Oil prices pushed higher on Thursday as concerns grew over a prolonged U.S. blockade on Iranian exports and a lack of progress in nuclear negotiations, raising the likelihood of tighter supply conditions ahead. Brent prices have now reached their highest levels since mid-2022 as tensions in the Iran war continue to disrupt supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

The move follows an Axios report stating that U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This suggests the blockade could remain until a broader nuclear deal is reached.

Crude oil price on April 30

Brent crude for June delivery climbed 1.96% to $120 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate edged up 0.2% to $107.09.

The rally builds on Wednesday’s sharp gains, when Brent rose about 6% and WTI surged 7%. The Wall Street Journal had earlier reported, citing U.S. officials, that Trump directed aides to prepare for an extended blockade of Iran.

Trump also issued a warning to Iran via a Truth Social post, saying the country “better get smart soon!” He added that Iran was struggling to finalize a non-nuclear deal. The post included an AI-generated image of Trump holding a gun with explosions in the background alongside the phrase “NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!”
Analysts noted that restricted Iranian exports and limited storage capacity could worsen supply disruptions if the blockade continues. While the UAE’s output increase after exiting OPEC may help, it is expected to come through gradually and is unlikely to ease near-term tightness.As for price outlook, a Haitong Futures note cited by Reuters suggested the current ceasefire may only be a precursor to further conflict. If U.S.-Iran negotiations fail to progress by the end of April and tensions escalate, oil prices could climb to new highs this year.

Macquarie expects crude to stay supported in the $85 to $90 range in the near term, with a gradual rise toward $110 as supply conditions stabilize. However, it warned that extended disruptions through April could push Brent up to $150 per barrel.

Nuvama Institutional Equities also indicated that a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around 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)

NEW YORK — GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. shares tumbled more than 11% on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, trading around $60.72 in morning action after the medical technology company reported first-quarter results that missed profit expectations and lowered its full-year 2026 guidance, citing tariff impacts, supply chain issues and higher operating costs.

The company posted revenue of $5.13 billion for the quarter, up 7.4% from the year-ago period and slightly above some estimates. However, adjusted earnings per share of $0.99 fell short of the $1.07 consensus forecast. Net income attributable to GE HealthCare declined to $389 million from $564 million a year earlier, with operating income dropping to $515 million from $629 million.

GE HealthCare trimmed its full-year 2026 adjusted EPS guidance to $4.80–$5.00 from the previous $4.95–$5.15 range. Management pointed to approximately $90 million in tariff-related headwinds, a decline in the Patient Care Solutions segment and supplier issues in the Pharmaceutical Diagnostics business as key factors pressuring margins.

CEO Peter Arduini acknowledged the challenges in prepared remarks. “While we delivered solid revenue growth, Q1 was impacted by external pressures including tariffs and supply constraints,” he said. “We are taking decisive actions to mitigate these headwinds and remain confident in our long-term growth strategy.”

The results triggered heavy selling pressure. Volume surged well above average as both institutional and retail investors reacted to the miss and guidance cut. The decline ranks among the largest percentage drops on Nasdaq Wednesday morning and reflects investor disappointment in a stock that had already been under pressure year-to-date.

GE HealthCare, spun off from General Electric in 2023, provides a wide range of medical technologies including imaging systems, ultrasound, patient monitoring and pharmaceutical diagnostics. The company serves hospitals and healthcare providers worldwide and has significant exposure to both developed and emerging markets.

Analysts responded quickly to the update. Several firms lowered price targets or moved to more cautious ratings, citing margin pressures and uncertainty around tariff impacts. Others maintained Buy ratings, arguing the selloff creates an attractive entry point for a company with strong fundamentals and long-term growth potential in healthcare technology.

The tariff headwinds appear linked to broader U.S.-China trade tensions affecting component costs and supply chains. GE HealthCare has been working to diversify its manufacturing footprint, but near-term disruptions have still impacted profitability. Management noted that mitigation efforts are underway, including supplier negotiations and pricing adjustments.

For investors, today’s drop highlights the market’s sensitivity to guidance revisions in the healthcare technology sector. While GE HealthCare delivered revenue growth, the profit miss and lowered outlook raised concerns about near-term margin compression and execution risks in a challenging macroeconomic environment.

The company’s diversified portfolio provides some resilience. Imaging and ultrasound segments showed solid performance, while Pharmaceutical Diagnostics faced specific supplier challenges. GE HealthCare’s focus on innovation, including AI-powered imaging solutions and precision diagnostics, continues to position it well for long-term growth as healthcare systems invest in advanced technologies.

