Crude inches higher on MidEast tensions

Crude prices continue upwards as Israel ramps up strikes on Hezbollah in Beirut and considers retaliatory measures following Iran’s missile attack on Tuesday. OpenAI manages to raise $6.6bn in a new round of fund-raising which has increased its valuation to $157bn. The U.S. private sector continues to surprise with non-farm payroll growth topping expectations as traders reduce their rate cut expectations ahead of tomorrow’s employment data print. The yen slides further against the greenback after its largest single-day fall in more than 2 years. New Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba believes that the country is not ready for further rate hikes which has lifted Japanese equities. And in autos news, Tesla posts its first quarter of annual growth this year but falls short on delivery expectations.