April 5 — U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States is engaged in "deep negotiations" with Iran and sees a strong chance of reaching an agreement ahead of a Tuesday deadline, Axios reported. In a phone interview, Trump said he believed a deal was within reach, adding that if an agreement is not reached, "I will destroy everything there." Asked about the risk to civilians, Trump said he thinks Iranians who oppose their own government would support strikes that weaken the regime. Trump said his envoys Witkoff and Kushner are involved in intensive talks. Two sources familiar with the negotiations said communications have moved through intermediaries including Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey, and also via text messages between Trump's advisers and Iran's foreign minister, Alireza 阿拉格奇. Trump said the negotiations were progressing, though he described reaching a conclusion with Iran as difficult. He added that the sides were close to agreeing on direct talks a few days ago, but decided to meet again in five days. "I asked why five days? I felt they weren't serious enough. So I attacked the bridge," he said. According to PolyBeats, market-implied odds of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire stand at 22% by end-April, 39% by end-May and 49% by end-June, each slightly higher than before.

An Iranian presidential official has tied any full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz to new legal and financial terms. On April 5, CCTV News cited Mehdi Tabatabai, deputy head of Iran's Presidential Office in charge of news and communications, as saying the waterway would only be fully reopened once a new legal framework is in place and prior vessel toll revenues are used to compensate Iran for losses incurred in past wars. Tabatabai also used social media to attack U.S. President Donald Trump and his policies, accusing him of hurling insults out of "desperation and anger" and arguing that reckless actions have ignited a full-scale conflict in the region. CNN reported that a separate "potential arrangement" is being discussed between Oman and Iran to restore transit. An Omani source said talks have been underway for roughly two weeks on a "safe passage agreement" to resume commercial shipping. Under the proposal, oil and gas tankers transiting the strait would register with Iran and agree to fly flags of non-hostile nations, a step that would effectively recognize Iran's jurisdiction over the strategic route. The effort is described as one of Oman's last attempts to prevent further escalation, consistent with its past role mediating between Washington and Tehran. The source cautioned that pushing an agreement forward during wartime is "extremely difficult", adding that the best outcome would be an immediate ceasefire. PolyBeats tracking shows the Polymarket prediction for the strait resuming navigation this month has fallen to 12%.

April 5 — Reuters reported that an OPEC+ committee meeting on Sunday raised concerns about potential attacks on energy assets amid heightened tensions involving the U.S., Israel and Iran. The committee said restoring damaged facilities can be expensive and time-consuming, which could weigh on supply. In its statement, the committee stressed the importance of safeguarding international maritime shipping routes to ensure uninterrupted energy flows. It also warned that strikes on energy infrastructure may reduce overall supply capacity because repairs and the return to full output often take significant time and capital. PolyBeats data showed that on the prediction market Polymarket, the implied probability of WTI crude settling above $130 a barrel by the end of April rose to 51%, while the probability of closing above $120 increased to 80%.

BlockBeats, April 5 — Reuters reported that an OPEC+ committee meeting on Sunday raised concerns about attacks on energy assets amid the conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran. The committee said repairing damaged facilities can be costly and time-consuming, which could weigh on supply. In its statement, the committee stressed that safeguarding international maritime routes is essential to keep energy flows uninterrupted. It also warned that bringing damaged energy assets back to full operating capacity requires significant time and expense, reducing overall supply capacity. PolyBeats data from the prediction market Polymarket show the implied probability of WTI crude closing above $130 in April has climbed to 51%, while the probability of a close above $120 has risen to 80%.

The United States is preparing to devote nearly its entire inventory of stealthy JASSMER cruise missiles to the next stage of military operations against Iran, Bloomberg reported. An order issued at the end of March directed that the roughly $1.5 million-per-unit weapons be drawn from stockpiles in the Pacific. Missiles held at facilities across the continental United States are also set to be moved to US Central Command bases and to RAF Fairford in the UK. The report comes as President Donald Trump warned Iran that "time is running out" and threatened to unleash "all hell" on the country.

