giant gas field in the Ganal block offshore Indonesia on April 20. This discovery is seen as a significant step in enhancing gas reserves in the region.
Renishaw PLC raised its guidance for the 2026 financial year due to strong demand. This growth was driven by semiconductor and electronics manufacturing equipment, alongside the aerospace and defense sectors.
UniCredit plans to unveil details of a strategic transformation plan for Commerzbank on Monday. UniCredit believes that the German lender is insufficiently prepared for future challenges and is overly focused on short-term delivery.
National Australia Bank expects to incur credit impairment charges of A$706 million ($503 million) in the first half of the year. The impairments are attributed to the impact of the Iran war on the global economy and financial markets.
On April 20, SK hynix began mass production of 192GB SOCAMM2 memory modules designed for the NVIDIA Vera Rubin platform. The new memory is based on the 1cnm process (6th generation 10nm technology) to maximize power efficiency. LPDDR5X technology, previously used in smartphones, has been adapted for AI server environments.
On April 18, Forager Capital Management proposed to acquire Repay Holdings Corporation for $4.80 per share in cash. This proposal represents a 75% premium over the 30-day volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of $2.75.
On April 17, Eli Lilly is set to expand its weight loss market share with a new product launch, reinforcing its leadership in the obesity drug sector. On April 21, UnitedHealth flagged challenges in a Medicare pilot program to cover obesity drugs, with uncertainty over whether health insurers would join the program. On the same day, Amazon announced it would offer a program for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, allowing Amazon One Medical members to access Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Foundayo. On April 22, Eli Lilly acquired Kelonia Therapeutics as part of its expansion into cancer treatments.
On April 17, Quanta Services Inc. (PWR) stock hit an all-time high of $599.07. The stock achieved a 123.73% return over the past year and 20% revenue growth. Following the company's Investor Day and 2030 financial targets, analysts raised price targets.
The Q1 2026 earnings season kicked off with positive results from Delta Air Lines and Levi Strauss. On April 17, Delta reported Q1 earnings in line with guidance, forecasting a pre-tax profit of approximately $1 billion for the June quarter. Levi Strauss also reported strong Q1 financial performance driven by growth across direct-to-consumer channels. Wells Fargo is scheduled to release its Q1 earnings report on April 14, 2026, marking one of the first major banking reports.
On April 17, the U.S. FDA authorized the renewal of modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) orders for IQOS devices and HEETS consumables. This renewal allows Philip Morris to continue sharing reduced-exposure information with U.S. adults aged 21 and older who use traditional cigarettes.
On April 17, Nextech3D.ai announced that it has achieved cash flow positive status for the first time in the company's history. CEO Evan Gappelberg described this milestone as a turning point following a focus on cost reductions and operational survival in 2024.
On April 17, Moderna announced an 83% overall response rate for mRNA-4359 in combination with pembrolizumab. The U.S. FDA granted Fast Track designation for this combination therapy. The study also showed a 92% disease control rate among 12 participants.
On April 17, Blackstone and TPG completed their acquisition of Hologic for $17.2 billion ($79 per share). Hologic's common stock ceased trading and was delisted from Nasdaq as it went private. José E. Almeida, former CEO of Baxter International, has been appointed as the new CEO of Hologic. The deal included significant minority investments from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and GIC.
Pfizer is facing a sharp revenue decline, with Comirnaty vaccine revenue dropping from over $37 billion in 2022 to below $10 billion by 2025. In response to this slump in vaccine sales, Pfizer is pivoting towards oncology acquisitions to offset the decline.
On April 17, Mizuho downgraded NXP Semiconductors from Outperform to Underperform. The price target was significantly lowered from $255 to $188.
FedEx Freight is targeting operating profit growth of 10% to 12% following its spinoff. The new entity is set to list on the NYSE under the ticker FDXF on June 1, 2026. The company expects annual free cash flow exceeding $1 billion and revenue growth of 4% to 6%.
Snap is facing structural pressures as its stock trades at a low price of $4, reflecting a disconnect from its 1 billion Monthly Active Users. The sustainability of Snap's business model relies on a reasonably high stock price to support its Stock-Based Compensation (SBC) plan. This low stock price jeopardizes its SBC operations and the survival of its 'Specs' hardware division.
Associated British Foods is set to outline plans to separate its Primark fashion chain from its food businesses. An update on the group's structure review is scheduled for Tuesday. On April 21, the company reported an 18% decline in operating profit and is tracking a possible downturn in consumer spending.
