Market Commentary: Monday 27th April

Asian equities moved higher at the start of the week, supported by renewed optimism around geopolitics after reports that Iran had presented the US with a proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The development lifted broader risk sentiment and pushed emerging market stocks to fresh highs, with technology leading the advance. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index rose 1.1%, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index gained 1.3%.

The rebound in crude oil prices acted as a partial counterweight to the equity rally. Brent climbed 1.9% to around $107 after briefly dipping lower, underscoring that supply risks remain unresolved despite the tentative diplomatic progress. This dynamic continues to cap broader risk appetite, as markets remain highly sensitive to any disruption in energy flows tied to the Strait of Hormuz.

Looking ahead to the week, the economic calendar is heavily focused on central bank decisions. We have the BoJ (28th April), the Fed and BoC (both on 29th April), and the BoE and ECB (both on 30th April), alongside results from major US tech companies.

• Bitcoin fell 0.5% to $77,831.37
• Ether fell 1.7% to $2,324.33
• Spot gold gained 0.38% to $4,727.30

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