Today: 29 April 2026

Khadija Saeed

A dedicated markets reporter, she covers stocks, macroeconomics, and major business developments with a sharp eye for detail and accuracy.

Natural gas price spikes again: Henry Hub ends week at $4.35 as cold lingers, LNG demand firms

Natural gas price spikes again: Henry Hub ends week at $4.35 as cold lingers, LNG demand firms

U.S. natural gas futures surged 11.1% Friday, closing at $4.354 per mmBtu, as forecasts called for below-normal temperatures in early February. Gas flows to Freeport LNG rose to 1.8 bcfd after an outage, while U.S. storage dropped by 242 Bcf last week but remains above the five-year average. European gas prices slipped on expectations of increased U.S. supply. Trading resumes Sunday evening.
31 January 2026
···
Semiconductor stocks stumble after KLA rout — what to watch before Monday’s open

Semiconductor stocks stumble after KLA rout — what to watch before Monday’s open

The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 3.9% to 7,998.47 Friday, led by a 15.2% plunge in KLA shares despite the company beating estimates. Apple warned of rising memory-chip costs, while investors weighed Trump’s pick of Kevin Warsh for Fed chair and a hotter producer-price report. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang confirmed plans for a major OpenAI investment. Key chip earnings reports are due next week.
31 January 2026
·····
Bitcoin price breaks below $80,000 as ETF outflows and Fed shake-up hang over week ahead

Bitcoin price breaks below $80,000 as ETF outflows and Fed shake-up hang over week ahead

Bitcoin fell 5.1% to $78,638 Saturday, dropping below $80,000 as crypto markets extended their slide. U.S.-listed spot bitcoin ETFs saw $509.7 million in outflows Jan. 30, led by BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust. Donald Trump named Kevin Warsh as his pick for next Fed chair, raising speculation about tighter policy. The U.S. government entered a likely short shutdown after Congress missed a funding deadline.
31 January 2026
····
Apple stock price (AAPL) back in focus after “staggering” iPhone demand — what could move shares next week

Apple stock price (AAPL) back in focus after “staggering” iPhone demand — what could move shares next week

Apple shares closed Friday up 0.46% at $259.48 after reporting fiscal Q1 revenue of $143.8 billion, up 16%. The company confirmed it acquired Israeli audio AI startup Q.ai for about $1.6 billion. CEO Tim Cook cited supply constraints and rising chip costs. Apple forecast March-quarter revenue growth of 13% to 16% and gross margins up to 49%.
31 January 2026
··
Dow Jones slips on Warsh Fed pick and inflation data — what to know before Monday’s open

Dow Jones slips on Warsh Fed pick and inflation data — what to know before Monday’s open

The Dow Jones fell 179.09 points Friday, closing at 48,892.47, but gained 1.7% for January, its ninth straight monthly rise. Gold futures plunged 11% and silver 31%, their steepest drops since 1980. The U.S. government entered a shutdown early Saturday as Congress missed a funding deadline. Investors are watching Trump’s plan to nominate Kevin Warsh as Fed chair and the latest inflation data.
31 January 2026
····
Silver price braces for volatile reopen after Friday rout; SLV slumps with Warsh Fed pick in focus

Silver price braces for volatile reopen after Friday rout; SLV slumps with Warsh Fed pick in focus

Silver prices crashed 26% Friday, with spot silver falling to $86.60 an ounce after topping $120 the previous day. The COMEX March contract dropped 25.5% to $85.25, and the SLV ETF lost $30 to close at $75.44. The selloff followed President Trump’s Fed chair announcement and comes ahead of key U.S. jobs and inflation data due next week.
31 January 2026
·····
Agricultural Bank of China A-share (601288) price: what to watch after weak China PMI

Agricultural Bank of China A-share (601288) price: what to watch after weak China PMI

Agricultural Bank of China A shares closed at 6.72 yuan in Shanghai Friday, down 0.88%. The bank announced Zhang Hongwu’s appointment as non-executive director after regulatory approval. January’s official manufacturing PMI fell to 49.3, signaling contraction and weighing on investor sentiment. Trading resumes Monday amid renewed speculation over policy easing.
31 January 2026
··
Palantir stock price could swing 9% after earnings — what traders watch going into Monday

