It's Friday, stock markets are from a rally fueled by hopes for peace in Middle East, a future is expected crucial weekend for diplomacy: and the perfect cocktail to stop, adjust positions and weigh all the factors at play. After a new record push of Wall Street yesterday, it is no wonder that the asian bags slow down today and investors take home some gains. Stock index futures also indicated a lower opening for European stock exchanges.
Signs of cautious easing there is no shortage of: the Oil prices, which has become the sentinel of tensions along the Strait of Hormuz, is under $100, while the dollar is gradually shedding its guise as a safe haven asset as investors have moved towards riskier assets. Furthermore, in the options market, market positioning and momentum suggest that the recent stock market rally still has room for growth. Tuttavia, for further impetus there would be a need for more concrete steps towards peace, after the declarations of intent.
Can we trust Trump's words about the Middle East?
The fact is that at the moment only one bell rings. Trump He said Iran would accept crucial conditions, including giving up its nuclear program for more than 20 years and handing over nuclear materials. The deal would also include "free oil" and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, the president said. The prospects for an agreement with Iran "look very good," he added. But Tehran has not confirmed of having made such concessions. Trump later said that the next meeting between the United States and Iran could be held on the weekend, when the current ceasefire expires.
Meanwhile, yesterday a c came into forceburn the 10-day fire between Lebanon and Israel, but made no mention of Hezbollah in his comments. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, confirmed in a video message that he had agreed to the truce. On the other hand, Bloomberg reported that officials from the Gulf and Europe said the United States had need about six months to reach an agreement with Iran.
Wall Street reached new all-time highs yesterday
IERI (Yesterday) S&P 500 and the Nasdaq they went up little but they reached new all-time highs closing for the second consecutive day, on optimism that the worst of the conflict in the Middle East is over. Dow Jones closed up 0,24%, S & P 500 to +0,26%, Nasdaq at +0,36%: the Nasdaq's gain represented its twelfth consecutive increase, its longest positive streak since July 2009, after the global financial crisis. The index Magnificent Seven It erased its losses for the year after a run of around +20% in the first weeks of April
Investors are also watching recent US quarterly results. PepsiCo closed up 2,3% after beating quarterly earnings estimates. The medical device maker Abbott It lost 6% and hit its lowest level since November 2023 after cutting its full-year profit forecast. After ending the regular session, Netflix fell 8% in after-hours trading following the release of its quarterly results: the streaming company kept its 2026 revenue forecast unchanged and announced that co-founder Reed Hastings will leave the company in June. The small company Myseum has registered a'129% surge closing at $3,30 only as a result of changing its name to Myseum AI, thus showing its focus on artificial intelligence. Voyager Technologies rose 8,8% after NASA signed an order to entrust the company with the management of the seventh private space mission with astronauts headed to the International Space Station, the first time the company has been selected for such a mission.
Asia takes a breather after the rallies. Nikkei -1%, Kospi -0,5%.
After Wall Street closed at record highs, momentum faded in Asia, with stock markets across the region down 0,9%. In Japan, the Nikkei 225, which yesterday closed at a new all-time high, recovering from war-related losses, is down 1% today, as is the Topix. Among stocks, Sanrio, the Japanese company that owns the Hello Kitty brand, fell 5% after news that a CEO is suspected of receiving improper compensation over the years.
The governor of the Bank of Japan, Kazuo Ueda, did not give a clear signal on the rates.
"The current situation involves a significant shock from rising energy prices. This creates both upside risks for inflation and, at the same time, downside risks for the economy," Ueda said yesterday in Washington after attending a G20 meeting. "That's why it's not easy to give a general answer." The yen fell just below the critical level of 160 per dollar.
In ChinaThe CSI 300 Index fell 0,1%; Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 1%. Yuanjie Semiconductor Technology rose 10%, a new all-time high, thanks to the excitement generated by artificial intelligence. The company's laser chips provide the light that enables optical communication, which AI data centers rely on to transfer massive amounts of data between servers.
The index Kospi South Korea's Taiex is at -0,5%. Taiwan Taipei-listed shares of TSMC fell as much as 1,9%, partly due to investor discontent over the chipmaker's heavy reliance on a limited number of hyperscaler customers.
The price of global benchmark Brent crude oil fell 1,2% to $98,20 a barrel. Gold gained slightly, settling around $4.800 an ounce, while Treasuries and a dollar index remained largely unchanged, closing the week on a cautious note.
Il dollar It weakened after a rally fueled by demand for safe-haven assets since the war began in late February. Deutsche Bank AG and Wells Fargo & Co. are among the banks that believe the dollar's rally is likely over, as the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran pushes investors to seek riskier assets, although the threat of intervention seems less urgent than before.'gold gained slightly, settling around $4.800 an ounce, while the government bonds remained almost unchanged, closing the week on a cautious note.
European stock markets saw a break-even opening. At the Milan Stock Exchange, eyes are on BPM and Stellantis.
European stock markets are heading for a weak opening. Euro Stoxx 50 futures are down 0,2%.
ItalyThe International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects Italian growth to accelerate to 0,8% in 2028, after two years of 0,5% growth in 2026 and 2027. This is according to new IMF estimates, anticipated in a blog post by European Director Alfred Kammer. Inflation is expected to be 2,6% this year, 2,4% next year, and 2,3% in 2028.
Bank Bpm. The board of directors' list won at the meeting: Massimo Tononi as president and Giuseppe Castagna as CEO. The board's list received 10 directors, Agricole 4, including former Treasury Minister Domenico Siniscalco.
Eni. Proxy advisor ISS urged shareholders to vote against Eni's proposal to significantly increase the compensation of its CEO, Claudio Descalzi, for 2026 at the upcoming meeting on May 6, calling the move "excessive."
Stellantis announced a five-year strategic collaboration with Microsoft to accelerate digital transformation by co-developing advanced capabilities in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and engineering.
PirelliYesterday, it confirmed its 2026 targets, but specified that adjusted EBIT is expected at the lower end of the guidance range. The company also announced that it has activated a mitigation plan following the crisis in the Middle East, which will result in price increases.
Ovs. It closed the 2025 financial year on January 31, 2026, with record results. Net sales reached €1.746 million, +7,0% compared to 2024.
