Author: Fiona Craig

Pulsar Helium (LSE:PLSR) has received a major regulatory tailwind for its Topaz project after Minnesota introduced helium-focused gas extraction legislation designed to establish a more defined permitting process while limiting development activity to select areas in Northeastern Minnesota. The legislation also prohibits oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing, reinforcing the state’s effort to support helium development alongside environmental and public-interest safeguards.

The company recently finalized its Jetstream 3-7 exploration and appraisal campaign at the Topaz project, where high-pressure gas was confirmed across multiple wells. Formation logging work has also helped improve understanding of the reservoir structure. Pulsar is now requesting bids for as many as four additional production wells, which would supplement the project’s two existing production-ready wells.

Pulsar is continuing its transition toward production readiness, aided by a letter of intent with Chart Industries covering carbon dioxide capture and helium liquefaction infrastructure. The company is seeking to benefit from tightening global helium markets, driven by supply disruptions in Qatar, Russian export restrictions, and reduced availability for U.S. buyers.

More about Pulsar Helium, Inc.

Pulsar Helium Inc. is a primary helium exploration and development company focused on its wholly owned Topaz project in northern Minnesota. The project is a high-grade helium discovery that is not associated with hydrocarbons and has reported helium-3 content. Pulsar aims to help secure domestic helium supply for industries including semiconductors, medical imaging, aerospace, and advanced technology applications, positioning itself as a strategic U.S.-based supplier amid increasingly fragile global supply chains.

Manchester United plc (NYSE:MANU) reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 results on Wednesday that exceeded market expectations, sending the club’s shares sharply higher in premarket trading.

The football club posted adjusted earnings per share of £0.03, outperforming analyst expectations for a break-even result.

Manchester United shares climbed 7.61% in premarket trading following the earnings announcement.

Quarterly revenue increased to £189.5 million, beating analyst forecasts of £164 million and rising 18.1% from £160.5 million recorded in the same period last year.

The club also raised its full-year fiscal 2026 revenue guidance to between £655 million and £665 million. The midpoint of £660 million sits above analyst consensus estimates of £653.4 million.

Manchester United further upgraded its adjusted EBITDA forecast for the year to a range of £200 million to £210 million.

Chief executive Omar Berrada said, “We feel very positive about the club’s progress this season and the continuing positive impact of our business transformation initiatives.”

“Finishing third in the Premier League and securing qualification to next season’s UEFA Champions League is testament to our men’s team’s improved form on the pitch.”

For the nine months ended March 31, 2026, Manchester United generated operating profit of £37.7 million, compared with an operating loss of £3.2 million in the same period a year earlier.

The improvement was driven by cost-reduction measures and stronger Premier League performance. Adjusted EBITDA for the nine-month period increased 29.0% to £187.5 million from £145.3 million.

Broadcasting revenue rose 57.1% during the quarter to £64.9 million, supported by the club’s stronger expected Premier League finishing position.

Commercial revenue increased 10.3% to £82.4 million, while matchday revenue declined 5.2% to £42.2 million due to three fewer home games compared with the previous year.

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) announced on Wednesday that it invested over £15 billion ($20 billion) in the UK during 2025, continuing its progress toward a previously announced plan to commit £40 billion to the British economy by the end of 2027.

The company said the investments included the rollout of new operational hubs, expansion of studio production infrastructure and office facilities, along with the start of a drone delivery testing programme.

Amazon reported that revenue from its UK business exceeded £30 billion in 2025. The group also stated that it contributed more than £1.3 billion in taxes during the year, up more than 20% from 2024. These payments covered corporation tax, business rates, national insurance and digital services tax obligations.

The company employs approximately 75,000 workers in Britain, placing Amazon among the country’s largest private employers.

Britain continues to rank as Amazon’s third-largest market globally, behind only the United States.

Gold prices traded lower on Wednesday as investors remained cautious over ongoing negotiations between the United States and Iran, while fears of higher energy-driven inflation and tighter monetary policy continued to weigh on sentiment.

At 05:51 ET (09:51 GMT), spot gold slipped 0.4% to $4,491.28 an ounce, while gold futures declined 0.3% to $4,523.20 an ounce.

According to Al Jazeera, indirect diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran have continued despite recent military clashes earlier in the week. U.S. officials said the fragile ceasefire remains in place, although Iran warned it would retaliate if the agreement is breached.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week that it may take a “few days” before the two sides can finalise a deal.

Reports over the weekend suggested Washington and Tehran were nearing a framework agreement that would extend the ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy shipping route through which around 20% of the world’s oil supply moves. The passage has been heavily disrupted since the conflict erupted in late February, tightening oil supplies and lifting crude prices.