Palantir stock price could swing 9% after earnings — what traders watch going into Monday

Palantir shares dropped 3.47% Friday to $146.59 ahead of its fourth-quarter earnings report, scheduled for Monday after markets close. Options pricing signals a possible 9% swing in the stock next week. Shares have fallen nearly 30% since November’s record high. Reports of Palantir’s AI being used by U.S. immigration authorities have added to volatility.
31 January 2026
··
ICBC A-shares dip into weekend as China PMI turns red — what traders watch next week

ICBC A-shares dip into weekend as China PMI turns red — what traders watch next week

ICBC’s Shanghai-listed shares closed down 0.14% at 7.25 yuan on Friday after China’s official factory PMI fell to 49.3 in January. Peers were mixed, with CCB and AgBank also lower. Investors await private-sector PMI data on Feb. 2 and possible policy moves. Bloomberg reported Beijing may issue 200 billion yuan in special bonds to recapitalize major insurers.
31 January 2026
·····
GameStop Stock Pops After Ryan Cohen Teases “Very, Very, Very Big” Consumer Buyout

GameStop Stock Pops After Ryan Cohen Teases “Very, Very, Very Big” Consumer Buyout

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen said Friday the company is pursuing a major acquisition of a larger public consumer firm, sending shares up 4.78% to $23.88. Cohen’s new stock-option award vests only if GameStop reaches a $100 billion market cap and $10 billion in cumulative EBITDA. The company holds about $9 billion in cash. Shareholder approval for the compensation package is pending.
31 January 2026
·
Roche stock ends week higher after earnings and dividend bump — what investors watch next

Roche stock ends week higher after earnings and dividend bump — what investors watch next

Roche shares closed Friday at 350.70 francs, up 1.1%, after reporting 2025 sales of 61.5 billion francs, a 7% rise at constant exchange rates. Core operating profit grew 13% to 21.8 billion francs, but only 5% in francs, missing expectations due to currency effects. The company proposed a dividend hike to 9.80 francs per share. Investors await key neurology data and a shareholder vote on March 10.
31 January 2026
···
1 … 217 218 219 220 221 … 761

Stock Market Today

  • Purple (PRPL) Stock Drops 20.9% After Q1 2026 Miss and Revenue Cut
    April 29, 2026, 6:48 AM EDT. Shares of Purple (NASDAQ:PRPL), a bedding and comfort retailer, fell 20.9% after reporting first-quarter 2026 revenue of $95.73 million, missing Wall Street's $101.7 million forecast. The company also lowered its full-year revenue guidance to $475 million from $510 million, below analyst expectations. Despite projecting full-year adjusted EBITDA above consensus, the weaker sales outlook spooked investors. Purple's stock is highly volatile, down 29.3% year-to-date and trading 59.3% below its 52-week high. The recent drop indicates market concern over its growth prospects amid macroeconomic worries, including rising costs from geopolitical tensions that have pushed oil prices up. Investors face significant losses; $1,000 invested five years ago is now worth around $14.51.

Latest article

South Africa Stock Market Today: JSE Slips as Rand Wobbles Before Fed Decision

South Africa Stock Market Today: JSE Slips as Rand Wobbles Before Fed Decision

29 April 2026
The JSE All Share fell 0.28% and the Top 40 dropped 0.36% by late morning Wednesday as investors reduced risk ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve decision. The rand weakened to 16.5550 per dollar, pressured by high oil prices and global uncertainty. Richemont, Gold Fields, and AngloGold Ashanti declined, while banks gained modestly. Canal+ confirmed plans to list in Johannesburg on June 3.
Ireland Stock Market Today: ISEQ Climbs as Glanbia Surge Offsets Ryanair Warning

Ireland Stock Market Today: ISEQ Climbs as Glanbia Surge Offsets Ryanair Warning

29 April 2026
Glanbia shares jumped 10.84% in Dublin on Wednesday after reporting a 7.2% rise in first-quarter like-for-like revenue, lifting the ISEQ All Share 0.59% to 12,358.83. The ISEQ 20 Capped gained 1.16%, while Ryanair fell 1.04% after CEO Michael O’Leary warned fares may stay flat due to Middle East conflict. The broader STOXX 600 slipped 0.3% as European markets lagged.
Go toTop