April

• De maand behoort tot de droogste ooit, met een neerslag die volgens cijfers van het Met Office 23% lager lag dan gemiddeld • Een van de droogste aprils ooit voor centraal en zuidelijk Engeland heeft geleid tot rivierstanden die lager zijn dan normaal, wat in sommige gebieden zorgen wekt over droogte tijdens de zomer • Het nieuwste hydrologische onderzoek in het VK – dat rivier- en grondwaterstanden bijhoudt – suggereert dat centraal en zuidelijk Engeland en oost-Schotland de komende drie maanden merkwaardig lage rivierafvoeren zullen ervaren, wat zorgen baart over waterschaarste als het droge weer aanhoudt. Lees verder...

• The U.S. Federal Reserve maintained its federal funds rate in the 3.50%-3.75% range at its April 2026 policy meeting. • Decision balances heightened inflation uncertainty, a softening labor market, and geopolitical risks from the Middle East. • Markets remain volatile under President Trump due to tariffs, tax policies, oil price swings, and conflicts, yet stocks have held steady overall.

• India's manufacturing PMI increased to 54.7 in April from 53.9 in March, indicating continued expansion in the sector despite external headwinds. • The uptick reflects strong demand and production growth, though inflationary pressures have intensified due to ongoing Middle East geopolitical tensions affecting commodity prices. • A PMI above 50 signals economic expansion, and the improvement suggests Indian manufacturers are maintaining resilience in production activity and order books.

• The S&P 500 rose over 10% and the Nasdaq soared more than 15% in April 2026, marking their largest monthly gains since 2020, driven by robust corporate earnings reports. • Investors anticipate earnings growth of 27.8% year-over-year for Q1 2026 across over 100 S&P 500 companies, the highest rate since Q4 2021, while oil prices briefly surpassed $120 per barrel creating market ripples. • Despite elevated oil prices and a hawkish Federal Reserve stance, equity markets demonstrated resilience, signaling investor confidence in corporate profitability and economic fundamentals.

• Nifty Microcap 250 index jumped 16.2% in April 2026, leading midcaps at 10.7% and smallcaps at 13.4% gains. • Nifty 50 advanced 5.8% and Nifty 100 rose 7%, driven by price momentum despite macro risks and FII outflows. • Rally decoupled from fundamentals, with stable earnings but persistent currency weakness and global pressures.

• FOX Business Network (FBN) surpassed CNBC in viewership across business day, market hours, and total day programming during April 2026, according to Nielsen Media Research data released April 29. • FBN's flagship shows "Varney & Co." and "Kudlow" maintained their positions as the top two business programs on television, achieving their 50th and 55th consecutive months of outperforming CNBC counterparts respectively. • The ratings victory underscores FOX Business's competitive dominance in the financial news market during a period of significant Federal Reserve policy announcements and market volatility.

• The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index declined to 98.3 in April 2026, down 4.2 points from March, marking the steepest monthly drop since July 2025 as Americans express renewed concern about inflation and job security. • Consumers' expectations for future economic conditions weakened notably, with the forward-looking component falling 6.8 points as respondents cited concerns about rising prices for groceries, gasoline, and housing costs. • The decline suggests potential headwinds for Q2 consumer spending and retail sales, pressuring guidance from discretionary retailers and restaurant operators ahead of earnings season.