Oil prices stabilized on Thursday (February 12th), as the market reassigned a risk premium to US-Iran tensions despite US inventory data showing swelling domestic supplies. This movement confirms one thing: geopolitical headlines are still more "noise" than signals of a short-term surplus. As of 3:50 PM WIB, Brent was at $69.60/barrel (+0.29%) and WTI was at $64.83/barrel (+0.31%). The gains were moderate, but enough to keep prices near the psychological $70 level for Brent. From a geopolitical perspective, market focus is on the potential for escalation in the Middle East. Recent reports...
US President Donald Trump hit markets with a fresh tariff threat on Friday, continuing his lashout at China over their decision to impose even stricter export licensing requirements on foreign entities trying to move critical rare earths minerals out of China. Donald Trump declared via social media post that he will be imposing a new 100% tariff on all exports bound for the US from China, as Trump's bespoke playbook of hammering his own constituents to punish foreign nations continues to play out. How the Trump administration will achieve a new import tariff remains to be solved by other...
US consumer sentiment was little changed in early October as Americans expect scant improvement in the job market or inflation. The preliminary October sentiment index edged down to 55 from 55.1 in September, according to the University of Michigan. While the latest figure was the lowest in five months, it was firmer than the median projection in a Bloomberg survey of economists. Consumers expect prices to rise at an annual rate of 4.6% over the next year, compared with 4.7% a month earlier, according to the data released Friday. They saw costs rising at an annual rate of...
Israeli forces began withdrawing from parts of Gaza on Friday (October 10) under a ceasefire agreement with Hamas, and some residents returned to devastated neighborhoods, uncertain about their safety after two years of war. "Thank God, my house is still standing," said Ismail Zayda, 40, in the Sheikh Radwan area of Gaza City. "But this place is destroyed, my neighbor's house is destroyed, the whole district is gone." "Is it over? They say it is. Why doesn't anyone come out and tell us if there is a ceasefire so we can stop being afraid?" The Israeli government ratified the ceasefire...
President Donald Trump announced steep tariffs on imported lumber and wood products, which his administration says are necessary to protect the US economy and encourage domestic manufacturing. Starting October 14, softwood lumber will be subject to a 10% tariff, while kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and other finished wood products will be subject to a 25% tariff that will increase in January. The biggest hit will be Canada, the largest US lumber supplier, whose lumber exports are already subject to separate tariffs totaling 35.19%. The two countries have been embroiled in a...
Wednesday, October 8, 2025 President Donald Trump said he was open to compromise on Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies to end the government shutdown. Democrats agreed to the talks, but conservatives immediately rejected them. Essentially, Democrats want subsidies extended to prevent premiums from soaring; some Republicans say the expanded subsidies during COVID are too expensive and prone to abuse. In the Senate, several compromise options are being floated: allowing existing recipients to continue receiving subsidies (grandfathering), limiting the age limit (e.g., to 60–64 years old), or...
Israeli tanks, ships, and jets pounded parts of Gaza on Tuesday (October 7), offering no respite to Palestinians on the anniversary of the Hamas offensive that led to the two-year war and underscoring the challenges in negotiations over Donald Trump's plan to end the conflict. Israel continued its attacks, local residents said, after Hamas and Israel began indirect negotiations on Monday in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh on sensitive issues such as the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and Hamas' disarmament. The talks over the US president's plan are widely seen as the most...
The White House is tightening its pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the U.S. government shutdown enters its second week, saying it will give them another chance to agree on a spending bill before beginning mass layoffs of federal employees. With the Senate scheduled to vote Monday night for the fifth time on a stopgap bill to keep the government operating until November 21, Kevin Hassett, President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, argued that it's time for Democrats to be "reasonable." Trump has said he will use the government shutdown to lay off thousands more federal employees, who...
Hamas officials were in Egypt on Monday (October 6th) ahead of talks with Israel that the US hopes will lead to an end to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages, despite contentious issues such as the disarmament of Palestinian militant groups under Donald Trump's plan. Israeli negotiators were also scheduled to travel to the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh later in the day to discuss the hostages' release, part of the US president's 20-point blueprint for ending the two-year conflict. The Israeli delegation includes officials from the Mossad and Shin Bet intelligence...
Gold rises in the early Asian trade. There's a broad commodities uptrend, driven by macro uncertainty, a weaker dollar, and persistent demand for "hard" assets, says Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst...
Oil extended declines after OPEC+ agreed to a bigger-than-expected production increase next month, raising concerns about oversupply just as US tariffs fan fears about the demand outlook.
Brent...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) weakened against its US counterpart and reversed part of Friday's recovery from the lowest level since July 23 following Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks....