US President Donald Trump speaks in the State Dining Room of the White House on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 in Washington, DC, US.
Daniel Heuer | Bloomberg | getty images
Hello, I’m Dylan Butts writing to you from Singapore. Welcome to another edition of CNBC’s Daily Open.
US President Donald Trump has extended an Iran ceasefire deadline, adding a new layer of uncertainty to the Mideast conflict as Tehran has signaled reluctance to engage in diplomatic efforts.
Separately, don’t miss coverage of cnbc’s convergence live The event, kicking off in the Lion City, will feature conversations on the future of global investment, leadership, technology and sustainability.
Key participants in the spotlight on the first day include Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, Capital Group CEO Mike Gitlin and Tan Su Shan, CEO of DBS, Southeast Asia’s largest bank.
enjoy!
What you need to know today
US President Donald Trump is hoping that some of the companies that were forced to pay his tariffs will follow the ‘no take back’ policy.
Many big companies, including Apple and Amazon, have not yet filed requests for refunds for the tariffs paid.
This comment of Trump came a day after this US Customs and Border Protection opened a portal Seeking more than $160 billion in potential refunds for importers.
On the geopolitical front: Trump extended his US ceasefire with Iran by two weeks, saying the extension was necessary as Tehran’s government was “severely fragmented”. Trump told CNBC that he hopes the US makes a ‘great deal’ with Iran.
Stock futures for major US indices rose after Trump extended the ceasefire, markets closed lower on Tuesday as crude oil prices rose.
However, Asia-Pacific markets opened broadly lower on Wednesday as concerns grew that the Middle East conflict could be prolonged.
As supply chain issues stemming from the conflict in the Middle East continue to rear their heads, United Airlines on Tuesday lowered its 2026 earnings outlook as it grapples with rising jet fuel prices.
In tech news, SpaceX said it has struck a deal with AI startup Cursor, giving it the right to acquire the company for $60 billion later this year or pay $10 billion.
– Dylan Butts
And finally…
A timeline of how the Iran war affected oil prices – and what will happen next
The oil market has gone from nervousness to relief and back again since the war broke out in the Middle East, raising fears of more market volatility.
Prices have increased by more than 55% since the start of the war, with Brent crude rising from about $72 a barrel to about $120 at its peak on February 27, as fears grew of a disruption to supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude jumped 51% in March, one of the largest one-month oil price increases on record.
Headlines about the war caused oil to post its biggest daily gain since the Russia-Ukraine war, while others sent Brent crude to its biggest daily drop in decades.
Here are some of the key moments that oil has reacted to since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran, and where it could go next…
-Emma Graham, Li Ying Shan
