Oil prices slipped on Tuesday as concerns eased about the fallout from the overthrow of Syria's president, despite support from China's plan to ramp up policy stimulus - a potential boost to demand from the world's biggest crude buyer. Brent crude futures fell 24 cents to $71.90 per barrel at 1009 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was down 28 cents at $68.09. Both benchmarks had risen more than 1% on Monday. In Syria, rebels were working to form a government and restore order after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, with the country's banks and oil sector set to resume work on...
The Pound Sterling (GBP) consolidates in a tight range near 1.2750 against the US Dollar (USD) in Tuesday's European session. The GBP/USD pair trades sideways as investors focus on the United States (US) Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for November, which will be published on Wednesday. Economists expect the annual headline inflation to have accelerated to 2.7% from the October reading of 2.6%. In the same period, the core CPI which excludes volatile food and energy prices is expected to have risen steadily by 3.3%. The month-on-month headline and core CPI are estimated to have grown...
Gold futures rise on safe-haven demand and central-bank purchases. Futures are up 0.5% at $2,699.30 a troy ounce. The precious metal found support from heightened geopolitical tensions, bolstering its appeal as a safe-haven asset, says Ricardo Evangelista, senior analyst at ActivTrades. China's central bank said it has resumed gold purchases after a six-month hiatus, adding further support, Evangelista writes. Expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut U.S. interest rates later this month have solidified among traders, boosting the appeal of non-interest bearing bullion and completing...