Surges

Plaid Cymru set to take power in Wales and SNP to retain it in Scotland, but Reform made big gains in both nationsElection 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesThe polls had been terrible, the predictions dire and even one of his predecessors as Labour leader, Ed Miliband, had reportedly told Keir Starmer he should set a timetable for his resignation if the results were as bad as they looked.But for the prime minister, as polling stations closed in Wales, Scotland and many parts of England, there would be no consideration of such a course. “To all the Labour members and volunteers who have supported local campaigns across the country: thank you,” he posted on X late on Thursday. “Together we will build a stronger and fairer Britain.” Continue reading...

• Japan's Nikkei 225 Index jumped nearly 6% after returning from holiday, joining South Korean and Taiwanese equities at record peaks on strong AI-driven tech earnings momentum. • South Korea's KOSPI surged 75% year-to-date, the world's best-performing major stock market, while Samsung joined the $1 trillion company club amid the regional rally. • The AI boom is showing disproportionately in Asia compared to U.S. markets, with Taiwan stocks up 45% and Nikkei up 25% for 2026, outpacing the Nasdaq's 11% gain.

• U.S. startups in applied enterprise AI secured over $500 million in funding rounds announced May 4, 2026, focusing on workflow automation and analytics. • Key deals include a $120M Series B for an AI platform optimizing supply chains and $80M for defense-oriented machine learning tools. • Surge underscores investor shift toward practical AI deployments, with returns projected at 5x in three years amid 25% market growth.

• Singapore's real estate investment volume jumped 364% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to CBRE data released today. • The surge reflects strong investor confidence amid regional economic recovery, with total transactions reaching S$4.2 billion across office, retail, and industrial sectors. • This growth underscores Singapore's role as a safe-haven market in Southeast Asia, potentially attracting more foreign capital amid global uncertainties.

• US equities closed higher with the S&P 500 rising 0.8% and Nasdaq 100 up 0.8% to new records, while the Dow remained flat. • Apple shares gained more than 5% after reporting strong earnings driven by robust iPhone sales and performance in China. • The rally came amid a pullback in oil prices and positive corporate earnings momentum.

• The United States national debt has reached $38,967,833,861,543 as of May 1, 2026, driven by continued spending by the White House and Congress. • The debt is on track to double over the next three decades amid fiscal pressures and ongoing government expenditures. • This trajectory reflects a critical macroeconomic challenge as American taxpayers face increasing obligations tied to the nation's long-term fiscal sustainability.

• Anthropic's valuation skyrocketed from $61B to $900B in approximately 14 months, reflecting unprecedented investor interest in the AI company's capabilities and growth trajectory. • The valuation surge is driven by strong revenue performance and investor confidence in Anthropic's AI models and research, positioning it as a formidable competitor to OpenAI in the generative AI market. • The rapid ascent demonstrates the intensifying capital competition in frontier AI development, with major investors backing multiple AI startups to hedge bets on the technology's transformative potential.