PHNOM PENH: Let’s have a look at today’s finance. The CSX Index is currently at 535.28 Points up 0.71 Points or 0.13%

 The Daily Exchange Rate: is 4,040 KHR to the USD$

Now a look what else is happing in finance around the world.

Stocks slide, dollar climbs as rate hike concern in focus. Asian stocks fell the most in two weeks today Monday 25th April as concern about rapid U.S. rate rises and slowing growth rattled investors, while the euro found support after Emmanuel Macron won a second term as French president.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) slid 1.6% to a six-week low, and a nudge from authorities extended steep losses for the Chinese yuan.

Japan's Nikkei (.N225) fell 1.9%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng (.HSI) fell 3%. S&P 500 futures dropped 0.8% while FTSE futures and European futures were off by more than 1%. Oil fell 2.7%.

U.S. refiners set for strong start to 2022 as fuel prices surge worldwide.

U.S. oil refiners expect strong first-quarter earnings as margins to sell gasoline and diesel strengthened due to a steep dropoff in refining capacity and crude oil supplies tightened because of Russia's war with Ukraine.

Refining capacity worldwide has dropped during the coronavirus pandemic, with several less profitable oil refineries closing in the last two years. However, worldwide fuel demand has rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels, boosting profits for facilities that are still operating.

Seven U.S. independent refining companies are projected to post earnings-per-share of 61 cents, compared with a loss of $1.32 in first quarter of 2021, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Profit margins for making both gasoline and distillates - diesel, jet fuel and heating oil - were already at their highest in several years coming into 2022, and have since risen, with the heating oil crack spread at nearly $41 per barrel by the end of March, nearly $20 more than average over the past five years.

U.S. independent refiners including Marathon Petroleum Corp (MPC.N), Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N) and Phillips 66 (PSX.N) also benefited from a surge in natural gas prices in Europe which occurred due to the risk of European sanctions on Russian energy exports.

European stocks slide to 1-month low as China slowdown worries offset Macron win

European stocks fell more than 1% on Monday as worries about an economic slowdown in China and rapid U.S. interest rate hikes overshadowed relief from French President Emmanuel Macron's election victory over the weekend.

By 0705 GMT, the pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) slumped 1.9% to its lowest since mid-March. France's CAC 40 (.FCHI) dropped 2.0% and Germany's DAX (.GDAXI) was down 1.9%.

The euro got a brief lift after Sunday's election results showed pro-EU centrist Macron in the lead, reassuring markets about France's commitment to an integrated Europe even if his economic platform now depends on parliamentary elections in June.

French stocks outperformed the wider STOXX 600 index over the past two weeks on hopes of Macron's re-election after his relatively small poll lead over Le Pen, who favours nationalising key industries and slashing taxes, had kept investors on edge earlier.

Asian stocks had their worst session in a month and a half on Monday as fears grew that Beijing was on the verge of joining Shanghai in lockdowns.

China securities watchdog expects audit deal soon with U.S. regulators.

Regulators over audit cooperation and expects a deal soon, a Chinese regulatory official said on Thursday about a dispute that could lead to delistings of U.S.-listed Chinese firms.

The comments by Fang Xinghai, vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), represent the latest gesture from Beijing that it is willing to solve the long-standing dispute with Washington.

"I'm very confident that we will reach an agreement in the near future, so that PCAOB could conduct checks on Chinese accounting firms in China in a reasonable way," Fang said at the annual Boao Asia Forum, referring to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, the U.S. audit regulator.

"This uncertainty will be removed soon, and this will be good news for Chinese stocks listed overseas," Fang added.

Investors, however, continued to dump China tech stocks on Friday, after news the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had identified 17 more U.S.-listed companies, mostly Chinese firms including Li Auto Inc , Zhihu Inc and Sohu.com (SOHU.O), that face delisting risk under U.S. law.

This adds to a list of 11 companies the SEC identified in March, which include Baidu Inc and Yum China (YUM.N).