S2E493: Oil high, stocks mixed as Mideast standoff drags on

Market news for April 20, 2026: Strait of Hormuz closure pushed crude past $95, but Asia’s stock markets shrugged off risk to near record highs; BI to keep rate unchanged and gold falls.

Synopsis: Market Focus Daily is a closing bell roundup by The Business Times that looks at the day’s market movements and news from Singapore and the region.

Written by: Howie Lim (howielim@sph.com.sg)

Produced and edited by: Chai Pei Chieh & Claressa Monteiro

Produced by: BT Podcasts, The Business Times, SPH Media

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