BT Market Focus
BT Market Focus
Market Focus Daily is a closing bell look at markets and the news that drove its movements-every trading day. Market Focus Weekly rounds up the week with expert analysis and insights for a big picture look at the trading week ahead. Produced by BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media.Social links:
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Oil high, stocks mixed as Mideast standoff drags on
Market news for April 20, 2026: Strait of Hormuz closure pushed crude past $95, but Asia's stock markets shrugged off risk to near record highs; BI to keep rate unchanged and gold falls. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market mov…
02:54
From whiplash to record highs: how long can the peace rally last?
Global diplomacy flips Monday's oil panic into a record-high rally. Can AI demand truly decouple from energy shocks? Why did China's stocks ignore a huge GDP beat? Portfolio manager from PhillipCapital Pete Tan breaks down the war-diplomacy ease, the gold retreat, and which Singapore sectors still …
10:07
Asian gains, gold falls: war diplomacy eases oil shock
Market news for April 16, 2026: Asian equities soared to fresh highs on easing Iran war diplomacy, despite a gold selloff. TSMC's profit surge and China's strong GDP beat expectations, while oil was steady and the dollar dipped on Fed easing hopes. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell ro…
02:52
Markets climb as diplomatic signals calm oil and lift Asia
Market news for April 15, 2026: Asian equities rise on renewed diplomatic hopes, oil extends losses, and gold stabilises, while investors assess Singapore’s first-quarter growth and await US earnings and Federal Reserve signals. Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Busin…
03:01
Middle East peace hopes rally markets; MAS cites war inflation
Market news for April 14, 2026: Global markets rallied on tentative Middle East peace hopes, driving Asian stocks up and oil/dollar down, despite the US blocking Iranian ports. Singapore’s MAS tightened policy, citing inflation risks from the ongoing energy shock and central banks face rising press…
03:11
Oil blockade surges crude; Gold, stocks drop on war inflation fear
Market news for April 13, 2026: A US-imposed blockade on Iranian shipping sent Brent crude surging 7 per cent past $102, escalating war-driven energy shock. Stocks fell, and gold hit a near one-week low as inflation fears prompted traders to scale back Federal Reserve rate cut expectations. Synops…
02:19
Oil spike, inflation, and Middle East tensions: Can ceasefire avert global economic shock?
The guns may have stopped, but the markets haven't. Oil prices have nearly doubled since January. A fragile US-Iran ceasefire has sent stocks rallying — but how long can it last? And what does it mean for your money, especially here in Asia? This week, JP Morgan's Raisah Rasid breaks down the tail …
15:29
Gulf truce crumbles: oil jumps past $96, Asia slides on renewed war risk
Market news for April 9, 2026: Oil prices surged above $96 as Israel's attack on Lebanon cast doubt on the fragile Middle East ceasefire, reminding investors of lingering energy supply risks through the Strait of Hormuz. Asian shares slid, led by declines in South Korea and China, as the inflation…
02:25
Oil slides, dollar tumbles as Hormuz ceasefire caps two weeks of turmoil
Market news for April 8, 2026: The two-week Middle East conflict closed with a sudden ceasefire, sending oil and the safe-haven dollar sliding. Stocks and bonds surged on hopes for reopened Hormuz flows. Markets, whipped by volatility, now watch skeptically for lasting peace after the dramatic, ene…
02:38
Oil climbs amid conflict fears; Samsung boosts Asia sentiment
Market news for April 7, 2026: Global stocks wavered as Middle East war risks hiked oil above $110, fuelling stagflation fears and halting Fed rate cut bets. A record Samsung forecast briefly lifted Asia, yet the energy shock and President Trump's deadline kept investors cautious, driving the dolla…
02:36