Japan’s Nikkei share average rose on Tuesday as optimism grew from reports that Tehran is considering attending peace talks with Washington in Pakistan, lifting risk appetite and prompting investors to buy domestic heavyweight technology stocks.

The Nikkei was up 1.07% at 59,453.44, as of 0147 GMT, while the broader Topix inched ‌0.14% higher ⁠to 3,782,43.

An uneasy ⁠ceasefire between the United States and Iran frayed after the U.S. announced the seizure of an Iranian cargo ship, drawing vows of retaliation from Tehran. Iran said over the weekend it would skip a second round of negotiations, though a senior official later told Reuters the country may yet send delegates to talks expected in Islamabad.

In Japan, chip-related shares climbed, ⁠with Tokyo ‌Electron and Advantest up 4.3% and 1.79%, respectively.

Kioxia Holdings jumped 5.3% and technology investor SoftBank Group gained 4.23%.

“The market might ⁠be too optimistic about the aftermath of the war. There is a concern about the impact of the disruption of the supply chain,” said Takamasa Ikeda, senior portfolio manager at GCI Asset Management.
“There may be a big correction of the stock market in the summer if the impact of the supply shortage surfaces.” Ikeda noted that tightened supply of helium, a key component in cable productions, ‌could weigh on Japan’s high-performing fibre optic cable makers, including Fujikura and Furukawa Electric.

Fujikura rose 5% on Tuesday, while Furukawa gained 3.5%.

In other stock movements, ⁠Nojima surged 10.2% following reports that the electronics retailer plans to acquire Hitachi’s consumer appliances unit, Hitachi Global Life Solutions, for more than 100 billion yen ($630.32 million).

Hitachi shares edged 0.3% higher.

Banking shares declined, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Mizuho Financial Group down 0.26% and 1%, respectively.

Toyota Motor lost 2% in early trade.

Of the more than 1,600 stocks traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange‘s prime market, 39% rose, 56% declined and 4% remained unchanged.

Oil prices slipped on Tuesday, giving up part of the previous session’s sharp gains, as hopes of upcoming peace talks between the U.S. and Iran raised expectations of improved supply from the Middle East.

Despite lingering tensions, market participants are now focusing on the possibility that talks this week could extend the current ceasefire or even lead to a broader agreement. However, risks of renewed conflict and supply disruptions remain.

Crude oil price on April 21

Brent crude futures fell 95 cents, or 1%, to $94.53 at 0003 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for May dropped $1.54, or 1.72%, to $88.07. The May contract expires on Tuesday, while the more actively traded June contract declined $1.09, or 1.3%, to $86.37. A senior Iranian official indicated that Tehran is considering joining peace talks in Pakistan, following diplomatic efforts by Islamabad to ease the U.S. blockade, a news report by Reuters stated.

On Saturday, Iran tightened its grip over the strait in response to the U.S. blockade, reportedly firing at several vessels and declaring the route closed. The blockade has emerged as a key obstacle to Tehran’s return to peace negotiations, with the current two-week ceasefire due to end later this week.

Where are prices headed?

Market movements remain highly reactive to developments, with oil prices swinging on shifting signals from both sides rather than any clear improvement in supply conditions. The intermittent movement of vessels through the strait highlights the deep uncertainty surrounding the world’s most critical energy chokepoint. Even if tensions ease, a full recovery in oil flows is expected to take several months, experts warn.Macquarie noted that even if tensions ease, oil prices are likely to stay supported in the $85 to $90 range, with a gradual climb towards $110 as flows through the strait normalize. It also warned that if disruptions persist through April, Brent could spike to as much as $150 per barrel.

Analysts generally believe the market may be entering a phase of structurally higher prices. With the ceasefire seen as temporary, a return to pre-conflict levels of $70 to $75 could take time. In the near term, prices are expected to move within a band of $80 to $85 on the downside and $95 to $100 on the upside.

Nuvama Institutional Equities added that an extended closure of the strait, which handles roughly 20 million barrels per day, could drive crude prices into the $110 to $150 range.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Apple will see a shake-up in its management positions as Tim Cook is now stepping down as the CEO of the company and will serve as the executive chairman of the board of directors.

