Weekly Market Recap | Apr 13 – Apr 19

Analyst Highlights

• Equities: S&P 500 closed at 7,126.06 (+3.48%), Nasdaq Composite at 24,468.48 (+5.54%), and Russell 2000 at 2,776.90 (+3.98%), reflecting strong broad-based gains.
• Volatility: CBOE VIX closed at 17.48, down 1.64 points (-8.58%), signaling calmer risk sentiment despite ongoing Hormuz uncertainty.
• Energy: WTI crude closed at 82.59 (-16.64%) and Brent at 90.38 (-9.04%), though Middle East tensions continued to shape the macro backdrop.
• Rates: Treasuries rallied as easing Middle East tensions pushed oil lower, lifting Fed cut expectations and driving yields to one-month lows.
• Commodities: Gold closed at 4,857.60 (+2.43%) and silver at 81.738 (+8.23%), showing safe-haven demand remained firm.
• Technology: Frontier AI and cyber risk dominated the week, with Anthropic’s Mythos discussions, Cursor’s $50B+ funding talks, and Manycore’s 187% debut in focus.

IPO’s in the week

• Maywood Acquisition Corp. 2 (MYXXU, Nasdaq Global Market) – priced its $100 million IPO at $10.00 per unit, with trading set to begin on April 14, 2026. The Cayman Islands-based SPAC was formed to pursue a future business combination and is led by CEO Zikang Wu.
• NewHold Investment Corp. IV (NHIVU, Nasdaq Capital Market) – completed its $201.3 million IPO at $10.00 per unit, including the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. The Cayman Islands-based SPAC is focused on acquiring growing industrial and business services companies.
• Arxis (ARXS, Nasdaq) – raised $1.13 billion in its U.S. IPO after pricing 40.5 million shares at $28 each, at the top end of its indicated range. The Connecticut-based company manufactures aerospace and defense components and is benefiting from strong investor demand for industrial and defense-related listings.
• JATT II Acquisition Corp. (JATT, Nasdaq Global Market) – announced the pricing of its $60 million IPO at $10.00 per share, with trading set to begin on April 17, 2026. The Cayman Islands-based SPAC is focused on healthcare and life sciences businesses, particularly biotech and data-driven therapeutic development.
• Aevex (AVEX, NYSE) – raised $320 million in its IPO at $20.00 per share, with shares jumping 15% in their NYSE debut and valuing the drone maker at about $2.6 billion. The California-based company provides airborne intelligence, surveillance, and autonomous defense systems primarily to the U.S. government and allied forces.

Markets Weekly

1. S&P 500 closed at 7,126.06, gaining 239.82 points, or 3.48%, for the week.
2. Russell 1000 closed at 3,886.69, gaining 129.32 points, or 3.44%, for the week.
3. Russell 2000 closed at 2,776.90, gaining 106.41 points, or 3.98%, for the week.
4. Russell 3000 closed at 4,056.05, gaining 135.93 points, or 3.47%, for the week.
5. CBOE VIX closed at 17.48, down 1.64 points, or 8.58%, for the week.
6. Dow Jones closed at 49,447.43, gaining 1,229.18 points, or 2.55%, for the week.
7. Nasdaq Composite closed at 24,468.48, gaining 1,284.74 points, or 5.54%, for the week.
8. Bitcoin closed at 74,128.49, down 356.15 points, or 0.48%, for the week.
9. Ethereum closed at 2,274.84, down 95.87 points, or 4.04%, for the week.
10. Solana closed at 83.92, down 2.74 points, or 3.16%, for the week.
11. XRP closed at 1.4020, gaining 0.0253 points, or 1.84%, for the week.
12. Gold closed at 4,857.60, gaining 115.20 points, or 2.43%, for the week.
13. Silver closed at 81.738, gaining 6.215 points, or 8.23%, for the week.
14. WTI crude closed at 82.59, down 16.49 points, or 16.64%, for the week.
15. Brent crude closed at 90.38, down 8.98 points, or 9.04%, for the week.

• The war revived stagflation fears, as rising energy risks and weakening business surveys threatened global growth and inflation outlooks.
• Wall Street priced out much of the war damage as stocks hit records, though oil and supply-chain disruptions remained elevated.
• Traders braced for renewed turmoil as the Hormuz standoff resurfaced, threatening oil, equities, and broader market sentiment.
• IMF members warned the Iran conflict poses a serious threat to the global economy through energy, food, and inflation risks.
• Big Tech’s rebound added nearly $4 trillion, pushing the S&P 500 to fresh highs and reviving momentum behind equities.
• The US again eased Russian oil sales, aiming to contain crude prices and offset supply pressure from Middle East tensions.
• US energy officials warned gasoline may stay above $3 into next year, underscoring inflation risks and consumer pressure from Middle East tensions.
• Treasuries rallied as easing Middle East tensions pushed oil lower, lifting Fed cut bets and driving yields to one-month lows.

Politics Weekly

• Trump pushed for new Iran talks as the two-week truce nears expiry, while Tehran refused negotiations under the Hormuz blockade.
• Trump accused Iran of a serious ceasefire violation, keeping peace hopes alive even as renewed Hormuz disruption escalated regional tensions.
• European leaders offered military support to secure Hormuz, widening international involvement as Iran tensions threatened global energy transit.
• Trump’s Hormuz move risks a showdown with Xi ahead of a summit, threatening China’s energy flows and broader US-China stability.
• Bessent warned Chinese banks over Iran sanctions risk, adding financial pressure to rising US-China tensions linked to the conflict.
• Intelligence said Iran limited the impact of US strikes, preserving response capability and raising risks as ceasefire tensions persisted.
• Gulf and European officials said a US-Iran deal may take months, increasing pressure to extend the ceasefire and reopen Hormuz.
• Xi welcomed world leaders in Beijing as Trump clashed with allies, reinforcing China’s image as a steadier diplomatic power.

Technology Advancements in the week

• The US Treasury sought access to Anthropic’s Mythos model to identify vulnerabilities, underscoring growing concern over frontier AI cyber risks.
• Anthropic and Trump officials discussed access to Mythos, underscoring how advanced AI is becoming a national security priority.
• The FBI labeled a breach of sensitive agency networks a major incident, underscoring the growing severity of cyber threats to US institutions.
• Cursor is in talks to raise $2 billion at a $50 billion-plus valuation, underscoring surging demand for AI coding tools.
• Nvidia alum-backed Manycore surged 187% in its debut, highlighting strong investor appetite for China’s AI and robotics wave

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