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On April 23, Slovak Prime Minister Fico stated at a press conference that Ukraine had cut off the "Friendship" oil pipeline for political reasons. "The 'Friendship' pipeline resumed operation at 2:00 AM today, clearly proving that the pipeline was not damaged," Fico added. He further stated that 13,500 tons of crude oil would arrive in Slovakia via the "Friendship" pipeline that day, and the total volume was expected to reach 119,000 tons by the end of April. Slovak Economy Minister Sarkova said at the same press conference that the country's petrochemical plants had resumed full-capacity operation, consuming approximately 17,000 tons of crude oil daily. She stated that the resumption of oil supply from the "Friendship" pipeline would contribute to stability in Central Europe and the entire European region.

On April 23, Zheng Shanjie, Director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), met with Airbus Global CEO John Faury at the NDRC headquarters. The two exchanged views on China's macroeconomic situation and deepening Airbus's cooperation with China. Zheng stated that in the first quarter of this year, China's economy showed new and improved high-quality development, further demonstrating its resilience and vitality, laying a solid foundation for a good start to the 15th Five-Year Plan. The Chinese air transport market has vast space and huge potential, and Airbus will usher in greater opportunities for development in China. China welcomes and firmly supports Airbus's continued investment in China and its expansion of the depth and breadth of its supply chain in China.

Mexican President Sinbaum: Awaiting US approval for Roberto Lazzeri to serve as Mexico's ambassador to the US.

Mexican President Zimbabwe Sinbaum will nominate Roberto Lazzeri to serve as Mexico's ambassador to the United States.

The statement indicates that the EU is imposing a ban on transactions involving 20 Russian banks.

On April 23, PMI data showed that U.S. business activity rebounded in April after stagnating for the previous month. However, supplier delivery times for factories were extended due to the war with Iran, leading to a measure of output prices reaching its highest level in nearly four years. The preliminary reading of the S&P Global Composite PMI rose to 52.0 in April, up from 50.3 in March, the lowest level since September 2023. This improvement was mainly driven by the manufacturing sector and was fueled by what S&P Global called “inventory building amid concerns about ample supply and rising prices.” The manufacturing PMI rose to 54.0 from 52.3 in March, a 47-month high, exceeding economists’ expectations of 52.5. The new orders index rose to 54.8 from 52.3 in March. The services PMI rose to 51.3 from 49.8 (the first contraction since January 2023).

Market news: The EU will develop guidelines requiring Google to provide ChatGPT and Claude with the same functionality as Gemini on Android.

According to Hong Kong Stock Exchange documents, Icarus (Suzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. has submitted a listing application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

STMicroelectronics' shares in Milan rose by 13%.

Fitch Ratings: The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could exacerbate the credit challenges faced by sovereign states in developed markets.

Fitch Ratings: Developed market public finances face additional pressure from the war with Iran.

Intel (INTC.O) rose 2.6% after the company secured Tesla as its first major customer for its 14A chip technology.

Supermicro (SMCI.O) fell 9.5%.

On April 23, Miniso (09896.HK) announced that its controlling shareholder, executive director, chairman of the board, and CEO, Ye Guofu, plans to increase his holdings of the company's shares within 12 months from the date of the announcement, using his own funds through open market or private transactions, with a total amount of not less than HK$50 million. As of the date of the announcement, Ye Guofu directly and indirectly holds 790 million shares, representing approximately 63.7% of the issued shares. The increase in holdings will commence during the first compliant trading window following the company's announcement of its first quarter financial results ending March 31, 2026, and the specific timing, price, and quantity will be determined based on market conditions.

Chart: Performance of major currency pairs on Thursday, April 23, 2026

On April 23, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine deserves "full" EU membership, rejecting proposals for a faster but less empowering alternative route. Zelenskyy will discuss this issue with EU leaders at a summit in Cyprus on Thursday evening. Zelenskyy stated, "Ukraine does not need a symbolic membership in the EU. Ukraine is defending itself, and undoubtedly is protecting Europe—not a symbolic protection—but real people are dying in battle."