With this, Apple also announced that it has already named its next chief executive officer, with John Ternus, the company’s current senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, set to replace Cook.

Tim Cook to Become Apple’s Executive Chairman

In a new Apple Newsroom post, the Cupertino tech giant has confirmed that Tim Cook will be stepping down as Apple’s CEO, which will take effect on September 1, 2026. However, Cook will not stray away from Apple just yet as it was revealed that he will be tasked to serve as Apple’s executive chairman for the company’s board of directors.

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company,” said Cook.

It was noted by Apple that as the executive chairman, Cook will have a limited role here. The company revealed that his responsibilities under this role will only revolve around “certain aspects of the company, including engaging with policymakers around the world.”

This means that Cook’s main responsibility will be to work with government officials as the executive chairman.

9to5Mac noted that Cook previously faced scrutiny with his affiliations with the Trump administration, especially when he was invited to the White House and appeared in the “Melania” documentary.

Cook is also known for his close ties to China, having already established rapport with the country during his long tenure as CEO.

John Ternus Is the Next Apple CEO

With this announcement, Apple has also named the next chief executive officer of the company to replace Cook, and it is none other than Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus.

According to Apple, Ternus will bring in his 25 years of experience under the company to his new CEO role. The engineer-slash-executive has worked under Steve Jobs and was mentored by Tim Cook. Now, he gets the chance to lead a new age for Apple.

Come September 1, Tim Cook will have served 15 years as Apple’s CEO since being appointed as its chief after co-founder Steve Jobs stepped down.

Originally published on Tech Times

Asian stocks edged higher as signs Iran may join talks with the US fostered cautious optimism about progress in the Middle East ahead of a looming ceasefire deadline. Oil dropped.

Gauges in Japan, South Korea and Australia advanced at the open with the broader MSCI Asia Pacific Index rising 0.3%. S&P 500 contracts also edged higher in early trading after the index slipped 0.2% on Monday from a record, weighed down by declines in several technology heavyweights. Apple Inc. shares slipped in late US trading after the company named John Ternus as its next chief executive officer.

Global crude benchmark Brent fell 0.7% to $94.80 a barrel early Tuesday, after gaining 5.6% in the prior session. The dollar and Treasuries were steady.

President Donald Trump said he is unlikely to extend the truce with Iran if no agreement is reached before its expiry Wednesday evening, Washington time. Iran is also preparing to send a delegation to the next round of talks, according to people familiar with the plans who declined to be identified.

Attention is shifting to whether the US and Iran can resume negotiations in Pakistan to calm strains and reopen the Strait of Hormuz after an initial round in Islamabad ended without a deal. The dollar has weakened over the past three weeks and several equity gauges have recouped war-related losses as markets price in easing tensions, cheaper oil and stronger economic growth.

“Markets are once again grappling with a rapidly shifting narrative in the Middle East, as the past 48 hours have delivered both optimism and renewed concern,” said Daniela Hathorn, senior market analyst at Capital.com, adding that the market feels “stuck at a crossroads” as a result of the jostling.
Chip stocks in Asia will be in focus after the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index advanced, notching a 14th straight session in the green — a winning streak that it has exceeded just once, in 2014. Transits through Hormuz have reduced to a trickle as Iran tightens control in retaliation for strikes. On Friday, that paralysis appeared to end, with Tehran saying it would reopen the waterway, before reversing course during the weekend as the US maintained a naval blockade and attacked an Iranian ship.

Beyond the strait, arguably the most fraught issue is Iran’s nuclear program. Trump has demanded Iran forswear any ambitions for a nuclear weapon and hand over stockpiles of enriched uranium. Tehran has balked at giving up its uranium and has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Oil prices fell on Tuesday, reversing gains in the previous session, on expectations peace talks between the U.S. and Iran will take place this week and allow more supply to flow from the key Middle East producing region.

Brent futures declined 95 cents, or 1%, at $94.53, as of 0003 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures for May fell $1.54, or 1.72%, to $88.07. The May contract expires on Tuesday and the more-active June ‌contract was down $1.09, ⁠or 1.3%, ⁠at $86.37.

