Economy

Oil Market
Oman and Iran in Talks on Hormuz: Discussed “Ideas and Proposals”

Oman and Iran have held talks on facilitating passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Oman’s state news agency reported on X.

Deputy foreign ministers and experts from the countries met on Saturday to discuss “a number of ideas and proposals” to “secure passage” through the strait, Oman’s foreign ministry reported on Sunday on X.

The talks were held two days before US President Donald Trump’s deadline for Iran to open the strait.

The important shipping route has been effectively closed since the war broke out in the Persian Gulf. 

Gold Price
Worst month for gold in 13 years – some countries sold

The price of gold has a lead-heavy March behind it and plummeted nearly 11 percent. The precious metal thus recorded its biggest monthly drop in 13 years, according to Marketwatch.

The decline came at the same time that some central banks, including those in Turkey and Russia, turned on their heels and went from buyers to sellers. But that does not mean that small savers should follow suit, Goldcore CEO Jan Skoyles tells Marketwatch.

– The claim that central banks have abandoned gold is simply not supported by the data, he says.

The few countries that have sold at the same time are under “strong currency pressure”, so it is not a “structural change away from gold”, the justification is.

The development of electric cars
Buyers rush to used electric cars: “A perfect storm”

Buyers have rushed to used electric cars in March. This is shown by figures from sites such as Blocket and Carla, writes GP.

Rising fuel prices, depressed electric car prices, the rural area subsidy and an uncertain external situation are pointed out as reasons.

– It is a perfect storm for those who want to buy a better used car, says Blocket's electric car analyst Marcin Stepman.

During the first three weeks of March, 40 percent more used electric cars were sold than in the same period last year.

According to Richard Åhlin at Carla, it is too early to say where prices will end up. So far, no clear price changes are visible – however, the cars are selling twice as fast as a month ago.

Musk's space investments
Space X could bring a space boom to Europe: "Many have bought"

The upcoming listing of Elon Musk's SpaceX, which could be record-breaking, could create ripples in the water and lead to a rain of money over the European defense industry. This is what Ted Elvhage, founder of the space and defense-oriented venture capital company Expansion, tells SvD.

He points out that “a lot” of investors in Europe are holding a larger amount of SpaceX shares that were bought on the secondary market.

– Hopefully, after all the partying and celebration, these people will want to invest again in space technology and defense, he says.

The new space race
Expert: Space X listing could be a success despite “absolutely crazy valuation”

Elon Musk’s Space X is aiming for a valuation of $2 trillion in a historic stock market listing. Nordea manager Robert Næss is skeptical, writes the Norwegian DN.

– It’s an absolutely crazy valuation, he says.

Næss says he has difficulty calculating more than $600 billion after the merger of SpaceX and XAI.

DNB manager Audun Wickstrand Iversen is on the same line. He is generally more positive than Næss about companies of the future, but adds that “not even my calculations can account for this”, given a valuation of around 100 times turnover.

Despite this, the stock market debut could be a success, experts believe. Robert Næss refers to Musk’s large number of supporters globally “who will throw themselves at SpaceX”.