Markets remain concerned that elevated oil prices could intensify global inflation pressures. This has increased expectations that major central banks, including the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, may keep interest rates elevated for longer or introduce further tightening measures.

Such conditions generally weigh on gold prices because the precious metal does not provide yield and tends to become less attractive when borrowing costs rise.

“Prices remain under pressure from elevated inflation expectations linked to higher energy prices, reducing the likelihood of near term rate cuts. While renewed U.S. Iran clashes in the Persian Gulf have added to uncertainty, markets retain some cautious optimism that a deal could still be reached,” ING analysts said in a research note.

Meanwhile, aluminum prices climbed to their highest levels in four years on the London Metal Exchange as supply concerns intensified partly due to the Middle East conflict. ING analysts, citing Mysteel, added that stricter Chinese oversight on energy consumption and emissions is also reinforcing expectations for possible production curbs in the aluminum market.

Oil prices edged lower on Wednesday, surrendering part of the previous session’s rally as traders assessed the outlook for negotiations between Washington and Tehran after renewed military clashes complicated attempts to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent crude futures dropped $1.52, or 1.53%, to $98.06 per barrel by 06:33 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell $1.90, or 2.02%, to $91.99 a barrel.

The market had rallied sharply on Tuesday after fresh U.S. strikes in Iran weakened expectations that the two countries were close to securing an agreement to end the conflict.

Tehran accused Washington of violating the ceasefire with attacks near the Strait of Hormuz, although the United States insisted its military response was defensive.

Regional tensions intensified further after Israel expanded airstrikes in Lebanon on Tuesday, adding another obstacle to diplomatic negotiations.

Following the ceasefire reached in April after three months of fighting, both sides had pointed to progress in talks over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important routes for oil and gas transportation. However, the latest escalation has cast uncertainty over whether those negotiations can continue successfully.

Despite the renewed tensions, reports that several LNG carriers have recently crossed the strait improved sentiment among traders, raising hopes that the critical shipping corridor may reopen sooner than expected and help ease pressure on global energy supplies.

European equity markets moved higher at the open on Wednesday, extending gains seen across global markets as investors balanced uncertainty surrounding U.S.-Iran peace negotiations with continued optimism linked to artificial intelligence-driven growth.

At 07:05 GMT, the pan-European Stoxx 600 index advanced 0.2%, while Germany’s DAX rose 0.4%. France’s CAC 40 also gained 0.4%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 added 0.1%.

Investors remain focused on diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict between the United States and Iran, which has now lasted for nearly three months. The confrontation has effectively disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing global energy prices higher and raising concerns over the broader economic outlook.

According to Al Jazeera, indirect discussions between Washington and Tehran have continued despite renewed exchanges of fire earlier this week.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda warned that the energy shock created by the conflict could have lasting economic consequences, while European Central Bank board member Isabel Schnabel stated that an interest rate increase at the ECB’s June meeting would still be justified even if a peace deal is reached.

Brent crude futures, the global benchmark for oil prices, were last down 2.1% at $97.52 per barrel. Although prices have retreated from recent highs above $100 a barrel, Brent remains significantly above pre-conflict levels near $70 per barrel.

European car sales moved higher in April, supported by continued strong demand for electric and hybrid vehicles, while Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) strengthened its recovery across the region and Chinese automakers expanded their market presence despite rising trade tensions.

New passenger car registrations across the European Union increased 5.1% year-on-year in April to 972,314 units, according to figures published Tuesday by ACEA. Sales of battery-electric vehicles recorded particularly strong momentum, surging 37.7% compared with the same month last year and significantly outperforming the broader market.

Tesla continued to rebound in Europe, with April registrations rising 67.2% year-on-year to 9,169 vehicles. The company’s market share increased to 0.9%, up from 0.6% a year earlier, suggesting the U.S. electric vehicle manufacturer may be regaining traction following an extended period of weaker performance in the region.

Chinese carmakers also delivered robust growth during the month. BYD Co (USOTC:BYDDY) more than doubled its EU sales in April, while registrations for Chery Automobile (USOTC:CRAUY) nearly quadrupled. SAIC Motor, which owns the MG brand, reported a 24.6% increase in monthly sales.

Across the first four months of 2026, total EU car registrations rose 4.2%, with battery-electric vehicles accounting for 19.7% of all sales, compared with 15.3% during the same period last year.

Tesla’s sales between January and April climbed 61.7%, while BYD recorded an even stronger increase of 152.9%.