Oil prices held steady after surging more than 3% on Thursday, as market participants weighed US President Donald Trump's latest threats against Iran and the risk of escalating conflict in the Middle East. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) held around $66 per barrel, continuing a three-day rally that was also helped by a weaker US dollar. Meanwhile, Brent held above $70, for the first time since July, after a geopolitical risk premium was reinjected into prices. The main trigger came from Trump's warning: if Iran refuses to reach a nuclear deal, the option of a military strike remains on the...
Oil prices plummeted sharply as the market began to shed the "war premium" that had been attached throughout January. The trigger: Donald Trump said Washington was communicating/talking with Iran, leading market participants to interpret the situation as a signal of de-escalation, not a move towards open conflict. On Monday, February 2, 2026, Brent fell to around $65.86/barrel and WTI fell to around $61.79/barrel both correcting around 4–5% after previously posting large monthly spikes. The market, which had priced in supply disruptions yesterday, is now rushing to "reset." From a...
Precious metals are starting to catch their breath after being rocked by a brutal sell-off in the Asian session. Prices fell sharply and then rebounded slightly, as the market gauged whether this was a natural correction after a frenzied rally, or whether a major rally was truly broken. Spot gold remained under pressure, down around 4% after previously crashing 10% following its sharpest decline in more than a decade on Friday. Silver also hasn't recovered, falling more than 7% after plunging 16% the previous session and posting its biggest intraday drop. The sentiment is clear: from...