Track the evolution of major financial and economic events
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.
Kalshi is engaged in a legal battle that may reach the U.S. Supreme Court to legalize prediction markets related to elections and sports. Meanwhile, Wisconsin has sued Kalshi and other companies, claiming their prediction market platforms operate illegally. Brazil has shut down 27 prediction market platforms, including Kalshi, due to concerns over their negative impact on households. In the U.S., a rule has been passed barring senators from trading on prediction markets amid rising concerns about insider trading.
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 19, Iran re-closed the Strait of Hormuz, imposing transit restrictions until the US naval blockade is lifted. Reports indicate that Iranian Revolutionary Guard units fired warning shots at an oil tanker and a container ship. On the same day, Trump stated he still believes a deal with Iran is possible and will happen.
On April 19, TREE experienced a 15% collapse in open interest, signaling a mass exit of investors. Negative funding rates expose overleveraged retail long positions facing liquidation. Technical outlook suggests the token will test the $0.05 level or potentially drop to zero.
On April 19, President Trump declared a prohibition on Israeli strikes in Lebanon, leaving Netanyahu stunned. This coincided with the start of a US-brokered ceasefire. On May 7, Israel launched attacks on Beirut, indicating a potential resurgence of fighting between Lebanon and Israel and Hezbollah. On May 13, crude prices rose after Trump rejected Iran's counterproposal, while Israel sent the Iron Dome system to the UAE.
On April 18, the Russian GDP shrank by 1.8% in January and February. The manufacturing, industrial production, and construction sectors reported negative growth. President Putin publicly acknowledged economic difficulties following mounting warnings of a financial crisis.
On April 18, the RaveDAO team denied involvement in a pump-and-dump scheme for the RAVE token following allegations by investigator ZachXBT. Major exchanges such as Binance and Bitget have opened formal investigations into the incident. ZachXBT offered a $25,000 bounty for whistleblowers providing information about the scheme.
On April 18, Circle launched the CPN Managed Payments network to enable banks to settle stablecoins without needing to manage digital assets directly. This new service alleviates complexities related to custody infrastructure and blockchain operations for financial institutions. On April 23, the Bank for International Settlements issued a report warning that cryptocurrency exchanges are becoming 'shadow banks.' The PUSD stablecoin also deployed on the ADI Chain, targeting the $3T Islamic finance market. Additionally, Morgan Stanley Investment Management announced the launch of the Stablecoin Reserves Portfolio, a government money market fund designed to align with the stablecoin reserves investment requirements of the GENIUS Act.
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, Iran claimed to have established a blockade against US and Israeli vessels in the Sea of Oman. This was followed by escalating tensions, with the US ready to seize Iran-linked ships. On April 19, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, impacting Bitcoin's price, and Kuwait declared force majeure on oil shipments. On May 4, the US destroyed six Iranian boats, while the Iranian military fired missiles and drones at vessels. On May 15, Iran's foreign minister stated that current negotiations are suffering from a lack of trust.
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.
