{"id":61298,"date":"2026-04-26T20:38:40","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T00:38:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-hit-records-amid-strait-of-hormuz-shutdown-and-11-7b-pharma-megadeal\/61298\/"},"modified":"2026-04-26T20:38:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T00:38:40","slug":"global-markets-hit-records-amid-strait-of-hormuz-shutdown-and-11-7b-pharma-megadeal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-markets-hit-records-amid-strait-of-hormuz-shutdown-and-11-7b-pharma-megadeal\/61298\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Markets Hit Records Amid Strait of Hormuz Shutdown and $11.7B Pharma Megadeal"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Brent crude surged above $107 per barrel<\/strong> as the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> remains virtually shut following the collapse of US-Iran peace talks, triggering severe global supply shock fears.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sun Pharma (<a href=\"\/stock\/SUNPHARMA\">SUNPHARMA<\/a>)<\/strong> entered a definitive agreement to acquire <strong>Organon (<a href=\"\/stock\/OGN\">OGN<\/a>)<\/strong> for <strong>$14.00 per share<\/strong>, valuing the company at an enterprise value of <strong>$11.75 billion<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Japan\u2019s <strong>Nikkei 225<\/strong> and South Korea\u2019s <strong>KOSPI<\/strong> both reached <strong>all-time record peaks<\/strong>, even as the <strong>Bank of Japan<\/strong> faces a critical interest rate decision amid a struggling yen.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Finnish President Alexander Stubb<\/strong> reported that <strong>Ukraine<\/strong> is inflicting <strong>30,000\u201335,000 Russian casualties per month<\/strong>, with <strong>95%<\/strong> of these attributed to drone warfare.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>U.S. Navy<\/strong> has intensified its maritime blockade, directing <strong>38 ships<\/strong> to turn around or return to port to prevent transit through contested Iranian waters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Energy markets are reeling as <strong>Brent crude<\/strong> climbed past the <strong>$107<\/strong> threshold this morning. The spike follows news that <strong>US-Iran peace talks<\/strong> have officially stalled, leaving the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong>\u2014a chokepoint for 20% of global oil\u2014effectively closed to most commercial traffic. <em>Traders are increasingly pricing in a prolonged supply disruption as the conflict enters its third month.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In a landmark pharmaceutical deal, <strong>Sun Pharma (<a href=\"\/stock\/SUNPHARMA\">SUNPHARMA<\/a>)<\/strong> announced it will acquire <strong>Organon (<a href=\"\/stock\/OGN\">OGN<\/a>)<\/strong> in an all-cash transaction. The deal, valued at <strong>$11.75 billion<\/strong> including debt, offers <strong>Organon<\/strong> stockholders <strong>$14.00 per share<\/strong>, representing a significant premium. The merger is expected to close in <strong>early 2027<\/strong>, pending regulatory approvals, and marks the largest overseas expansion by an Indian drugmaker to date.<\/p>\n<p>Asian equities showed remarkable resilience, with the <strong>Nikkei 225<\/strong> and <strong>KOSPI<\/strong> both hitting historic highs. Shares of <strong>FANUC (<a href=\"\/stock\/6954\">6954<\/a>)<\/strong> led the rally in Tokyo, jumping <strong>9.5%<\/strong>. However, the <strong>Bank of Japan<\/strong> remains under pressure; Governor <strong>Kazuo Ueda<\/strong> is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Tuesday, despite the <strong>10-year JGB yield<\/strong> edging up to <strong>2.450%<\/strong> and the yen lingering near intervention territory.<\/p>\n<p>Corporate governance and geopolitical tensions collided at <strong>Tokyo Electron (<a href=\"\/stock\/8035\">8035<\/a>)<\/strong>, which reportedly ended its relationship with a veteran executive. According to the <em>Financial Times<\/em>, the move was triggered by the executive&#39;s ties to <strong>Chinese rivals<\/strong>. This development highlights the growing scrutiny on semiconductor supply chains and the risks of intellectual property leakage to Beijing-backed entities.<\/p>\n<p>On the geopolitical front, <strong>Finnish President Alexander Stubb<\/strong> delivered a stark assessment of the war in <strong>Ukraine<\/strong>. He claimed that <strong>95%<\/strong> of the <strong>30,000\u201335,000 monthly Russian casualties<\/strong> are now caused by drones. <em>Stubb emphasized that the tide of the war has turned<\/em>, noting a casualty ratio of one Ukrainian death for every five Russian soldiers, and urged European leaders to recognize their long-term dependence on Ukrainian security.<\/p>\n<p>In the shipping sector, <strong>ZeroHedge<\/strong> reports that the <strong>U.S.<\/strong> has directed <strong>38 ships<\/strong> to turn around or return to port as part of an escalating maritime enforcement strategy. Meanwhile, in specialized manufacturing, <strong>HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (<a href=\"\/stock\/329180\">329180<\/a>)<\/strong> secured South Korea\u2019s first international order for an <strong>icebreaker<\/strong>. In the legal arena, a unit of <strong>Keppel (<a href=\"\/stock\/BN4\">BN4<\/a>)<\/strong> has initiated arbitration in <strong>Vietnam<\/strong>, seeking <strong>VND 6.877 trillion<\/strong> in land use fees related to a joint venture in <strong>Ho Chi Minh City<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Brent crude surged above $107 per barrel as the Strait of Hormuz remains virtually shut following the collapse 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