TSMC revenue surges 42% 📈, Xi meets Taiwan's leader 🇹🇼, Iran crypto tolls in Hormuz 💰

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell held an urgent meeting with Wall Street leaders to address concerns about potential cyberrisks posed by Anthropic’s new AI model, Mythos. The model can identify and exploit vulnerabilities in operating systems and web browsers, prompting regulators to ensure banks are prepared for possible cyberattacks.

Straitstimes · 3 minute read

China's producer price index increased by 0.5% in March, marking its first rise in over three years due to a surge in oil prices caused by the U.S.-Iran conflict that has disrupted global energy markets. Consumer prices rose 1% year-on-year in March, driven by rising gasoline prices, while China braces for potential inflationary effects despite its strategic oil reserves and diversified energy sources.

CNBC · 4 minute read

China's leader Xi Jinping met with Cheng Li-wun, the chair of Taiwan’s Kuomintang party, marking the first such contact in a decade. Cheng's visit to Beijing has sparked controversy in Taiwan due to her pro-China stance amid increasing military tensions from Beijing, as China views 'reunification' with Taiwan as a legacy goal.

The Guardian · 5 minute read

A majority of the British public now believes the United States is a negative force in the world, according to new polling shared with POLITICO as the Iran war continues to strain the transatlantic relationship.

Politico · 1 minute read

ConocoPhillips is exploring potential oil investments in Venezuela as part of its strategy to assess international opportunities in the energy sector.

Reuters · 3 minute read

Hedge funds are rapidly closing their short positions at a pace not seen since the market turmoil of March 2020, indicating a shift in investor sentiment or response to market changes.

Tipranks · 3 minute read

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) reported a 42% increase in quarterly revenue, driven by strong demand for AI servers and smartphones ahead of potential US tariffs, marking its fastest growth since 2022. The company, the main chipmaker for Apple and Nvidia, saw revenues of NT$839.25 billion in the first quarter of 2025 and announced a US$100 billion investment in US chipmaking with backing from President Trump, despite concerns over potential tariff impacts.

Com · 2 minute read

Alibaba has announced it created Happy Horse, a video generation AI model that topped global performance rankings. The model's viral emergence has positioned Alibaba as a key player in the generative video market, as the company looks to expand its AI infrastructure presence beyond e-commerce and cloud services.

Startupfortune · 5 minute read

Fast Retailing's shares rose sharply following an upgraded annual profit forecast to 700 billion yen, driven by strong international growth and a solid first-half performance. The company's revenues increased by 14.8% and its operating profit by 31.7%, with Uniqlo International leading the growth, despite facing increased costs from the Middle East conflict.

CNBC · 2 minute read

Oil prices rose for a second day as Saudi production capacity dropped by 600,000 barrels daily due to attacks on energy infrastructure, though futures remained on track for a major weekly loss. The disruption affected the East-West pipeline and prompted countries like Japan and China to tap into reserves, amid looming negotiations involving the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz tensions.

Yahoo Finance · 3 minute read

Gas exports from Russia to Europe increased significantly in March due to heightened market demand spurred by escalating conflict in the Mideast Gulf.

Energyintel · 1 minute read

Asian currencies experienced a general decline in value as financial markets anticipated upcoming diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran.

Msn · 3 minute read

Wheat futures dropped on Thursday following an increased stocks report from USDA, with Chicago SRW futures down 4 ¾ to 7 ¼ cents, KC HRW futures down 4 ¾ to 8 ¼ cents, and MPLS spring wheat down 4 ¾ to 5 ¾ cents. The USDA's WASDE report raised U.S. wheat ending stocks by 7 million bushels and world ending stocks by 6.16 million metric tons, primarily due to increased production in the EU and Russia, while crude oil prices rose by $4.06.

Yahoo Finance · 3 minute read

U.S. crude oil exports are expected to increase to 5.2 million barrels per day in April as Asian demand rises due to Middle Eastern oil supply disruptions caused by the Iran conflict. Meanwhile, geopolitical tensions escalate with Iran threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz after Israel's attack on Lebanon, contributing to higher WTI crude prices of over $110 per barrel and U.S. gasoline costs exceeding $4 per gallon.

Kucoin · 3 minute read

Hedge funds are increasing their positions on the Korean won and the Chinese yuan, anticipating that optimism over a potential ceasefire will strengthen these Asian currencies.

Hedgeweek · 3 minute read

China's credit conditions are cooling as private credit demand weakens, despite government-driven infrastructure projects taking precedence. In January 2026, new bank loans totaled 4.71 trillion yuan, missing forecasts, while government borrowing bolstered total social financing to 7.22 trillion yuan, highlighting the significant role of policy-directed credit towards infrastructure.

Ebc · 10 minute read

Amid a temporary pause in the US-Israel conflict with Iran, Iran and China are collaborating to reduce the dominance of the US dollar in the global economy by promoting the Chinese yuan, particularly through transactions in the critical oil transit area of the Strait of Hormuz. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to bypass US sanctions and foster economic ties between the two nations.

Aljazeera · 7 minute read

Since mid-March 2026, Iran has been using cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and possibly USDT, for transit toll payments in the Strait of Hormuz, charging ship operators up to USD 2 million per vessel. This marks the first state use of crypto as a sovereign revenue mechanism at a major maritime chokepoint, with potential daily revenues of up to USD 20 million from oil tankers and monthly revenues of USD 600–800 million if LNG vessels are included.

Trmlabs · 8 minute read

Bank of America analysts project the annual volume of U.S. sports-related event contracts could grow to $1.1 trillion, potentially generating $10 billion in annual revenue for prediction market platforms, boosted by federal regulation and tax advantages over sportsbooks. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is seeking to preempt state laws that inhibit these markets, asserting its regulatory jurisdiction over event contracts.

Pymnts · 2 minute read

Stablecoin volumes are projected to reach $719 trillion by 2035, driven by the transfer of generational wealth and increased digital asset adoption.

Moomoo · 3 minute read

Bitmine Immersion Technologies will start trading on the New York Stock Exchange following its uplisting from the NYSE American, holding about 4.8 million ether tokens, and has expanded its share-repurchase program to $4 billion.

Morningstar · 2 minute read