Longer-term bulls point to demographic tailwinds, including aging populations and increasing demand for early detection and personalized medicine. GE HealthCare’s global scale and strong brand reputation in medical imaging give it competitive advantages in these markets.

Near-term risks include continued tariff pressures, supply chain volatility and potential slowdowns in hospital capital spending if economic conditions weaken. The company’s high exposure to international markets also makes it sensitive to currency fluctuations and geopolitical developments.

As trading continued Wednesday morning, shares stabilized somewhat but remained sharply lower. Technical analysts noted support levels near recent moving averages, with potential resistance around $65–$68 if a recovery attempt materializes. Options activity showed increased put buying, reflecting caution among traders.

The day’s performance serves as a reminder of the market’s focus on forward guidance in healthcare technology names. While GE HealthCare maintains strong fundamentals, the tempered outlook has investors reassessing near-term momentum. The earnings call later today will be closely watched for additional color on mitigation strategies, margin recovery plans and AI-related growth opportunities.

GE HealthCare has a strong track record of innovation in medical technology. Its systems are used by healthcare providers worldwide to improve diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes. The company’s ability to navigate current headwinds while investing in future growth will be key to regaining investor confidence.

For long-term investors, today’s decline may present an entry point if they believe in the company’s strategic positioning and ability to overcome temporary challenges. GE HealthCare’s focus on digital health, AI integration and precision diagnostics aligns with major trends in healthcare delivery.

The healthcare technology sector has faced selective pressure in 2026 as investors rotate toward other areas amid economic uncertainty. Companies with strong balance sheets and clear innovation pipelines like GE HealthCare have held up better than pure growth names, but remain sensitive to margin concerns and guidance revisions.

As the market digests today’s move, GE HealthCare stands out as a notable decliner, illustrating how even established healthcare technology leaders can face sharp selloffs when results and outlook fall short of elevated expectations. The coming quarters will reveal whether this represents a temporary setback or a more fundamental shift in the company’s growth trajectory.

For years, the global conversation about artificial intelligence has been dominated by the West. Silicon Valley labs, European regulators, and Washington policy circles have set the terms of debate, while the Asia Pacific was often framed as a fast follower, capable, ambitious, but trailing. A major new survey from KPMG should put that narrative to rest.

Key Takeaways

• Asia Pacific’s AI leadership: The region is no longer a “fast follower” but is pulling ahead in global AI adoption, according to KPMG’s Global AI Pulse survey.
• Investment scale: Asia Pacific firms plan to invest an average of US$245M in AI over the next year, surpassing the global average of US$186M. Korea leads with projected spending of US$358M.
• Resilience in downturns: 75% of firms say they will maintain AI investment even during a recession; in India, this rises to 86%.

The findings from KPMG’s inaugural Global AI Pulse survey, drawing on responses from more than 2,100 senior executives across 20 countries, including 559 from six key Asia Pacific markets, reveal a region that is not catching up to the rest of the world. It is pulling ahead.

Money Talks, And Asia Pacific Is Shouting

The clearest signal is financial. Asia Pacific firms plan to invest, on average, US$245 million in AI over the next 12 months, well above the global average of US$186 million. 

That gap alone would be notable. But what makes it remarkable is the resolve behind those numbers: three-quarters of ASPAC firms say that even an economic recession would not deter their AI investment. In India, that figure climbs to 86 percent.

Korea deserves special attention. With an average projected AI spend of US$358 million, and more than a third of Korean firms planning to invest over US$500 million in the next year alone, the country is not merely participating in the AI economy; it is betting its corporate future on it.

This is not reckless speculation. Companies in the region are seeing results. Sixty-nine percent of surveyed ASPAC firms report tangible benefits from AI adoption, productivity gains, cost savings, revenue growth, or sharper decision-making, slightly above the global average of 64 percent. In India, that number reaches 79 percent, the highest of any market surveyed. The returns are real, and they are fuelling further commitment.

From Pilot Programs to Full Deployment

Perhaps the most telling signal of Asia Pacific’s maturity in AI is the pace of agent deployment. One in three ASPAC firms is already scaling AI agents across multiple business functions, a figure led by Korea at 41 percent. These are not internal experiments or proof-of-concept projects. These are operational systems running in technology, IT, operations, marketing, and sales.

