Daily Digest — 11 Apr 2026

Historic peace talks between the United States and Iran are set to begin in Islamabad, marking day 43 of their devastating conflict. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called these negotiations “make or break”, while senior Iranian officials arrive for what would be the highest-level US-Iran engagement since 1979. The war’s economic toll remains evident as oil trades at $96.57, down 1.3% as markets cautiously price in hopes for de-escalation.

Markets showed mixed reactions to the diplomatic breakthrough, with inflation data revealing how the Iran conflict has pushed up gasoline and airline fares. Copper surged 2.1% on industrial optimism, while gold dipped 0.6% as safe-haven demand eased slightly. Crypto markets remained resilient with Bitcoin up 0.9% at \(72,867, even as [Bhutan continues its Bitcoin selloff, dumping 70% of holdings worth \)215.7 million this year](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/04/11/bhutan-has-sold-70-of-its-bitcoin-in-18-months-it-may-have-stopped-btc-mining-too).

Meanwhile, NASA’s Artemis II mission achieved a flawless splashdown in the Pacific, returning astronauts safely from the furthest human journey from Earth. The success provides a rare moment of international unity amid global tensions, though considerable obstacles remain before any Moon landing.