Public Markets 3 Hours

Last updated: June 18, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

Energy and Commodities

Oil prices retreated in Asia on Thursday as market participants bet on a swift reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, though Goldman Sachs warns that shipping flows may only recover to 70% of pre-war levels as producers pivot to alternative routes. Despite the prospect of a restored transit corridor, ships are currently diverting to hunt for fuel supplies, forcing regional businesses to accelerate rooftop solar installations to mitigate the impact of persistent energy price volatility. Elsewhere, copper fell more than 1% after Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh signaled a hawkish stance on interest rates, while Rio Tinto resumed copper exports from its Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia following the resolution of a localized protest.

Equity Markets and Corporate Strategy

BE Semiconductor lifted its long-term revenue and profitability targets, buoyed by insatiable demand for AI-integrated hardware, even as concerns over regional technology restrictions mount. In the financial hub of Hong Kong, JPMorgan Chase followed the lead of Goldman Sachs by restricting staff access to the Anthropic Claude AI model. Meanwhile, Kingboard Laminates Holdings has seen its shares rally 570% this year, a surge driven by mainland Chinese investors who have more than doubled their stake to 13% in the company. In the private equity space, Thoma Bravo is set to realize a $5bn loss—the sector's largest since 2008—as it transfers ownership of the software group Medallia to debt holders.

Infrastructure and M&A

Brookfield Business Corp. reached an agreement to sell Multiplex, the construction firm responsible for Wembley Stadium, to Japan’s Obayashi Corp. for $650 million. In the aviation sector, IAG chief Luis Gallego warned that current European Union competition frameworks make a potential bid for easy Jet highly complex, calling for a regulatory overhaul. Meanwhile, Meta has tapped former Goldman Sachs executive Dina Powell McCormick to help navigate a $600bn infrastructure financing push, signaling a shift in how Silicon Valley approaches capital-intensive projects.

Policy and Macroeconomics

The National Stock Exchange of India is preparing for an initial public offering that could provide a 6,400-fold return for early backers, including Morgan Stanley and Temasek Holdings. However, Mukesh Ambani faces a critical test this week as investors demand clarity on the long-awaited listing of Reliance Industries’ digital unit, Jio. On the regulatory front, banks are lobbying for further relief from Basel capital requirements, even after securing significant concessions recently. In the UK, the by-election in Makerfield looms as a potential catalyst for political instability, while the government remains under pressure to address the possible nationalization of Thames Water under a special administration regime. Finally, the Czech central bank is weighing its first rate hike since 2022 to combat domestic price pressures, contrasting with the PBOC’s refined monetary policy which aims to stabilize liquidity and support bond markets.