US Pre-Market: US-Iran Peace Talk Expectations Trigger Market Rally, Bitcoin Surges Past $74,000, TSMC Revenue Tops NT$1 Trillion for First Time

Market Movement

Expectations for US-Iran negotiations heat up, US stock index futures rebound collectively

TradingKey - During Tuesday's (April 14) US pre-market session, market panic eased as expectations for the resumption of US-Iran negotiations strengthened. The VIX volatility index fell by 2%, driving a collective rebound in the three major US stock index futures: Nasdaq 100 futures rose 0.4% (at 25,486 points); S&P 500 futures rose 0.13% (at 6,895 points); while Dow 30 futures remained essentially flat (at 48,214 points).

Memory chip sector continues to strengthen, SanDisk rises another 3% in pre-market

Memory chip stocks collectively moved higher in US pre-market trading, SanDisk ( SNDK ), Micron Technology ( MU ), Western Digital ( WDC) and Seagate Technology ( STX) all saw gains of over 2%, while Rambus ( RMBS) rose by more than 1%. Notably, SanDisk continued its pre-market strength today after surging 11% yesterday, ahead of its formal inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 Index on April 20.

SanDisk stock price chart, Source: TradingView

TSMC rises over 2.5% in pre-market as Q1 revenue tops NT$1 trillion for the first time

Global AI chip foundry giant TSMC ( TSM) rose 2.55% in pre-market trading, currently at $379. Data shows that TSMC's consolidated revenue for the first quarter reached NT$1.134 trillion (approximately $35.7 billion), a year-on-year increase of 35.1%; the revenue scale not only surpassed the NT$1 trillion mark for the first time but also exceeded the upper bound of the company's previous guidance.

Reports suggest United Airlines and American Airlines plan to merge; both carriers surge in pre-market

During Tuesday's pre-market session, United Airlines ( UAL) and American Airlines ( AAL) saw their stock prices rise by 2.83% and 7.66%, respectively. Reports indicate that United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby had proposed the idea of a merger between the two companies to President Trump in February.

Amazon eyes Globalstar acquisition to bolster satellite business; the latter sky-rockets 17% in pre-market

Satellite operator Globalstar ( GSAT) surged 17.6% in pre-market trading to $85.51. It is reported that Amazon ( AMZN) is in advanced acquisition talks with the company to enhance its satellite communications footprint; Amazon's shares edged up 0.76% in pre-market.

Positive negotiation news shifts risk sentiment; gold, silver, and related stocks rise across the board

Driven by optimistic expectations for US-Iran negotiations, gold and silver prices along with mining stocks rose collectively in the pre-market. Spot gold rose 0.68%, and silver surged 2.5%. Related stocks such as Blue Gold and Orla Mining saw gains of over 4%, while Pan American Silver ( PAAS ), Agnico Eagle Mines ( AEM) and others also rose as well.

Bitcoin breaks $74,000: Cryptocurrency and related stocks surge in tandem

Bitcoin ( BTC) jumped 5% today, successfully breaking the $74,413 mark; Ethereum ( ETH) performed particularly strongly, surging 8% to $2,373; Binance Coin ( BNB) also crossed the $600 threshold. Cryptocurrency-related stocks like Canaan ( CAN ), Circle ( CRCL ), MicroStrategy ( MSTR) each rose more than 2% in pre-market trading.

Market Headlines

Fed Chair Nominee Warsh Submits Financial Report, Taking Key Step in Appointment Process

Kevin Warsh, President Trump's nominee for the next Federal Reserve Chair, has submitted the financial disclosure documents required for the nomination process to the Senate. The 69-page document, sent to the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, details his income and assets, including two investments in Juggernaut Fund LP each valued at over $50 million, and $10.2 million in consulting fees from the family office of legendary Wall Street investor Stanley Druckenmiller.

ECB's Rehn: Middle East Conflict Pushes Inflation Higher, Interest Rate Path Remains Uncertain

Olli Rehn, a member of the European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council, said on Tuesday that a rise in headline inflation this year is inevitable due to the conflict with Iran, but the specific impact of the war on medium-term inflation remains unclear. Rehn emphasized that interest rate decisions are not preset, and the ECB will closely monitor the spillover effects of the Middle East situation on the economy.

UBS: Energy Shock May Delay Rate Cuts, but Rate Hike Expectations May Be Overestimated

UBS analysts noted that market expectations for policy rate hikes may currently be too aggressive. The report indicates that yield curve movements following the energy shock have made it more complex to assess monetary policy expectations and risk premiums. UBS predicts that, considering the current Middle East conflict, the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England are more likely to choose to "delay rate cuts to neutral levels" this year rather than implement rate hikes. Additionally, UBS has lowered its UK GDP growth forecasts for this year and next to 0.6% and 1.1%, respectively.

Novo Nordisk Partners with OpenAI to Drive Revolution in Drug Discovery and Operations via AI

Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk ( NVO) announced on Tuesday a partnership with OpenAI, planning to integrate artificial intelligence technology across drug discovery, manufacturing, and commercial operations. The collaboration aims to leverage OpenAI's data analysis capabilities to identify drug candidates and further optimize supply chain, distribution, and overall corporate operational efficiency.

BMW's First-Quarter Global Sales Fall 3.5%, Driven by Weak Demand in China and U.S. Markets

German luxury carmaker BMW announced its global deliveries for the first quarter of 2026, with sales falling 3.5% to 565,748 units due to weak demand in the Chinese and U.S. markets. Although the BMW and MINI brands recorded 3% growth in Europe, it was not enough to offset declines in the U.S. (down 4.3%) and China (down 10%).

Deutsche Boerse Acquires 1.5% Stake in Kraken, Positioning in Regulated Crypto Market

Deutsche Boerse Group announced on Tuesday that it has spent $200 million to acquire a 1.5% fully diluted stake in crypto exchange Kraken. The two parties will establish a partnership to jointly develop regulated financial products covering cryptocurrencies, tokenized markets, and derivatives.

Key Data and Events Preview

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European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde Delivers Speech

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Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee (2027 FOMC Voter) Participates in a Panel Discussion Ahead of the Semafor 2026 World Economy Summit