Behind every holiday is a love for life. In the East, we eat qingtuan, swing on swings, and fly kites, embracing the idea that “all things grow at this time, clean and bright.”

While global markets enter a brief “silent mode,” life itself feels more vibrant with these two shades of spring.

In terms of daily performance, Korea-related ETFs moved higher across the board. The leveraged product $Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3x Shares(KORU)$ posted the largest gain, rising 16.84%. Among broad-based ETFs, $iShares MSCI South Korea ETF(EWY)$ gained 5.65%, $Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF(FLKR)$ rose 5.56%, and $Matthews Korea Active ETF(MKOR)$ increased 5.51%, broadly tracking the index rebound. The defense-focused ETF $PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF(KDEF)$ rose 2.65%, showing relatively smaller movement. Overall, leveraged products exhibited stronger upside, while broad ETFs followed more steadily.

Conflict in the Middle East and the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz severely disrupted the flow of oil and LNG through one of the world's most critical chokepoints. The result: Brent crude surged nearly 75% year-to-date, reaching $112 per barrel. Energy prices at that level don't just hurt consumers at the pump — they feed directly into CPI and PPI prints, reigniting inflation fears the market thought it had moved past.

This isn't empty reassurance. In his own historical frame of reference, Berkshire Hathaway's stock has gone through three separate drawdowns exceeding 50%. Measured against that, the current pullback barely registers.

This might be the most surprising dark horse on SGX this year. AEM is a semiconductor testing equipment company that has long been heavily tied to Intel. But the story has changed dramatically.

$XAU/USD(XAUUSD.FOREX)$ briefly touched $4,100, then reversed hard. Silver cratered 27% in a single session on January 30th. The assets you'd normally rotate into when equities wobble... wobbled right along with them.

Singapore stocks opened marginally higher on Tuesday, with the STI rising 0.18%. TJ DaRenTang and First Resources gained 3%, while YZJ Maritime, OCBC Bank and Sembcorp rose around 1%.

Business activity growth slowed in March, with S&P Global’s flash composite PMI falling to an 11-month low of 51.4. Inflationary pressures intensified, with input costs rising at the fastest pace in 10 months. Jobless claims remained stable, but consumer sentiment declined and inflation expectations rose.

Sectors: Middle East tensions and oil volatility led the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 to fall 2.12% and 3.23% respectively. High-valuation AI and tech sectors retracted, while traditional energy stocks strengthened alongside rising oil prices.

Poor, lost a lot

$ARK Innovation ETF(ARKK)$ reduced positions across multiple high-profile tech names — signaling caution amid valuation concerns and macro pressure.

Although President Trump has been trying to push the narrative that the Iran conflict is nearing an end, the market remains skeptical. On Thursday, Iran issued a strong response, calling the ceasefire proposal a “third deception.” This statement significantly reduced expectations for a near-term peace deal, pushing oil prices higher and reigniting inflation concerns. In the coming weeks, the market may face more pain.

Recent price action shows clear fluctuations. While previous dips attracted central bank buying, it’s still uncertain whether this latest pullback will trigger the same response. Gold remains widely viewed as a safe-haven asset, but its price continues to react to a complex mix of geopolitical developments, inflation trends, and shifting interest rate expectations.

These stronger names tend to share key traits: solid balance sheets, resilient business models, and disciplined capital management. If you’re looking to beat that 2.5% baseline, here are five worth keeping on your radar.

Losing money isn't a matter of luck; it’s a matter of "the system." By deconstructing the logic of successful traders, we’ve identified 4 core habits that can fundamentally change your trading trajectory. No magic indicators—just iron discipline

COMEX gold futures for the current month rose $101.30, or 2.30%, to $4,503.3 per ounce. COMEX silver futures for the current month rose $1.88, or 2.70%, to $71.445 per ounce. Spot gold rose $32.15, or 0.72%, to $4,506.53 per ounce. Spot silver fell $0.01, or 0.01%, to $71.25 per ounce

According to the latest reports, SpaceX plans to file its IPO prospectus as early as this week, aiming for a formal listing in June. Valuation Target: Between $1.25 trillion and $1.75 trillion. Fundraising: Expected to exceed $75 billion, significantly higher than previous estimates of $50 billion. Market Standing: At a $1.75 trillion valuation, SpaceX would leapfrog $Meta Platforms, Inc.(META)$ and $Tesla Motors(TSLA)$ , trailing only the "Big Five" (Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet).

The script of "Geopolitical Shock - Resurgent Inflation - Forced Liquidation" has played out four times in the last 46 years. The 2026 iteration is distinguished by its unprecedented speed.

Before Monday open: Another TACO. Due to time zones, East Asian markets (A-shares, HK, Nikkei) often take the first hit. Repeat cycle: Last night he claims an agreement, market surges; an hour later the other side denies it, gains evaporate. Targeting newly entered, nervous retail investors.