First Financial Holding expects Taiwan stocks to surpass 50,000 points by year-end, citing strong corporate profit growth and its role in NVIDIA’s supply chain.

Kpler data show tracked bulk-cargo transits through the Strait of Hormuz rose to 10 on Wednesday from 8 on Tuesday, but remain below a roughly 10-day moving average of 15, despite ongoing US‑Iran geopolitical tensions. Vessels entering from the Gulf of Oman included two medium product tankers, one LPG carrier, one Panamax tanker and three handy tankers; exiting toward the Gulf were one medium product tanker, one asphalt tanker and one bulker. Traffic through the Bab al‑Mandeb slowed for a second day: Kpler recorded 19 bulk-cargo transits on Wednesday, including six outbound tankers — one a VLCC — down from 24 a day earlier.

Sources say the US Department of Justice is preparing to reactivate a long-dormant maritime prize court to streamline procedures for US forces to seize Iranian tankers as "prizes".