China releases fertilizer reserves as Strait of Hormuz crisis disrupts supply
China has begun releasing nearly 10 million tons of fertilizer from its national reserves while boosting domestic production to record levels as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz enters its third week, threatening global agricultural supply chains at the start of the Northern Hemisphere’s spring planting season. The intervention marks......
Stanford study finds aging occurs in bursts rather than gradual decline
Researchers at Stanford University have found that aging may unfold through sudden transitions rather than a steady, gradual decline. The findings come from an experiment that tracked nearly every movement of small fish throughout their lives and showed that early behavioral patterns can predict how long an individual will live. The study,......
CF Industries hits record high as Iran war disrupts global fertilizer supply
Shares of CF Industries Holdings surged more than 13 percent on Thursday, reaching a record high as the escalating conflict involving Iran disrupted global fertilizer supply chains. The nitrogen fertilizer producer closed at $136, up $15.87 for the session after touching an intraday peak of $137.44. Trading volume exceeded 14 million shares,......
Sugar prices rise as Middle East oil shock threatens Brazilian supply
Raw sugar futures climbed this week, trading above 14 cents per pound and rising roughly 7 percent over the past month as the escalating war involving Iran pushes oil prices higher and raises concerns about sugar production in Brazil. The rally follows a surge in crude prices after the conflict effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key......
Euro falls to 2026 low as Middle East oil crisis pressures Europe
The euro weakened for a fourth consecutive session on Thursday, sliding to its lowest level of 2026 as the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran continued to disrupt global energy markets and weigh on Europe’s energy dependent economy. The European Central Bank’s reference rate for EUR/USD stood at 1.1547 on March 12,......
Musk warns parents to keep ChatGPT away from children after Canada shooting lawsuit
Elon Musk has warned parents to keep ChatGPT away from children and individuals with mental health vulnerabilities following a lawsuit that links the chatbot to a deadly school shooting in Canada. Musk posted the warning on X on Wednesday while responding to a user discussing the February 10 attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British......
Aluminum hits four year high as Gulf war disrupts global supply
Aluminum prices climbed to their highest level in nearly four years as the war in the Middle East disrupted shipments from the Persian Gulf, one of the world’s most important production hubs for the lightweight metal. Three month aluminum futures on the London Metal Exchange settled at $3,516.50 per metric ton on Wednesday, the highest......
Silo AI founder launches QuTwo to link enterprise AI with quantum computing
Peter Sarlin, the Finnish entrepreneur who sold artificial intelligence startup Silo AI to AMD for $665 million in 2024, has unveiled a new venture called QuTwo. The company positions itself as what Sarlin describes as “an AI lab for the quantum era,” aiming to bridge enterprise artificial intelligence systems with emerging quantum......
BofA strategist warns markets echo conditions before the 2008 financial crisis
Michael Hartnett, chief investment strategist at Bank of America, says current market conditions show striking similarities to the period preceding the 2008 global financial crisis, as surging oil prices and emerging stress in private credit markets raise concerns among investors. In the bank’s latest Flow Show report, Hartnett’s......
Africa AI Creativity Week highlights Morocco’s emerging AI driven creative sector
Morocco will host the Africa AI Creativity Week from April 7 to 9, 2026 in Marrakech, bringing together innovators, artists, and technology specialists to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping creative industries across Africa. The initiative aims to position the country as a regional hub for technology-driven cultural production. The......
Bloomberg allows Gulf staff to relocate as Iran attacks intensify
Bloomberg LP has told employees based in Gulf countries, including those at its regional headquarters in Dubai, that they may temporarily relocate and work from outside the region as Iranian attacks continue to escalate, according to a company spokesperson speaking to Reuters. The move makes Bloomberg one of several major financial and media......
Crypto fear index exits extreme fear after 41 day market slump
The cryptocurrency market’s widely followed sentiment indicator has moved out of “extreme fear” for the first time in more than six weeks, ending one of the longest periods of investor panic recorded by the Crypto Fear and Greed Index. The indicator remained below the 25 point threshold that signals extreme fear for more......
U.S. dollar hits four month high as Middle East war drives safe haven demand
The U.S. dollar strengthened this week, with the dollar index rising above 99.00 to its highest level since late November 2025 as investors moved toward safe haven assets amid escalating conflict in the Middle East. The index traded near 99.34 on Thursday after reaching an intraday high close to 99.76. The move marks a gain of roughly 2.5......
Israel strikes over 200 targets in Iran as Lebanon operations expand
Israel’s air force struck more than 200 targets across western and central Iran in the past 24 hours while expanding military operations in Lebanon, marking a sharp escalation on the 13th day of the Middle East conflict. According to the Israeli military, dozens of fighter jets carried out large scale strike missions guided by intelligence......
Oil surges above $100 as Iran vows to keep Strait of Hormuz closed
Global oil prices climbed back above $100 per barrel on Thursday as Iran’s new supreme leader pledged to maintain the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, intensifying the largest energy supply disruption in modern history. The conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran has entered its third week, sending shockwaves through global......