More significantly, almost half of ASPAC respondents say AI agents are automating workflows that span multiple departments. And the ambition goes further still: four in ten ASPAC firms expect AI agents to independently manage specific projects within the next two to three years, not merely assist with them. That is well ahead of the global share of 30 percent.

This distinction matters. There is a fundamental difference between AI that supports human decision-making and AI that leads it. ASPAC companies are not only comfortable with that trajectory,, but they are also actively building toward it.

The Workforce Question

Critics of AI adoption often point to workforce disruption as the hidden cost of automation. The KPMG data tells a more nuanced story, and it reflects well on how ASPAC companies are managing the transition.

Sixty-two percent of firms in the region are upskilling or reskilling their current workforce, while 56 percent are simultaneously hiring for new AI-specific roles, architects, prompt engineers, and similar positions that simply did not exist a decade ago. Crucially, the skills most in demand are not purely technical. Critical thinking, adaptability, and creative reasoning rank high among the competencies companies are seeking. The message is clear: AI augments human intelligence; it does not simply replace human labour.

India again leads. Four in five Indian firms report making strong progress toward a fully integrated human-AI workforce, against a global average of 60 percent. And across the region, 70 percent of companies express confidence that their current talent pipeline can meet the demands of an AI-enabled future. For a technology that is scaling at unprecedented speed, that level of workforce readiness is a genuine competitive advantage.

Governance Is Not an Afterthought

The story of Asia Pacific’s AI rise would be incomplete and misleading without acknowledging the challenges that remain. Data security, privacy, and cybersecurity are legitimate concerns. Nearly 29 percent of ASPAC companies say these issues could prompt them to pause AI implementation in the next six months, and an additional 45 percent say it could lead to a slowdown. Almost half identify risk considerations as the biggest obstacle to demonstrating return on investment.

These are not trivial obstacles, and they should not be dismissed. But the governance structures forming around AI in the region suggest that companies are taking the risks seriously rather than ignoring them.

Today, 82 percent of boards in ASPAC cover AI topics, more than in any other region. Nearly four in five have at least one board director with genuine AI expertise. As companies scale complex, cross-functional AI systems, this kind of leadership-level engagement is not a luxury. It is a prerequisite for sustainable deployment.

What This Means for the World

Asia Pacific’s AI trajectory is partly explained by history. The region has long been characterised by rapid technology adoption, and consumers and businesses alike have integrated new platforms, tools, and systems faster than their counterparts in other parts of the world. AI is the latest chapter in that pattern, not an exception to it.

But history alone does not account for the ambition on display in the KPMG data. The combination of large-scale capital commitment, accelerating deployment, workforce investment, and board-level governance suggests that ASPAC companies have made a strategic decision: AI is not a productivity tool to be cautiously evaluated. It is the central platform for future business growth and resilience.

The gap between ambition and capability will not close overnight. Almost one in three ASPAC companies has yet to see meaningful business value from AI. The operational frameworks for managing cross-functional AI systems are still maturing. Skills gaps persist.

But the direction of travel is unmistakable. The question for business leaders, policymakers, and investors elsewhere in the world is not whether Asia Pacific is serious about AI. The question is whether the rest of the world is serious enough to keep pace.

Other People are Reading

NEW YORK — GameStop Corp. shares traded modestly lower at $24.50 in morning trading on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, down about 2.35% as the meme stock favorite consolidated following recent volatility and ahead of its next earnings report, reflecting a cooling of retail enthusiasm amid broader market caution.

The slight decline came as the broader market showed mixed performance, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average hovering near record highs. GameStop’s trading volume remained elevated compared to traditional retail stocks, underscoring its enduring appeal among individual investors and short-term traders who continue to monitor the company for potential catalysts or short squeezes.

GameStop reported stronger-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter 2025 results in late March, posting adjusted earnings per share of $0.49 that beat estimates. While revenue of $1.10 billion missed forecasts, the company highlighted a robust cash position approaching $9 billion, providing significant financial flexibility for potential investments, acquisitions or shareholder returns. The cash hoard has become a central talking point for investors, with speculation persisting about how Chairman Ryan Cohen might deploy capital.

Recent operational updates have also fueled interest. GameStop announced plans to roll out dedicated retro gaming sections in all U.S. stores by May, capitalizing on nostalgia for classic consoles and titles. The company also launched “Power Packs,” a digital trading card platform, generating buzz among collectors and younger gamers. These initiatives reflect efforts to evolve beyond traditional brick-and-mortar retail amid the ongoing shift to digital gaming.

