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...
Geopolitical tensions in Latin America are escalating again, particularly regarding Venezuela and pressure from US policies. This situation has prompted the BRICS countries to take cautious but strategic steps, with a primary focus on maintaining regional stability and protecting long-term economic interests. Rather than open confrontation, the BRICS have chosen the path of diplomacy and regional cooperation. Brazil, as a BRICS member and a major power in Latin America, plays a key role in fostering dialogue and preventing conflict escalation. Meanwhile, China and Russia are strengthening...
President Donald Trump said the US attacked a facility inside Venezuela, which would be a significant escalation in his campaign against alleged drug trafficking operations there. "There was a big explosion at the dock area where they were loading the ships with drugs," Trump told reporters on Monday, confirming comments from last week. Trump's statement about the attack inside Venezuela would mark the first time the US has announced a ground offensive in the country. The US administration has been increasing pressure on the government of Nicolas Maduro by bombing ships in the region and...
President Donald Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine, according to the White House. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in an interview that the two leaders had "concluded a positive call." The discussion came a day after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, a meeting that did not produce any clear breakthroughs but saw the US president praise what he called "a lot of progress" toward a possible peace deal. Trump said after the meeting with...
The Kremlin said on Monday that Ukraine should withdraw its troops from the part of Donbas that it still controls if it wanted peace, and that if Kyiv did not strike a deal then it would lose yet more territory. Putin and Trump spoke on Sunday ahead of Trump's meeting in Miami with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said another call was planned very soon. Peskov refused to comment on the idea of a free economic zone in Donbas or on the future of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is controlled by Russia, saying that the Kremlin felt it was...
Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated again after a series of military escalations involving airstrikes and missile retaliation. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian formally declared the country was in "total war" against Israel and its Western allies, including the United States and European countries, following a 12-day military operation targeting Iran's nuclear facilities. This conflict has deep roots in geopolitical and ideological rivalries in the Middle East and has continued since a major escalation in mid-2025 that caused dozens of casualties and damage to critical...
Tensions between China and Taiwan have once again become a major focus of global markets, amid escalating military activity and diplomatic pressure in the Asia-Pacific region. This situation has sparked concerns about regional stability, given the potential for a conflict to involve major powers such as the United States and Japan. For financial markets, this geopolitical escalation has heightened investor caution. Riskier assets such as Asian stocks tend to be under pressure, while market volatility increases as investors reassess their risk exposure to the region. Conversely, safe-haven...
As I conclude 2025 from Beijing, I don't claim to have the ability to predict the future. Predictions often fall short when judged by accuracy. However, years as a journalist have taught me something even more valuable: knowing what truly important questions to ask. And as 2026 approaches, there are some big questions that are hard to avoid, especially as the world has just experienced a tumultuous year—tariff wars, technology restrictions, and volatile financial markets. One of the most intriguing issues comes from the relationship between the United States and China. In late November, US...
The White House has ordered U.S. military forces to focus almost entirely on enforcing a Venezuelan oil "quarantine" for at least the next two months, a U.S. official told Reuters, indicating that Washington is currently more interested in using economic rather than military means to pressure Caracas. "While the military option remains on the table, the focus is primarily on using economic pressure by enforcing sanctions to achieve the desired outcome for the White House," the official said on Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity. While President Donald Trump has publicly kept his...
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....