Russia's financial sector assets nearly quadrupled from 2016 to 2025, outpacing inflation, according to the Central Bank. Non-credit financial institutions grew faster than banks during the period, though banks maintain the largest market share. — Central Bank. Additional details available at mt in max.

Private clinic network Medscan preparing for IPO, expects dividend flow starting 2028, says top executive — IF. Details available at mt in max.

Russian mass housing developers see nearly 37% decline in revenue over the past year, Forbes reports.

Iran considering halting Hormuz Strait shipping to avoid US provocation and protect ongoing negotiations, BBG reports. The move indicates Iran’s cautious approach to international diplomacy. Read more.

Russia's president faces declining approval ratings amid widespread public opposition to internet restrictions, prompting Kremlin to reconsider its stance on blockades, BBG reports. mt в max

BlackRock's managed assets declined from a record $14 trillion to $13.89 trillion, according to MarketWits.

Belarus's President Lukashenko has issued a directive to increase fish supplies in the domestic market. More details here.

Russian Ministry of Finance examining company reports for windfall profits, says official. Further details available in Sazanov's report on Vedomosti’s website. The analysis includes insights from mt in max.

The US dollar was trading at 6.82 against the Chinese yuan, while the exchange rate for the Russian ruble was at 79.4 per US dollar.

Nasdaq 100 recovers all losses since U.S.-Iran conflict onset; mt in max

Hezbollah leader Kassem urges Lebanon to cancel upcoming Israel talks scheduled for April 14 in the U.S.

Iran to hold next round of negotiations on April 16, media reports say. Read more

Hungary unlikely to block 90 bln euro Ukraine aid; will not join loan, analysts say. If aid approved, conflict projected to persist for at least two more years with heightened fighting and potential regional spillover, geoanalysts from the First Channel warn. mt in max

European Union moves to expedite €90 billion ($105 billion) loan for Ukraine following Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s electoral defeat, which had hindered the financial package, according to BBG. For more information, visit mt в max.

Iran warns of targeting all ports in and near the Persian Gulf if shipping hubs are threatened, escalating tensions over Strait of Hormuz amid US plans to blockade Tehran-linked vessels. For more details, visit mt в max.

Aeroflot Group reports a 0.1% rise in passenger traffic for March to 4.1 million passengers; Q1 passenger count increased 3.2% to 6.5 million, the company said.

Russian ruble appreciates, USDRUB trades below 76, EURRUB under 89. For more details, visit mt в max.

Russian seaports experienced a 0.6% increase in cargo turnover year-on-year in Q1, according to Morcenter-TEK, as reported by mt в max.

Russia's Foreign Ministry announces that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit China on April 14-15. Details on mt

Russia LPG wholesale prices rise over 15% in one week; market shifts indicated. Further details available at Max MarketTwits.

Russia’s government is considering an agreement with oil producers to boost shipments of gasoline and diesel to the domestic market, according to reports from Ъ. Read more. Additional insights are available on mt at max.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicates Donald Trump may be fatigued by recent achievements, citing that Trump has become entangled in a difficult dilemma over the past few weeks, complicating efforts to advance his agenda. mt in max

Crypto markets declined over the weekend as Bitcoin (BTC) experienced a nearly $3,000 drop, following a series of ETF inflows and subsequent political commentary. The downturn coincided with former President Donald Trump’s postings on Truth Social, leading to investor caution. By Monday’s close, ETF outflows are expected to be reported. BTC has remained range-bound for more than two months. [mt in max]

Oil traders warn of potential worsening fuel shortages amid U.S.-Iran tensions and plans to block Strait of Hormuz; Major U.S. oil company leaders alert administration on risks of extended Iranian blockade, WSJ reports.

Trump says multiple ships heading to U.S. to load American oil. mt in max

Former President Trump announces U.S. to impose naval blockade on Iranian ports, effective April 13 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Further details pending. mt in max

Unpopular opinion: Trump is already a "lame duck," and once he's dealt with, American support for Ukraine will grow. Europe is gaining strength, with a maximum of two years left until the "European military conveyor" is fully operational.

