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 set a new deadline on Monday of 10 or 12 days for Russia to make progress toward ending the war in Ukraine or face consequences, underscoring frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 3-1/2-year-old conflict. Trump has threatened both sanctions on Russia and buyers of its exports unless progress is made. The fresh deadline suggests the U.S. president is prepared to move forward on those threats after previous hesitation to do so. Speaking in Scotland, where he is holding meetings with European leaders and playing golf, Trump said he was...
US President Donald Trump said he would reduce the 50-day deadline he gave Russian leader Vladimir Putin to reach a ceasefire with Ukraine, saying he was disappointed with his counterpart over the ongoing war. "I'm disappointed with President Putin, very disappointed with him. So, we'll have to see, and I'll reduce the 50 days I gave him to a shorter time," Trump told reporters in Scotland on Monday as he welcomed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for a meeting. Trump earlier this month issued a 50-day deadline and threatened severe economic sanctions against Russia if it did not end...
European governments and companies reacted with a mix of relief and concern on Monday (July 28th) to the framework trade agreement reached with US President Donald Trump. They acknowledged what they considered an unbalanced deal, but managed to avoid a deeper trade war. The agreement announced Sunday between the two countries, which account for nearly a third of global trade, will see the US impose 15% import tariffs on most EU goods – half the threatened tariffs, but much higher than Europe had hoped. However, many specific details of the deal remain unknown. "While awaiting the full...
The leaders of Cambodia and Thailand met in Malaysia on Monday (July 28) to try to reach a ceasefire agreement on the fifth day of their fierce border conflict, amid international efforts to halt the fighting. The Southeast Asian neighbors, engaged in their deadliest conflict in more than a decade, accused each other of starting the fighting last week, before escalating it with heavy artillery bombardment and Thai airstrikes along their 817-km (508-mile) land border. Photos from the Thai and Malaysian governments showed the Chinese and U.S. ambassadors to Malaysia attending Monday's...
The United States and European Union have reached a landmark trade agreement that includes a 15% tariff on EU goods entering the U.S., President Donald Trump announced Sunday while in Scotland. The broad-strokes deal encompasses significant EU purchases of U.S. energy and military gear, along with substantial investments in the American economy. According to Trump, the European Union has committed to purchasing $750 billion worth of energy from the United States. He also stated that the EU has agreed to make $600 billion in investments in the U.S. "They are agreeing to open up their...
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she will travel to Scotland this weekend to meet with US President Donald Trump, as both sides aim to reach a trade deal before the August 1 deadline when 30% tariffs on the bloc's exports are due to take effect. After months of negotiations and back-and-forth diplomacy between Brussels and Washington, D.C., the two sides have zeroed in on a deal last week that will see the EU face 15% tariffs on most of its trade. Limited exceptions are expected to apply to aviation, some medical devices and generic drugs, some alcoholic beverages,...
US President Donald Trump is unlikely to follow through on his threat to impose 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, as it would exacerbate politically damaging inflationary pressures. Similar threats against Venezuelan oil buyers have also met with limited success, particularly in China. This month, Trump said he would impose 100% secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian exports unless Moscow agrees to a major peace deal with Ukraine within 50 days, a deadline that expires in early September. The threat mirrors the March announcement that the US would impose tariffs on...
Orders placed with US factories for business equipment unexpectedly declined in June, suggesting companies remained cautious about capital spending due to trade and fiscal policy uncertainty. The value of core capital goods orders, a proxy for investment in equipment excluding aircraft and military hardware, decreased 0.7% last month after an upwardly revised 2% gain in May, Commerce Department figures showed Friday. Bookings for all durable goods — items meant to last at least three years and including orders for commercial aircraft and military equipment — fell...
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....