OpenAI Free To Partner Amazon, Markets Stay Cautious: Stocks Mixed, Oil Up, Gold Slides

We are back with quick updates about global stock markets and major developments across some of the top companies worldwide.

Asia-Pacific markets were mixed on Tuesday as investors tracked developments in US-Iran talks. Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 0.3% to 59,8951, after notching a record high on Monday, while South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.3% to 6,641. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.6% to 8,710. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index slid nearly 1% to 25,679, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index declined 0.1% at 4,884.

Overnight in the US, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closed at fresh record highs, rising 0.1% to 7,174 and 0.2% to 24,887, respectively, with both hitting new all-time highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, declined 0.1% to end at 49,168.

European stocks are likely to open higher on Tuesday as investors watch for Washington’s response to Iranian peace proposals and await earnings from regional companies.

Oil prices rose on Tuesday as investors weighed fresh signals from US-Iran negotiations, with uncertainty around a potential de-escalation keeping markets on edge amid ongoing supply concerns. US West Texas Intermediate futures for May delivery rose 1.2% to $97 per barrel, while international benchmark Brent crude for June delivery gained 1.2% to $110 a barrel.

Gold prices eased on Tuesday as investors tracked the impact of Middle East tensions and stalled US-Iran talks on interest rate outlooks ahead of key central bank meetings this week. Spot gold slipped 0.6% to $4,653 an ounce, while US gold futures for June delivery down 0.6% to $4,667. Spot silver declined 1.8% to $74 per ounce.

Here’s a look at some of the important developments across the global markets:

OpenAI free to partner with Amazon, Google Cloud after pact change with Microsoft

Microsoft and OpenAI have renegotiated their agreement, ending Microsoft’s exclusive rights to sell OpenAI’s AI models and allowing the startup to partner with rivals such as Amazon and Google. The move marks a shift in one of the AI sector’s most prominent partnerships, giving OpenAI more flexibility to expand its enterprise business across multiple cloud platforms, including Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud.

Sequoia, Nvidia back Ex-DeepMind researcher’s AI startup at $5.1 billion valuation

David Silver, a former researcher at Google DeepMind, has raised $1.1 billion for his new startup, Ineffable Intelligence, at a valuation of $5.1 billion. The funding round was led by Sequoia Capital and Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from Nvidia, Google and Index Ventures. The company will focus on reinforcement learning, an area where AI systems learn through trial and error to make decisions.

CATL raises $5 billion in Hong Kong in biggest deal of the year

Chinese EV battery maker CATL raised HK$39.2 billion ($5 billion) in Hong Kong on Tuesday, in the city’s largest equity offering this year. The share sale comes amid strong investor demand for green energy stocks, as rising oil prices and global supply shifts drive interest in clean energy. CATL priced 62.4 million shares at HK$628.20 each, at the lower end of its marketed range and at a discount to the previous close. The company, which supplies batteries to automakers including Tesla, BMW and Volkswagen, remains the world’s largest EV battery maker with a 38.1% global market share, according to SNE Research.

JPMorgan joins $6 billion financing for Kuwait pipeline stake sale

JPMorgan Chase and Kuwaiti lenders are joining HSBC in a $6-billion financing syndicate for potential buyers of a stake in Kuwait Petroleum Corporation’s crude pipeline network. The planned stake sale is estimated at about $7 billion, though the process has faced delays due to regional tensions and recent disruptions to operations. KPC has extended the bid deadline as investors assess risks, including potential supply disruptions through key routes such as the Strait of Hormuz. Investors are also seeking safeguards against volume risks before committing to the deal, reflecting caution amid geopolitical uncertainty.

Bank of Japan keeps policy rate steady, raises inflation outlook on Middle East risks

The Bank of Japan kept its policy rate unchanged at 0.75% on Tuesday, while raising its inflation forecast as Middle East tensions lift price risks. The decision, taken in a 6-3 split vote, matched expectations, though dissenting members called for a rate hike to 1%, citing rising inflation pressures. The central bank cut its fiscal 2026 growth forecast to 0.5% from 1% and raised its core inflation outlook to 2.8% from 1.9%, above its 2% target. The BOJ warned higher oil prices could weigh on corporate profits and household incomes, slowing economic growth.

Berlin eyes Uniper sale or listing by summer

Berlin could begin the reprivatisation of Uniper before summer, after a merger with SEFE became unlikely, sources said. The process may involve a sale or stock market listing and could start with an official tender in the coming months. Both Uniper and SEFE were nationalised during Europe’s 2022 energy crisis, with the German government spending nearly 20 billion euros to stabilise the firms.