Both benchmarks surged on Monday, with Brent up 5.6% and WTI up 6.9%, after Iran again shut the Strait of Hormuz, closing the key oil transport artery, and the U.S. seized an Iranian cargo ship as part of its blockade of the country’s ports.

Still, investors are focusing on the likelihood talks this week will result in the extension of the existing ceasefire or a final agreement, though the chance of further conflict and disruptions to oil flows remains.

Iran is weighing participation in the peace ⁠talks in ‌Pakistan, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday, following Islamabad’s efforts to end the U.S. blockade.

The blockade has posed a major hurdle to Tehran rejoining peace efforts, ⁠with the current two-week ceasefire set to expire this week.
“We continue to lean toward an MOU being signed and/or the ceasefire being extended this week, potentially evolving into a broader agreement,” analysts at Citi said in a note. “That said, we remain prepared to pivot toward a more protracted disruption scenario should negotiations falter this week.” Underscoring the uncertainty around the talks, the Iranian official stressed that no decision has been made to attend, as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said “continued violations of the ceasefire” by the U.S. is a hindrance to ‌further negotiations.

Separately, Iran’s top negotiator and parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf reiterated that Tehran would not negotiate under threats.

Shipping activity through the Strait of Hormuz, an essential corridor for about one-fifth of the world’s ⁠oil supply, remained limited on Monday.

If disruptions to the strait persist for another month, total losses could rise to about 1.3 billion barrels, with prices likely near $110 a barrel in the second quarter of 2026, Citi said.

Kuwait declared force majeure on oil shipments due to the strait’s blockade, Bloomberg News reported.

The higher prices caused by the closure of the strait have cut oil demand by about 3% so far, analysts at Societe Generale said in a client note.

The risk is “skewed toward larger losses the longer normalisation is delayed,” it said, adding it expects “full normalisation” to supply only by late 2026.

NEW YORK — Meta Platforms Inc. shares declined 1.71% in early Monday trading on April 20, 2026, falling $11.76 to $676.79 as investors positioned themselves ahead of the company’s first-quarter earnings report later this week and continued to digest the massive capital expenditure requirements tied to its aggressive artificial intelligence push.

The owner of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads has seen its stock experience periodic volatility in 2026 despite strong advertising revenue growth, largely because of concerns over soaring infrastructure costs and the timeline for returns on its heavy AI investments. Meta has guided for 2026 capital expenditures between $115 billion and $135 billion — a sharp increase from prior years — to fuel data center expansion, custom chips and its new Superintelligence Labs initiative.

At 10:14 a.m. EDT, trading volume remained moderate as the broader market opened mixed amid renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The modest pullback followed a solid performance last week, when shares closed near $688, reflecting ongoing optimism about Meta’s core social media business even as spending worries linger.

Analysts widely expect Meta to report first-quarter revenue between $53.5 billion and $56.5 billion when results are released after the market close on April 29, with earnings per share around $6.65 to $6.71. The company will host a conference call at 5:30 p.m. ET that day, where CEO Mark Zuckerberg and finance chief Susan Li are likely to face questions about AI monetization progress, expense growth and any updates to full-year guidance.

“Meta continues to deliver robust top-line growth from its advertising platform, but the market remains focused on whether the enormous AI-related outlays will compress margins in the near term or deliver outsized returns down the road,” said one technology analyst who declined to be identified because he was not authorized to comment publicly. Several Wall Street firms maintain “Buy” ratings on META, citing the company’s dominant position in digital advertising and potential for AI-driven features to boost user engagement.

Meta’s advertising business, which accounts for the vast majority of revenue, has benefited from improved targeting tools powered by AI, including Advantage+ campaigns that have driven higher returns for advertisers. Daily active users across its family of apps exceed 3.5 billion, providing a massive canvas for AI enhancements such as personalized recommendations, content moderation and creative tools for Reels and Stories.