Analysts remain divided on the company’s long-term prospects. Some view the cash balance as a safety net that provides optionality in a challenging retail environment. Others caution that core video game sales continue facing headwinds from digital downloads and subscription services. Consensus price targets generally hover near current levels, with limited analyst coverage compared to larger consumer stocks.

Meme stock dynamics continue influencing price action. GameStop remains a favorite on platforms like Reddit’s r/Superstonk and X, where communities track short interest, options activity and insider moves. Short interest has moderated from peaks seen in earlier years but remains notable relative to float. Volatility persists, with the stock capable of sharp intraday swings on news or social media sentiment.

Ryan Cohen’s involvement continues to draw attention. The activist investor and Chewy co-founder, who became chairman in 2021, has steadily increased his stake. His purchases in recent months signaled confidence, helping support the stock during periods of broader market weakness. Cohen has emphasized transforming GameStop into a technology-driven company rather than a traditional retailer.

The next earnings report, expected in early June for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, will be closely watched for progress on cost-cutting, e-commerce growth and any updates on capital allocation. Analysts forecast modest revenue pressure but potential margin improvement from efficiency initiatives.

GameStop’s balance sheet strength sets it apart from many distressed retailers. With billions in cash and minimal long-term debt, the company faces less immediate pressure than peers navigating post-pandemic shifts. However, turning that liquidity into sustainable growth remains the key challenge as the video game industry consolidates around a few major platforms.

Retail investors continue playing a prominent role in GME’s trading. High social media engagement and options activity often amplify moves. Wednesday’s modest decline followed a period of relative stability around the mid-$20s, with the stock showing resilience compared to some other consumer discretionary names. Year-to-date performance has been positive but far more muted than the dramatic swings of 2021.

Broader market context provides some support. Strong performance in major indices and optimism around artificial intelligence and economic resilience have helped lift risk assets. However, GameStop trades more on company-specific and sentiment-driven factors than macroeconomic trends.

For long-term shareholders, the focus remains on execution. Can GameStop successfully pivot toward higher-margin businesses while maintaining its physical footprint? Management has emphasized disciplined spending and customer-centric initiatives, but delivering consistent profitability in a digital-first world remains difficult.

As trading continued Wednesday morning, GameStop shares hovered near $24.50 with moderate volume. Technical levels show support around $23 and resistance near $26–$27. Options flow has been mixed, with some bullish bets on potential catalysts later in the year.

GameStop’s story continues captivating investors more than a decade after its initial meme surge. While the company has made strides in strengthening its balance sheet and exploring new revenue streams, questions persist about its ability to generate sustainable growth in an evolving industry. For now, the combination of cash reserves, retail enthusiasm and strategic moves by leadership keeps the stock on many watchlists.

The modest decline today fits a pattern of consolidation after periods of volatility. As the company prepares for its next earnings report, investors will be looking for signs of progress in its transformation efforts and any updates on how the substantial cash position will be deployed. Whether GameStop can reignite meme stock momentum or transition into a more traditional retail story remains one of the most watched narratives in the market.

NEW YORK — Shopify, the leading e-commerce platform for millions of online businesses worldwide, faced significant technical difficulties on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, with numerous merchants reporting problems accessing the admin dashboard, login failures and delayed processing of orders and payments.

Downdetector and other outage tracking services recorded a sharp spike in user reports beginning around 9 a.m. EDT, with the majority of complaints centered on the Shopify admin panel. Many store owners were unable to log in, update products, process orders or access analytics, causing frustration during what is typically a busy midweek trading period for online retailers. Shopify’s official status page confirmed it was investigating an issue affecting merchant access to the admin interface.

The outage, while not a complete platform shutdown, disrupted operations for thousands of businesses that rely on Shopify for their day-to-day e-commerce activities. Small business owners, particularly those running fashion, home goods and specialty retail stores, expressed concern on social media about lost sales and customer service delays. Some reported being locked out of their accounts for over an hour, while others experienced slow loading times and error messages when trying to fulfill orders.

Shopify has not yet released a detailed explanation for the disruption, but the company’s status dashboard indicated it was actively working on a resolution. In previous similar incidents, outages were often linked to backend infrastructure updates, high traffic volumes or authentication system glitches. This latest event marks the second notable Shopify disruption in recent weeks, raising questions about the platform’s reliability as it scales to serve an increasingly global merchant base.

