-- Zip (ASX:ZIP) said JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates have increased their stake in the company on Tuesday to 6.27% or 78.8 million shares from 5.15% or 65.5 million shares, according to a Friday Australian bourse filing.
The company's shares were up past 14% in recent Friday trade.
Foreign investment in China's scientific research and technical services sector reached nearly one-fifth of the national total in 2025, marking seven consecutive years of rising share, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.Some 14,000 new foreign-invested enterprises were set up in the sector last year, up 27% from 2024.
Brent crude futures slipped on Friday as US president Donald Trump signaled a potential peace deal with Iran easing prolonged supply disruption fears in the market.The Brent futures contract slipped 0.7% to $98.74 per barrel. Murban closed at $101.66 on April 16 and was not trading as of the time of publishing this oil price update."Oil prices remained elevated with speculation rising that higher oil prices will become the new normal even after the Iran war ends, as OPEC production plunged by the most in at least two decades in March on damage to Middle East infrastructure," Saxo Bank analysts said.Brent eased toward $98 a barrel after nearly a 5% jump on Thursday, while WTI hovered around $93," Saxo Bank analysts noted.Trump said on Thursday that Iran "wants to make a deal," signaling potential progress in negotiations between the two countries.Trump shared the remarks while speaking to reporters outside the White House, shortly after posting on Truth Social about the 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.However, with OPEC production at a 20-year low and the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut, experts warned that global energy recovery could take up to two years.Despite the diplomatic optimism, the International Energy Agency reportedly warned that Europe faces a jet fuel collapse within six weeks if Middle East shipping blockades persist.While rumors of a deal circulate, the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively blocked, leaving crude stranded at sea at levels higher than pre-war averages.
Borneo Oil (KLSE:BORNOIL) completed the third tranche of its private placement involving the issuance of 640 million new shares.Earlier, the company had proposed to issue up to 10% of its total shares to third-party investors, according to a Friday Malaysian bourse filing.The placement shares were listed and quoted on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia Securities on Friday, the filing said.