Daily Stock Market Report (Wed 6th May 2026) - agenda

Good morning!
In overnight news, President Trump has paused US plans (announced on Sunday) to provide a safe escort for ships through the Strait of Hormuz. The decision has come after reported clashes between US and Iranian forces.
Stocks surged to all-time highs following the news, with the Samp;P 500 closing up by 0.8% at 7,259 and South Korea’s Kospi index gaining 6% to a new record as investors redoubled bets on AI. Correction: the tech-heavy Nasdaq index also closed at new highs last night:

Oil prices fell, with Brent Crude down by around 1.5% to $108. However, UK Natural Gas rose by 2.6% as fears of shortages continued. Elsewhere, Norway has announced that it will reopen three gas fields that were closed in the late 1980s.
Markets are expected to open higher this morning, while oil has continued to fall:
FTSE 100 to open up by 1% at c.10,325German Dax to open up 0.7% at c.24,555Samp;P 500 to open up by 0.3% at c.7,280Brent Crude down 1% at $107.5
I'm happy to report that I'm joined by Dr James Fox once again for today's report.

The agenda is...