Stock Market

Middle East kerosene flows to Northwest Europe dropped 90% in March and hit zero in April, leaving the UK more exposed than any European country. The nation imports 50% of its jet fuel, with 70% from Gulf suppliers now offline due to Hormuz disruptions. Jet fuel prices doubled since the conflict began, with refining crack spreads exceeding $100 per barrel. Airlines face fuel costs at 35% of expenses while US imports surged 782% month-on-month to fill gaps. The Prime Minister suggested travelers consider alternative destinations. Four UK refineries run at maximum capacity, but summer peak demand arrives in weeks.

TSMC's AI boom just propelled Taiwan past Canada in global market rankings. The island's total market cap hit $3.41 trillion, driven by the chip giant's 45 percent weighting and Q1 profit surge of 58 percent. Eight of Taiwan's top 10 companies by value are now tech firms riding AI infrastructure demand, a dramatic shift from financial stocks dominating a decade ago. The milestone reflects capital flows chasing semiconductor exposure, but also concentrates enormous risk in a single company and geopolitical flashpoint.

South Korea's KOSPI jumped 51.59 percent year-to-date, driven by semiconductor rebounds after the Iran war ceasefire pulled markets from March lows.

Asian stocks jumped over 1% and emerging market currencies strengthened on reports of US-Iran ceasefire discussions, with 15 ships reportedly passing through the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian permission. Thai shares led gains at 2.3% while crude oil pared earlier advances. Markets remain volatile: the MSCI Emerging Markets Index had wiped out all 2026 gains in March's sharpest monthly decline since 2020. US gasoline prices hitting $4.11 per gallon could push March CPI up 1%, the most since the post-pandemic surge.

PT Barito Renewables Energy shares plunged 14% to two-year lows after Indonesia's stock exchange flagged the company for highly concentrated shareholding. Four main investors control 96% of BREN, prompting concerns over market transparency as Indonesia implements reforms to meet MSCI standards. The company was already excluded from the FTSE Russell Index last September over ownership issues. With an 11.66% free float barely exceeding minimum requirements, BREN faces pressure to adjust its structure within the three-year transition period ending March 2029.