For many small businesses, Shopify is the backbone of their online presence. The platform powers everything from product listings and inventory management to payment processing and customer analytics. An outage of even a few hours can translate into significant lost revenue, especially for merchants in time-sensitive categories like fashion or event-related goods. Several users reported being unable to process payments during peak morning hours, forcing them to direct customers to alternative contact methods or temporarily close their online stores.

The timing of the outage added to the frustration. With many businesses still recovering from supply chain challenges and economic pressures, any interruption in e-commerce operations can have outsized impacts. Independent retailers who have built their entire business model around Shopify expressed particular anxiety, with some turning to social media to share workarounds and seek support from fellow merchants.

Shopify’s support team has been responding to individual reports through official channels, advising users to clear cache, try alternative browsers or wait for the issue to be resolved. However, the volume of complaints suggests a broader systemic problem rather than isolated user errors. The company’s status page has been updating periodically, but many merchants have criticized the lack of more detailed real-time communication during the incident.

This is not the first time Shopify has faced criticism for service reliability. In recent years, the platform has experienced several high-profile outages, particularly during peak shopping periods like Black Friday and holiday seasons. While Shopify has invested heavily in infrastructure and redundancy, the growing complexity of its platform — with thousands of third-party apps and custom integrations — has made maintaining 100% uptime increasingly challenging.

For merchants, today’s outage serves as a reminder of the risks of relying on a single platform for critical business operations. Many are now exploring backup solutions, multi-platform strategies or enhanced contingency plans to minimize future disruptions. Some have even begun migrating portions of their business to alternative e-commerce providers as a hedge against potential downtime.

The incident also highlights broader concerns about the concentration of e-commerce power in a few major platforms. Shopify’s dominance in the small-to-medium business segment means that when it experiences problems, the ripple effects are felt across thousands of independent retailers and their customers. Industry analysts estimate that even brief outages can cost the ecosystem millions in lost transactions.

Shopify has built its reputation on empowering entrepreneurs with easy-to-use tools and a robust app ecosystem. The company powers millions of online stores globally and has been a key driver of e-commerce growth, particularly for small businesses that might otherwise struggle with technical complexity. However, today’s events underscore that even market leaders are not immune to technical challenges.

As the outage continues into the afternoon, affected merchants are advised to monitor Shopify’s official status page and social channels for updates. In the meantime, many are turning to manual order processing methods or directing customers to alternative contact channels to maintain business continuity.

The situation remains fluid, with full resolution timelines not yet confirmed. Shopify has a strong track record of resolving issues relatively quickly once identified, but the current disruption has already caused significant inconvenience for many users.

For business owners relying on Shopify, today’s events serve as a timely reminder of the importance of diversification and preparedness. While the platform remains an invaluable tool for e-commerce, building redundancy into operations can help mitigate the impact of future outages.

As Shopify works to restore full functionality, the e-commerce community will be watching closely. The company’s response to this incident could influence merchant confidence and shape discussions about platform reliability in the broader online retail ecosystem.

US equity-index futures advanced, lifted by late-session gains in tech giants, as the artificial intelligence trade remained a key driver of markets, while oil prices surged on escalating uncertainty over the Iran war.

Contracts for the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 rose 0.9% and those for the S&P 500 Index climbed 0.4% in early Asian trading after broadly positive earnings from megacap companies. Alphabet Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. shares climbed in after-market trading, while Meta Platforms Inc. slumped on spending concerns. Chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. rallied 13% after making headway in the data-center market. Samsung Electronics Co.’s profit also beat estimates.

Meanwhile, Brent crude climbed 1.9% at the open to $120.30 a barrel Thursday, after rallying to the highest level since June 2022 on Wednesday. Oil is climbing with no signs of progress toward a resolution to the Iran war that’s roiled global markets following the near-closure of the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Asian shares fell at the open.

The higher oil prices and a hawkish hold by the Federal Reserve weighed on Treasuries, with the yield on the 10-year rising more than eight basis points to 4.43% during the US session. Australian bonds tracked Treasuries lower early Thursday as expensive oil stoked inflation. Japanese 10-year bond yields rose to the highest since 1997.

“As the MAG7 profit results roll out, the money printing of their businesses and profitability stands in stark contrast to the ever climbing US debt and yield story,” said Martin Whetton, head of financial markets strategy at Westpac Banking Corp.

