🌅 NORDFX MORNING UPDATE | Monday, May 4, 2026 🌏 ASIA (Today) Markets are mostly up as the week kicks off. South Korea's Kospi surged +4.26%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained +1.8%, while Australia's ASX 200 slipped 0.28%. Japan and mainland China remain closed for public holidays. US futures are pointing modestly higher - S&P 500 +0.1%, Nasdaq 100 +0.3%. 📈 WALL STREET (Friday Close) S&P 500: 7,230 ✅ record high (+0.29%) Nasdaq: 25,114 ✅ record high (+0.89%) Dow Jones: 49,499 (-0.31%) Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted their best month since 2020 in April. 🛢️ OIL Brent crude around $108/bbl after easing from last week's highs near $116, as Iran sent an updated peace proposal to mediators over the weekend. The Strait of Hormuz closure and US naval blockade continue to keep energy prices elevated. 🥇 GOLD Spot gold near $4,614/oz - down ~2% over the past week. High oil prices are feeding inflation fears, reinforcing expectations that central banks will keep rates higher for longer, weighing on the yellow metal. 💱 FOREX USD remains under pressure. EUR/USD trades near 1.1750, GBP/USD around 1.3650. USD/JPY volatile after the Bank of Japan intervened last week to support the yen. ₿ CRYPTO Bitcoin consolidating around $78,000-$79,000, up ~14% in April but still unable to break the key $80,000 resistance. The Fed's hawkish hold and uncertain rate outlook are capping upside for now. 📅 THIS WEEK 🔑 April NFP report - Friday May 8 (key risk event) 🔑 US-Iran peace talks developments 🔑 Powell's final weeks as Fed Chair (exits May 15) ⚠️ Market commentary for informational purposes only. Trading involves risk. 🔗 NordFX | Trade Smart