Daily Digest — 18 Apr 2026

Global markets climbed despite ongoing uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz, as conflicting signals about the vital shipping lane’s status kept energy traders on edge. While Iran declared the strait open Friday, video evidence shows ships continuing to avoid the waterway, with oil prices falling 9.4% amid confusion over actual access. The energy uncertainty dominated discussions at the IMF gathering in Washington, where finance ministers including the UK’s Rachel Reeves highlighted how households and businesses are bearing the cost of higher energy prices.

Fed Governor Waller cited the Iran conflict and labor market risks as reasons for keeping rates on hold, while crypto markets surged with XRP leading majors at 8% weekly gains and Bitcoin climbing 3.5% to $77,231. The S&P 500 closed above 7,100 for the first time as investors looked past geopolitical tensions.

In the UK, Prime Minister Starmer faces mounting pressure over the Mandelson vetting scandal, with revelations that two civil servants kept him in the dark about security check failures ahead of what observers call his “judgment day” with MPs next week. Meanwhile, Anthropic launched Claude Design as OpenAI continues shedding talent, with Kevin Weil and Bill Peebles departing as the company pivots from consumer projects toward enterprise AI.