Global markets rally on Iran peace hopes while regional tensions simmer; India's market cap ranking threatened by Taiwan as tech stocks surge; energy security and tax reforms dominate emerging market agendas.

US stocks extended gains on Tuesday as markets bet on resolving the US-Iran conflict, with hopes of reopening the Strait of Hormuz supporting broader market sentiment, though Iran accused the US of ceasefire violations in the past 48 hours.

India's position as the world's fifth-largest market by capitalization faces pressure from Taiwan, which is rapidly closing the gap powered by chip-making industry growth, threatening India's ranking among global equity markets.

Pakistan is undertaking a major energy security overhaul, including plans for strategic oil reserves and bonded fuel storage to reduce vulnerability to Hormuz strait disruptions and heavy reliance on imports.

Pakistan's textile sector warns of a 113% effective tax burden choking exports, with ₨828 billion of exporters' capital trapped in refunds and advance taxes while profit margins remain at just 3-4%.

Micron Technology's stock surged after UBS issued an optimistic price target, citing strong memory chip demand and enhanced long-term agreements that should boost the company's earnings power.

Pakistan's mobile services face a 37% tax rate—among the world's highest—with UK consultancy Frontier Economics urging the government to cut rates to 17% to unlock $1.6 billion in annual revenues by 2035.

American Airlines plans to install SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet on over 500 planes, solidifying the company's lead in the competitive in-flight connectivity market as space stocks continue rising.

India's government announced plans to sell up to 2% stake in Coal India through an offer for sale, continuing its divestment strategy while the state-owned mining giant maintains operational focus.

Pakistan signed a $1.12 billion FEED agreement with a Chinese firm for the country's first coal-to-urea project under CPEC 2.0, expected to produce 717,000 tons of urea annually using domestic coal reserves.

Zee Entertainment entered negotiations with FIFA for broadcasting and streaming rights to the 2026 World Cup in India, signaling major investment in sports content by the Indian media conglomerate.