Hong Kong's Financial Secretary said market momentum stayed strong in the first quarter of 2026, with average daily turnover exceeding HK$260 billion in the first two months of the year, up 17% year on year, according to ME News. Trading picked up further in March, when average daily turnover in the Hong Kong stock market rose above HK$300 billion, more than 8% higher than the same period last year. The article said investors are increasing allocations to Hong Kong, seeing it as both a dependable capital haven and a beneficiary of China's steady growth and a growing pipeline of high-quality listings that expand investment choices. As global competition in frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence accelerates, the piece noted that large amounts of funding are needed for core breakthroughs, supply-chain development and broader commercial applications. Hong Kong's listing platform is playing a key role, with the IPO market maintaining last year's strong momentum. IPO proceeds in the first quarter surpassed HK$103 billion as of March 27, ranking first globally. Including follow-on offerings, total fundraising reached about HK$237 billion. More newly listed companies are from emerging sectors including AI, semiconductors, robotics, autonomous driving and biotechnology. More than 500 listing applications are currently in the pipeline, and a growing number of companies are treating Hong Kong as a major gateway for fundraising and international expansion. (Source: ChainCatcher)

BlockBeats reported that on April 5, the Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government published a review of Hong Kong's economic performance in the first quarter of 2026, saying market activity stayed strong. Average daily turnover topped HK$260 billion in the first two months of the year, up 17% year over year. Trading picked up further in March, with average daily turnover in Hong Kong stocks exceeding HK$300 billion, more than 8% higher than the same period last year. The article said investors are increasing asset allocations to Hong Kong, viewing it not only as a dependable destination for capital but also as a market benefiting from steady mainland China growth and a growing pipeline of high-quality listings that provide broad investment opportunities. It also noted intensifying global competition in frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, which is driving demand for significant funding to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies, scale the full industrial chain, and expand application scenarios. Against this backdrop, Hong Kong's listing platform is taking on a larger role. In the first quarter, the IPO market extended last year's momentum, with fundraising exceeding HK$103 billion as of March 27, ranking first globally. Including follow-on financings, total fundraising reached about HK$237 billion. A rising share of new listings is coming from emerging sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, robotics, autonomous driving and biotechnology. More than 500 listing applications are currently pending in Hong Kong, and more companies are treating the city as a key gateway for fundraising and international expansion.

BlackRock trimmed its crypto exposure again over the past week, with on-chain data showing roughly $320 million in combined outflows from its Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange-traded funds amid broader market volatility. The larger share came from BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF, which saw about $185.1 million leave across five trading sessions. Selling pressure was front-loaded, highlighted by a $201.5 million redemption on March 27. Outflows resumed on April 1 with another $86.5 million. Brief inflows on March 30 and March 31 failed to change the tone, as flows turned negative again in early April. Ethereum exposure moved in step. BlackRock's ETHA recorded net outflows of around $134.9 million over the same period. The biggest single-day drop was March 27, when $70.8 million exited, followed by additional redemptions on April 1 ($32.3 million) and April 2 ($46.7 million). The synchronized withdrawals across both assets suggest institutional demand has cooled after strong inflows late in March. While intermittent inflows point to selective buying, the overall pattern reflects caution tied to near-term uncertainty and profit-taking. Flows across the broader spot ETF market also appeared choppy but weakening. Bitcoin ETFs saw sharp daily swings, including a net outflow topping $170 million on April 1, with isolated inflows in some funds outweighed by heavier redemptions in major products. Ethereum ETFs showed scattered inflows among smaller issuers, but continued outflows from larger funds dominated. U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs had rebounded in March 2026, drawing $1.32 billion in net inflows and snapping a four-month run of outflows—the first positive month of the year and the first since October 2025. That recovery followed heavy early-2026 redemptions of about $6.4 billion as Bitcoin fell from its all-time high above $126,000. Even so, the first quarter still ended with roughly $500 million in net outflows. Spot Ethereum ETFs remained under pressure, posting about $46 million in net outflows in March and extending a five-month streak of negative flows.

According to Odaily Planet Daily, Hong Kong SAR Financial Secretary Paul Chan wrote in a blog post on the 5th that average daily turnover on the Hong Kong stock market topped HK$300 billion in March, up more than 8% from a year earlier. He said the figures underscore Hong Kong's appeal as a dependable safe haven for capital, supported by steady economic growth in mainland China and a growing pipeline of high-quality listings that offers investors a broad range of opportunities. Chan added that as of March 27, funds raised from Hong Kong IPOs this year had exceeded HK$103 billion, placing the city first globally. Including follow-on offerings, total fundraising reached about HK$237 billion. He also noted that a rising share of new listings is coming from emerging industries, with more than 500 IPO applications currently in the queue. Chan said this trend shows more companies are treating Hong Kong as a key platform for raising funds and expanding internationally. (China News Service)