Brent crude oil prices rose to around $65.8 per barrel on Thursday, halting a two-day decline that was fueled by expectations ahead of talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump warned late Wednesday that Russia would face "very severe sanctions" if Putin refused to end the war in Ukraine. While he did not specify the steps he would take, he had previously threatened economic sanctions, including on Russian oil, if Friday's meeting in Alaska ended in failure. However, the gains were limited, with prices remaining near a more than two-month low...
Silver prices held above $38.50 per ounce on Thursday (August 14th), hovering near a three-week high as expectations of a deeper Federal Reserve interest rate cut this year buoyed the market. Weaker US inflation data suggested that President Donald Trump's tariffs were not adding to price pressures, while signs of a weakening labor market reinforced the dovish outlook. The market is almost fully pricing in a September rate cut, with some anticipating a larger 50 basis point cut. Additionally, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for multiple rate cuts and said the Fed could begin...
The oil market is currently facing strong bearish fundamental pressure. The IEA estimates that global supply will increase rapidly—around 2.5 million barrels per day in 2025—while demand growth continues to weaken, reaching only around 680,000 bpd, due to weak consumption in developed countries, as well as China, India, and Brazil. OPEC+ responded by ending its production cuts and instead increasing output, exacerbating the global surplus. Recent data shows that US shale oil producers are reducing investment and even decommissioning rigs as oil prices fall below breakeven. Other analysis...