In early April, Meta debuted Muse Spark, its first major AI model release since acquiring a significant stake in Scale AI and hiring its CEO Alexandr Wang to lead Superintelligence Labs. The model is designed to achieve strong performance with significantly less compute than previous versions, potentially helping to mitigate some of the cost pressures from the company’s infrastructure buildout. Executives have highlighted the potential for more efficient scaling of AI features across Meta’s platforms, including integration with Ray-Ban smart glasses and future wearable devices.

Still, the sheer scale of spending has raised eyebrows. Full-year 2026 operating expenses are projected between $162 billion and $169 billion, reflecting not only capital investments but also higher compensation for AI talent. Reports earlier in the year suggested Meta could pursue layoffs of 20% or more of its workforce to offset costs and leverage productivity gains from AI itself, though the company described such speculation as theoretical.

The shift toward a more capital-intensive model marks a departure from Meta’s historically lean software roots. Investors have grown accustomed to high operating margins, which stood near 41% in recent quarters but face downward pressure as depreciation from new data centers accelerates and energy costs rise. Free cash flow, while still robust, is expected to moderate as the company prioritizes long-term AI leadership over near-term shareholder returns.

Regulatory and legal headwinds add another layer of complexity. Meta continues to navigate antitrust scrutiny in the U.S. and Europe, as well as ongoing litigation related to user safety and content moderation. Earlier in 2026, the company faced court losses in cases involving youth protection, contributing to temporary share price weakness. Despite these challenges, advertising demand has remained resilient, with many brands viewing Meta’s platforms as essential for reaching consumers.

Zuckerberg has repeatedly emphasized that 2026 will be a foundational year for AI across Meta’s products, with plans to deliver more personalized experiences and new generative tools. The company’s open-source Llama models have gained traction among developers, though recent shifts toward more proprietary approaches, including Muse Spark, signal a evolving strategy to compete directly with closed models from OpenAI, Google and Anthropic.

Looking ahead to the April 29 earnings release, key metrics to watch include advertising revenue growth, the contribution of AI-powered features, user metrics for Threads and Reels, and any commentary on the trajectory of capital spending. Management previously guided for Q1 revenue in the $53.5 billion to $56.5 billion range, which would represent healthy year-over-year expansion even if it falls short of the explosive growth seen in prior recovery periods.

Broader market context on Monday showed technology stocks trading with caution as oil prices rose on Middle East developments. Meta’s slight decline mirrored moves in other mega-cap names sensitive to interest rate expectations and macro risks. The stock remains well above its 2025 lows but trades below peaks reached in late 2025, reflecting a valuation that some analysts view as more reasonable given the spending backdrop.

For long-term investors, Meta’s story centers on its unparalleled user scale and ability to integrate AI deeply into daily digital experiences. Success in turning heavy infrastructure investments into sustained revenue growth — whether through higher ad pricing, new subscription offerings or enterprise AI services — could justify the current outlays. Failure to demonstrate clear returns, however, could prolong margin pressure and weigh on the share price.

Meta’s balance sheet provides significant flexibility, with substantial cash reserves supporting both the AI buildout and potential shareholder-friendly actions such as dividends or buybacks once spending stabilizes. The company has already returned capital through repurchases in recent years, though the priority remains funding growth initiatives.

As trading progressed Monday morning, the 1.71% drop appeared driven more by pre-earnings caution and sector rotation than any company-specific negative news. Volume was not unusually heavy, suggesting many investors were holding positions rather than rushing for the exits.

With earnings just nine days away, market participants will scrutinize not only the headline numbers but also forward-looking signals on AI efficiency, competitive positioning and cost discipline. Zuckerberg’s vision of “personal superintelligence” for billions of users has captured imagination, but delivering on that promise while maintaining profitability will test Meta’s execution in 2026 and beyond.

Meta Platforms Inc., once focused almost exclusively on social connection, has transformed into one of the leading players in the global AI infrastructure race. Monday’s modest decline to $676.79 served as a quiet reminder of the balancing act the company must perform: investing boldly for the future without alienating investors focused on near-term financial discipline.

Whether the upcoming earnings report reinforces confidence in Meta’s AI strategy or heightens concerns about spending will likely set the tone for the stock’s performance heading into the summer. For now, Wall Street remains divided between those who see the current levels as an attractive entry point and those wary of further compression in margins.