Top Stories — Monday, April 20, 2026
What is trending in the USA today? Here is Breaking News:
- Asia markets open mixed as U.S.-Iran tensions escalate after ship seizure — CNBC
- How cutting one costly habit could save small businesses thousands on fuel: expert — Fox Business
Asia markets open mixed as U.S.-Iran tensions escalate after ship seizure
Source: CNBC • Published: 4/20/2026, 5:37:45 AM
Asia-Pacific markets were mixed Monday, as investors continue to keep a cautious eye on developments in the Middle East amid renewed tensions between Iran and the U.S.
President Donald Trump said Sunday that a U.S Navy guided missile destroyer had fired on and disabled an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman before Marines boarded and seized the vessel.
The seizure is an escalation of the blockade and comes after Iran fired upon commercial vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz earlier Sunday. The strait is between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Since last week, the U.S. has been operating a naval blockade of ships entering and exiting Iranian ports. Iran views the ongoing blockade as a breach of the ceasefire reached by the U.S. and Iran, and cites this as one of its reasons for calling off the expected negotiations on Monday in Islamabad.
Trump warned on Sunday he would "knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran" if Tehran did not agree to Washington's terms to end the conflict.
West Texas Intermediate futures surged 8.11% to $90.65 per barrel as of 8:03 p.m. ET. Brent crude rose 7.21% higher to $96.90 per barrel.
South Korea's Kospi was higher at 0.27% while the small-cap Kosdaq dropped 0.52%. Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.62%, while the Topix gained 0.68%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 was 0.39% lower.
Hong Kong Hang Seng index futures were at 26,502, higher than the index's last close of 26,160.33.
Overnight on Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures shed 425 points, or 0.9%. S&P 500 futures lost 0.8%, while Nasdaq-100 futures fell 0.65%.
During Friday's regular session, the S&P 500 jumped 1.2% to close at 7,126.06, crossing the 7,100 threshold for the first time. The Nasdaq Composite gained 1.52% and settled at 24,468.48 for its 13th consecutive winning day and its longest positive streak since 1992. Both indexes posted fresh intraday and closing records.
How cutting one costly habit could save small businesses thousands on fuel: expert
Source: Fox Business • Published: 4/20/2026, 3:18:31 AM
High gas prices continue to squeeze small businesses across the U.S., but cutting one costly habit could help owners save significantly.
New data from Ford Pro, the commercial vehicle division of Ford Motor Company, shows that unnecessary idling — leaving a car running while parked — can cost fleet operators thousands of dollars each year, cutting directly into margins at a time when fuel prices remain high.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average fleet vehicle idles between one and two hours per day, burning up to two gallons of fuel daily per vehicle. With gas prices rising, those costs can add up quickly.
As of Sunday, the national average price for unleaded gas stood at $4.04, up from $3.88 just a month ago, according to AAA.
Ford Motor Co. F-150 pickup trucks are displayed at a car dealership in Orland Park, Illinois, on Sept. 27, 2019. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"You can burn up one to two gallons of gas just doing that," Matt Krukin, who leads software and digital growth for Ford Pro, told FOX Business. "So if that happens per day… that's $8 a day that's idling."
For businesses operating multiple vehicles, the impact can be substantial. A 20-vehicle fleet idling for two hours a day could waste more than $160 in fuel every day, according to Ford Pro.
Excessive idling is particularly common in North America, where about 29% of fleet vehicles idle unnecessarily, compared to just 10% in Europe, Krukin noted.
To help address the issue, Ford Pro is investing in software and data-driven tools.
A person pumps gas into a car. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Its newly launched artificial intelligence (AI) assistant allows fleet managers to monitor vehicle behavior in real time, identify inefficiencies and coach drivers to adopt more fuel-efficient habits.
Ford Pro says customers using these tools have seen measurable improvements, including a 52% reduction in idling.
While reducing idling is one of the simplest ways to cut costs, other driving behaviors — such as aggressive acceleration, rapid braking, and speeding — can also increase fuel consumption and wear on vehicles, according to Krukin.
The system can even limit acceleration, while in-cab alerts provide real-time feedback.
Cars are seen driving on the highway. (Jonas Walzberg/picture alliance via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"It's like the fleet manager's right next to them to coach them along the way," Krukin said.
Users have also seen a 25% drop in speeding, a 16% decrease in hard braking and an 11% reduction in harsh acceleration, according to Ford Pro.
"We're not just recommending solutions for the heck of it," Krukin said. "… At the end of the day, it's really about bringing it all together, so that these fleets actually get a pleasurable experience with the tools and technology coming together."
Read the full story at Fox Business.
For complete details, visit the original sources linked above.
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