From surging oil prices driven by the Iran war to a divided Federal Reserve holding rates steady and megacap tech earnings, traders are grappling with a barrage of whipsawing headlines. With oil climbing to four-year highs and 10-year Treasury yields at the highest since July, the backdrop presents a test for a global equity rally that has erased war-related losses and pushed US markets to new highs.
There’s more for traders to parse Thursday with the European Central Bank and the Bank of England set to announce policy decisions. Then, Apple Inc. is scheduled to report earnings. Then there’ll be more US economic data release.In other corners of the market, the yen was slightly stronger early Thursday after the currency extended its slide beyond 160 per dollar to its weakest mark this year, fueling risk that officials may step into the market to offer support.

Gold edged up 0.3% to $4,560 an ounce, while Bitcoin advanced to about $75,790.

Amazon.com Inc. shares rose 5% in after-market trading after seeing the fastest sales growth for its cloud unit in more than three years. Alphabet Inc. also gained in late after reporting quarterly revenue and profit that beat projections. Meta plunged 6.5% on escalating concerns over the AI spending spree.

Also, Anthropic PBC has begun weighing a fresh funding round that would value the artificial intelligence developer at more than $900 billion, according to people familiar with the matter, potentially leapfrogging its longtime rival OpenAI as the world’s most valuable AI startup.

The moves in oil came as President Donald Trump told Axios he will not lift a naval blockade of Iran’s ports until he secures a deal with Tehran to address the country’s nuclear program, extending a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz that has caused a global energy crisis.

A market-wide shift toward expecting a longer conflict has sharpened focus on US supplies, now all-the-more critical to offset disruptions to Middle Eastern flows. Government data published Wednesday show that domestic oil stockpiles are declining as American exports surge to record highs.

“The longer the strait is closed, the higher prices go,” said Dennis Kissler, senior vice president for trading at BOK Financial Securities Inc. “A longer-term waiting game is a near-term bullish catalyst for crude prices, however it may be just the recipe needed to bring the conflict to an eventual end game.”

Earlier, the Fed left rates unchanged, but revealed a deepening division over the outlook for policy. Traders have all but abandoned wagers on a rate cut this year and began pricing in the chances of a hike in 2027.

Fed officials tweaked their statement, saying “developments in the Middle East are contributing to a high level of uncertainty about the economic outlook.” They repeated the phrase referring to “the extent and timing of additional adjustments” to rates.

Jerome Powell’s press conference was his last at the helm of the central bank after the Justice Department dropped a controversial criminal investigation into the Fed, clearing the way for the Senate confirmation of Kevin Warsh as the next chair. Powell said he’ll remain at the central bank as a governor.

The gathering revealed a deepening division. Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack alongside Minneapolis’ Neel Kashkari and Dallas’ Lorie Logan “supported maintaining the target range for the federal funds rate but did not support inclusion of an easing bias in the statement at this time.” Governor Stephen Miran dissented in favor of a cut.

“The three dissents on the statement’s language point to a marginally more hawkish tilt, as some officials prepare for the possibility that inflation remains higher for longer,” said Angelo Kourkafas at Edward Jones. “We expect the Fed to remain firmly on hold in the months ahead.”

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Q2 Holdings, Inc. (QTWO) Q1 2026 Earnings Call April 29, 2026 5:00 PM EDT

Company Participants

Josh Yankovich – Investor Contact
Matthew Flake – President, CEO & Chairman of the Board
Jonathan Price – CFO and Executive VP of Strategy & Emerging Businesses

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Conference Call Participants

Andrew Schmidt – KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., Research Division
Eleanor Smith – JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Terrell Tillman – Truist Securities, Inc., Research Division
Matthew VanVliet – Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Research Division
Alexander Sklar – Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Research Division
J. Lane – Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Research Division
Michael Infante – Morgan Stanley, Research Division
Adam Hotchkiss – Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Joseph Vruwink – Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated, Research Division
Cristopher Kennedy – William Blair & Company L.L.C., Research Division
Daniel Perlin – RBC Capital Markets, Research Division

Presentation

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Operator

Good afternoon. My name is Kevin, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to the Q2 Holdings First Quarter 2026 Financial Results Conference Call. [Operator Instructions]

I will now hand the conference over to Josh Yankovich, Investor Relations. Sir, please begin.

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Josh Yankovich
Investor Contact

Thank you, operator. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining us today. With me on the call are Matt Flake, our CEO; and Jonathan Price, our CFO.

This call contains forward-looking statements that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, with respect to our expectations for the future operating and financial performance of Q2 Holdings and for the financial services industry. Actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by these forward-looking statements, and we can give no assurance that such expectations or any of our forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the

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