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...
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order increasing tariffs on Canadian goods to 35% from 25% on all products not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, the White House said. Goods transshipped to another country to evade the new tariffs would be subject to a transshipment levy of 40%, according to a White House fact sheet. The move - which Washington linked in part to what it said was Canada's failure to stop fentanyl smuggling - is the latest blow in a months-long tariff war which Trump initiated shortly after taking power. The announcement blaming...
President Donald Trump on Thursday evening signed an order outlining tariff levels against a host of countries, which will take effect in seven days. Trump released an updated list of his proposed "reciprocal" tariffs against U.S. trading partners, with the list coming just hours before an August 1 deadline set by the president. The list included the tariff rates set under recent trade deals between Washington and the targeted countries, such as a 10% tariff on the UK, and a 15% tariff on Japan, South Korea, and some goods from the European Union. India will face a 25% levy, as outlined...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reached out ahead of an August 1 tariff deadline, but no conversations between the two took place. Trump has warned that any country that does not strike a deal with the U.S. before Friday will be subjected to higher tariffs imposed on goods, which for Canada could mean a 35% rate on all products not covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. "We haven't spoken to Canada today. He's (Carney) called and we'll, we'll see," Trump told reporters during an event at the White House. Carney's office...
After speaking to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on the phone on Thursday, United States (US) President Donald Trump said that Mexico will continue to pay a 25% fentanyl tariff, 25% tariff on cars, and 50% tariff on steel, aluminum, and copper. "Mexico has agreed to immediately terminate its non tariff trade barriers," Trump noted and added that they will talk to Mexico over the next 90 days with the goal of signing a trade deal, confirming an extension of the current agreement. Source: Fxstreet
Annual inflation in the United States (US), as measured by the change in the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, rose to 2.6% in June from 2.4% in May (revised from 2.3%), the US Bureau of Economic Analysis reported on Thursday. This figure was above market expectations of 2.5%. The core PCE Price Index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 2.8% in the same period, matching May's increase and exceeding analysts' expectations of 2.7%. The PCE Price Index and the core PCE Price Index both rose 0.3% on a monthly basis. Other details from the report showed that...
According to a report from the US Department of Labor (DOL) released on Thursday, the number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment insurance increased to 218,000 for the week ending July 26. The latest figure was lower than the initial estimate (224,000), while the previous week's figure was 217,000. The report showed a seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate of 1.3%. Furthermore, the four-week moving average decreased by 3.5,000, to 221,000 from the previous week's unrevised average. Furthermore, Continuing Jobless Claims remained at 1.946 million for the week ending...
President Donald Trump again criticized Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell after the central bank declined to cut interest rates, ending a brief easing of tensions. "jerome ‘late' powell is at it again!!! he is too late, and even too angry, too stupid, & too political, to be fed chairman," trump wrote on his social media platforms on thursday, slamming the bank for holding interest rates steady. and trump again criticized powell over the central bank renovation construction project that has angered the president and his allies over cost overruns, just a week after he toured the...
US President Donald Trump intensified his trade war with Canada a day before the August 1 tariff deadline. He said it would be "very difficult" to reach a deal with Canada after Canada expressed its support for Palestinian statehood. Trump will impose a 35% tariff on all Canadian goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement if the two countries do not reach a deal by the deadline. "Wow! Canada just announced its support for Palestinian statehood. That's going to make it very difficult for us to reach a Trade Deal with them," Trump said on Truth Social. Canadian Prime Minister...
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....