Week 18: April 29, 2024 -- May 5, 2024

Locator: 47049TOPSTORIES.

Top story:

• Israel gives Hamas one week to release the hostages
  
• AAPL, QCOM, AMGN
  
• Biden administration says oil is too expensive for government to refill SPR at this time.
  

Top international non-energy story:

• Ukraine
• France's Macron ready to send French troops into Ukraine

Top international energy story:

• Exxon - PXD acquisition deal closed; $60 billion deal;
  

Top national non-energy story: 

• Trump criminal trial continues; enters third week next week;
  
• 
  

Top national energy story:

• WTI drops below $79.
  

Focus on fracking: link here.

Top North Dakota non-energy story:

• 
  

Top North Dakota energy story:

• 
  

Geoff Simon's quick connects: link here.

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Market

Market at the close:

For the archives -- what's going on that affected the market today:

• AAPL's March quarter earnings call surprises
• market surges; Apple announces largest equity share buyback by any corporation ever; 
• increases dividend by a penny;
  
• AAPL surges;
  
• Fed / JPow center of attention; gives dovish comments at May FOMC meeting May 2, 2024
• FPow says next rate change will be a cut, not an increase
  
• GDP estimate, GDPNow, for 2Q24, jumped from 1.6% actual 1Q24 to 3.9% estimate 2Q24
• relatively quiet in the Mideast; Israel gives Hamas one week to release hostages