April 7, 2026 – Today’s Market News – Strait of Hormuz Shockwave: Oil Soars, Currencies Crack, and Markets Brace.

April 7, 2026 Centrino Capital

Brent surges past $109 (+1.6%) as Hormuz fears mount, while gold slips and the dollar steadies near 99.

Global markets leaned cautiously risk-off as geopolitical tensions around the Strait of Hormuz and higher-for-longer rate expectations kept investors defensive, with the South Korean won hovering near 1,500.

Today’s Snapshot

• KOSPI: 5,491.24 (+0.75%)
• TAIEX: 32,572.43 (+2.02%)
• SMI: 12,991.25 (-0.071%)
• Gold: $4,650.56/oz (-0.16%)
• Brent Crude: $109.77/bbl. (+1.59%)

Global Markets

(A) Precious Metal

Gold: $4,650.56/oz (-0.16%)

Gold edged lower by 0.16% despite rising geopolitical tensions, as macro factors outweighed safe-haven demand. Tensions between Iran and Israel escalated ahead of the deadline set by Donald Trump regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

(B) Energy

Brent Crude: $109.77/bbl. (+1.59%)

Oil rose around 2 % as escalating tensions in the Middle East heightened supply concerns, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, which carries a significant share of global energy flows. Ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, coupled with Tehran’s refusal to reopen the waterway, raised fears of prolonged disruption.

In addition to this, pressure came from strong warnings by Donald Trump ahead of a key deadline to blast Tehran, prompting markets to price in tighter supply and a higher geopolitical risk premium.

(C) FX

Dollar Index (DXY): 98.99 (+0.02%)

The dollar held near recent highs as surging energy prices and escalating tensions in the Middle East drove investors into the dollar as the most effective safe haven, particularly amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz.

However, the move stayed limited as markets remained cautious ahead of Donald Trump’s deadline, where he warned Iran could be “taken out in one night”.

South Korean Won (USD/KRW): ~1,500 (-0.4%)

The won weakened by around 0.4% on the day, remaining on the weaker side of 1,500 per dollar—a level historically reached only during periods of severe financial stress such as the Global Financial Crisis and the Asian Financial Crisis.

(D) Stock Market - What Happened Today

South Korea

Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI): 5,491.24 (+0.75%)
South Korean stocks went up, helped by gains in tech and export companies, as a weaker won and better global demand supported their business outlook.

Major Movers:

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd | KRX: 005930 | +1.76% ▲

Samsung shares rose after the company guided for Q1 2026 operating profit of ~57.2 trillion won ($37.9B), up more than 8x YoY, significantly beating expectations.

The surge is driven by strong demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other AI-related semiconductors, with memory chip prices nearly doubling in Q1 2026 and Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) prices expected to rise another 50%+, boosting profit margins.

Revenue is also expected to jump ~68% YoY to ~133 trillion won, reflecting strong pricing power and demand from AI data centres. The earnings guidance also marks a strong improvement from the previous quarter, when operating profit was 20.07 trillion won on revenue of 93.84 trillion won.

LG Electronics Inc | KRX: 066570 | -2.10% ▼

LG Electronics shares fell despite strong Q1 2026 earnings guidance, with operating profit rising ~33% YoY to 1.67 trillion won ($1.1B), rebounding sharply from a -109 billion won loss in the previous quarter.

Revenue reached a record ~23.73 trillion won, reflecting steady consumer demand and improved operational performance across key segments. However, its Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) division saw a decline in revenue and profit due to geopolitical uncertainty, particularly in the Middle East.

UBS Group AG | SWX: UBSG | +0.51% ▲

UBS shares rose despite Switzerland moves toward stricter capital rules following the Credit Suisse collapse, which could require the bank to hold up to ~$22 billion in additional capital, aimed at strengthening financial stability.

The proposed rules would require UBS to fully back its foreign subsidiaries with core capital (CET1), significantly increasing capital requirements and potentially reducing returns on equity.

The move reflects rising regulatory pressure as UBS now operates with a balance sheet roughly twice the size of Switzerland’s economy, making it systemically critical.

Written by Zahal

Volatility & Positioning

The CBOE Volatility Index closed around ~23.9, remaining elevated and well above the long-term average.

What Traders Are Watching

Fed outlook – Comments from Beth Hammack and Austan Goolsbee show inflation remains the main concern, supporting higher-for-longer interest rates.
Consumer credit (Feb) – Expected at $10.0B vs $8.1B prior, giving a read on consumer spending strength.
Durable goods (Feb) – Came in at -1.1% vs 0.0% expected, pointing to weaker business demand.

Yesterday’s Market News – April 6, 2026

Yesterday’s markets were driven by two key themes – oil surged as WTI hit $111 (+1.20%) and moved above Brent at $109 (+1.07%) on U.S.-Iran tensions and Strait of Hormuz risks, while stronger U.S. data pushed gold down -0.56% and the S&P 500 lower by -0.48%. Meanwhile, Paramount rose +2.92% after securing $24B funding for its $110B Warner Bros. deal.

Catch up on: $111 WTI Breaks Norm, Tops Brent as Paramount Secures $24B for Warner Bros. Deal.

Sources

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