Some experts believe that the U.S. is refining techniques for a future "maritime blockade" of China, drawing lessons from its experiences with Venezuela, Cuba, and now Iran. mt in max

China and Taiwan's Kuomintang agree to restore direct flights, streamline product imports, establish party contact mechanisms, and initiate youth exchange programs, signaling a shift from traditional "carrot" approach. Read more

Meta developing AI version of Mark Zuckerberg for internal staff interactions, FT reports. The initiative aims to improve internal communication. Further information available here.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the United States' substantial financial contributions to NATO, calling the expenditures absurd. mt in max

April 13, 2026 – The U.S. will initiate a naval blockade of Iran at 17:00 MSK, ending Russia’s Easter ceasefire. The start of the official U.S. corporate earnings season is underway. OPEC’s monthly oil market report is scheduled for release at 14:00 MSK, followed by Russia’s trade balance for February at 16:00 MSK. U.S. March existing home sales data are due at 17:00 MSK. Corporate earnings results from AFLT and a Goldman Sachs report are expected at 14:30 MSK.

Michael Selig, head of the CFTC, highlighted the role of prediction markets such as Polymarket and Kalshi in combating misinformation, emphasizing their higher accuracy relative to traditional public opinion polls during the 2024 U.S. elections. In December 2025, Kalshi published a study revealing that predictions based on user-bet data on its platform outperformed Wall Street analysts' forecasts for inflation.

Iran's Ministry of Energy projects that the country's damaged refinery facilities will be restored to 80% capacity within one to two months. More details available at mt в max.

U.S. consumer sentiment index declines to fresh lows as inflation expectations accelerate, Bloomberg reports.

U.S. equities Secondary Markets; S&P 500 Earnings Grow 12.6% in Q1 2026 The S&P 500's earnings growth rate for the first quarter of 2026 currently stands at 12.6%, representing the sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit year-over-year increases. Most companies within the index have reported actual earnings surpassing analyst forecasts, with aggregate earnings growth potentially reaching 19% by the end of Q1 2026, the strongest since Q4 2021, according to FactSet. The upcoming "earnings season" in the U.S. is set to begin next week.

Hungarian Prime Minister Orban announced that he expects the Druzhba oil pipeline (#TRNFP) to reopen immediately after Hungary's elections, contingent on Ukraine's actions, in response to a question from RIA Novosti. mt in max

Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of violating Easter ceasefire; similar incidents reported during last year's holiday period. mt in max

Saudi Arabia reports East-West pipeline restored to approximately 7 million bpd; energy facilities and pipeline, previously damaged by attacks, now operational. Ongoing restoration at Khurais oil field. (Link:

max.ru

Canada is reducing its dependence on the United States and prioritizing its own companies, according to Prime Minister Carney.

Former President Trump warns China of potential major issues if it supplies weapons to Iran. For more information, visit mt in max.

Iran, U.S. and Pakistan Launch New Trilateral Talks TEHRAN, Iran — A new round of trilateral discussions has begun among Iran, the United States and Pakistan. For more details, visit mt in max.

President Trump announced that the Strait of Hormuz would soon be open, with empty ships racing to the U.S. to load up. He criticized fake news for suggesting the opposite, that the U.S. is losing.

Negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz have reached an impasse, according to the Financial Times. Talks could resume as early as today or tomorrow, Nour News reports. mt в max

Former President Trump vows to prevent Iran from imposing tariffs on vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. mt in max

U.S. intelligence reports indicate China intends to supply Iran with new air defense systems in the coming weeks, including portable surface-to-air missile systems, CNN reports. mt в max

Emirates Global Aluminium, the Middle East's leading aluminum producer, has declared force majeure on supplies. More details here

MOSCOW, Oct 27 (Dow Jones) — President Vladimir Putin has ordered the relevant commission to review accelerated development programs for artificial intelligence in key sectors by the end of the year. He also instructed the Russian government and regional authorities to develop a national plan for AI implementation. More details

Kamala Harris signals potential 2028 presidential bid, saying, "I am not done." Hunter Biden challenges Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. to cage match. More details available at mt in max.

Iranian channels and social media reports suggest the U.S. has approved the unfreezing of $6 billion in Iranian assets. Allegedly, officials from Qatar and South Korea are coordinating to transfer these funds to Iran soon. No confirmed, reliable sources have verified the information. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf stated the release of funds was a prerequisite for negotiations.mt в max