WS #6252
No material new developments in the last 30 minutes. The dominant narratives from the previous window remain unchanged: mixed mega-cap tech earnings, escalating Iran conflict with Strait of Hormuz closure, and Fed rate hold with hawkish tilt. No counter-signals or de-escalation detected.
Key developments
- Alphabet Q1 revenue beats, Google Cloud revenue jumps 63% to $20B, stock surges 6% AH
- Meta raises 2026 capex to $125-145B, stock drops 6% AH on AI spending concerns
- Qualcomm shares soar 16% AH on CEO comments about shipping data center chips to large hyperscaler
- Brent crude breaks $122/bbl as Iran conflict escalates; Trump rejects ceasefire proposal
- Fed holds rates at 3.5%-3.75% with 4 dissents; Powell to stay as governor
- UAE announces OPEC withdrawal effective May 1, potentially increasing oil supply
- Anthropic considering funding at over $900B valuation
- Gold extends losses to one-month low, down 12% since Iran war started