Oil prices fell on Friday, with weak demand in focus after the OPEC+ group delayed a planned increase in supplies and extended deep production cuts until the end of 2026. Brent crude futures were down 20 cents, or 0.3%, at $71.89 a barrel by 0910 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 14 cents, or 0.2%, at $68.16 a barrel. For the week, Brent was on track to fall 1.5%, while WTI was on track to gain 0.2%. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies on Thursday delayed the start of oil output increases by three months to April and extended a full...
Gold prices after the latest U.S. data showed the labor market bounced back in November. Futures are flat at $2,649 a troy ounce, after rising 0.5% earlier in the session. Fed officials are still expected to cut interest rates by 25 basis points at their next meeting, but the job data could make it easier for them to leave rates on hold if inflation data comes in warmer than anticipated next week. Friday's nonfarm payrolls report "matches the message from some of the alternative indicators suggesting that conditions in the labour market are stabilizing at a healthy level," Capital...
Gold traded higher mid-afternoon on Friday as treasury yields fell after the United States added more new jobs than expected last month. Gold for February delivery was last seen up US$10.40 to US$2,658.80 per ounce. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the country added 227,000 new jobs last month, above expectations for a rise of 214,000 according to Marketwatch and well higher than the unusually low rise of 36,000 jobs a month earlier. The unemployment rate rose to 4.2% from 4.1% in October. The data shows the the U.S. labor market remains solid, easing pressure on the Federal...