Editor's Note: Some linked articles may be behind subscription paywalls.
1. Market gets mixed messages on Strait of Hormuz reopening
While the Associated Press reports the Trump administration continues to give contradictory messages on peace talks with Iran and plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, CNBC reports oil prices have dropped amid hope the vital shipping channel will soon reopen in earnest.
Prices fell below $100 a barrel Thursday, with experts saying the trajectory of energy prices will be a key economic factor going forward.
“The duration of the conflict and the implication that has for higher oil prices for longer is a big deal as it pertains to future growth expectations for many parts of the market, as well as how it influences the Fed thinking in terms of the interest rate dynamic," Scott Chronert, U.S. equity strategist at Citi, said.
2. Diplomat gets $600 million refinance package
JLL announced the company has brokered a $600 million refinancing package for the Signia by Hilton Diplomat Beach Resort, CoStar News' Bryan Wroten reports.
The 1,000-room property is owned jointly by Trinity Investments and UBS Asset Management's Global Real Assets business, and those two companies purchased it for $835 million in 2023 from Brookfield.
The new floating-rate CMBS debt was financed by JP Morgan Chase & Co. and Citi.
3. Long-term hope remains in Saudi Arabia despite scaled back tourism plans
CoStar News' Terence Baker reports hope remains in Saudi Arabia despite disruptions from the war in Iran and scaled back plans to build out the nation's tourism appeal via the Vision 2030 master plan.
Hotel brands and investors in the region say they're taking a long-term view and remain optimistic.
Carlos Khneisser, chief development officer, Middle East and Africa at Hilton, said the fundamentals of the Saudi Arabian hotel industry are still sound.
“Most of our hotel agreements are 20 to 25 years in length, the area is resilient, and Hilton is 105 years of age,” he said.
4. Starwood hotel portfolio under distress
A Starwood Capital Group owned 22-hotel portfolio with $265 million in debt is going into special servicing, The Real Deal reports.
The news outlet notes the special servicer on the CMBS loan is K-Star Asset Management, which recently reworked a $577 million hotel portfolio loan with Starwood in 2025.
"The portfolio spans properties totaling 2,943 keys across 12 states and 17 cities, with a concentration in the Midwest including three in the Chicago area, as well as one in West Palm Beach, Florida. The hotels operate primarily under the Marriott, Hilton and IHG brand families," reads the The Real Deal article.
5. Airline fuel costs have jumped 56.4%
Airlines now have a specific number on how much their businesses have been hurt by conflict in the Middle East as CNBC reports they spent 56.4% more on jet fuel in the month following the start of the war in Iran.
"U.S. carriers spent $5.06 billion on fuel in March, up from $3.23 billion in February," the news outlet reports. "It was 30% more than what they paid in March 2025, according to the Department of Transportation."