Escalating tensions between the United States and Iran pushed international oil prices higher after Iran said it would adopt a “fully offensive” strategy. Brent crude traded at $91.33 per barrel and WTI at $85.08 per barrel. Tight global diesel supply drove crack spreads above $100 for the first time. The International Energy Agency reported global refinery runs fell by 5 million bpd year on year.

Nasdaq plans to extend U.S. stock trading to nearly 23 hours a day, five days a week, adding an overnight session from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. ET. The exchange expects the schedule to begin on December 6, 2026, subject to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approval and readiness of the securities information processor. Nasdaq also plans risk controls such as static price bands to reject orders outside set limits. The move is aimed at meeting rising global demand for U.S. equities.

BHP posted full-year underlying profit of $13.2 billion, up 30% from a year earlier, beating expectations as copper and iron ore prices improved. Copper revenue made up more than half of group revenue for the first time, helped by a 35% jump in realised copper prices. The miner set a target of 3% to 4% copper equivalent growth per year through 2035, about double consensus expectations.

Ansem has launched a new launchpad called z500, where project teams burn $ANSEM to qualify to airdrop new tokens to his 1.3M followers. More than 1M $ANSEM were burned within five hours of launch, and $180K worth of new tokens have already been airdropped to $ANSEM holders. $ANSEM was trading at $0.25 with daily volume above $40M. The first Diamond Tier project, $EYE, burned $114.5K worth of $ANSEM and rose 508% on the day.

BHP said it will pay a record $12 billion dividend after copper prices hit new highs on rising demand from green energy, electric vehicles and AI data centres. The miner’s full-year shareholder return totalled $US8.7 billion, its biggest payout in four years. Following the announcement, BHP shares rose 3.5% in early trade, lifting its market value to A$325 billion and reinforcing its position as the ASX’s largest listed company.

Paytm parent One 97 Communications said shareholder Resilient Asset Management BV plans to sell up to a 4.98% stake through a block deal at a price about 3% below the market. The stake traces back to Resilient’s August 2023 purchase of a 10.20% holding from Antfin, though the economic interest remained with Antfin. Under the arrangement, One 97 said the economic value from the proposed sale will be retained by Antfin.

Crude oil and gold prices rose amid heightened Middle East tensions and a softer U.S. dollar. After Israel attacked Iran on February 28, Brent crude futures climbed to $91.14 and WTI hit $85.37, both recent highs. Gold extended gains for a third straight day, with spot gold at $4,424.28, while silver added 0.3%.

The euro and sterling held near recent highs as markets sharply pared back expectations for a Federal Reserve rate increase. September hike odds fell to 35% from 52.2% a week earlier, according to the CME FedWatch tool. Meanwhile, worries about war involving Iran helped push Brent crude to its highest level since late July. Analysts said persistent inflation pressures are limiting the Fed’s room to maneuver.