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...
Applications for US unemployment benefits fell after a spike in the previous week, underscoring the choppy nature of the data at this time of year. Initial claims decreased by 13,000 to 224,000 in the week ended Dec. 13, according to Labor Department data released Thursday. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 225,000 applications. Continuing claims, a proxy for the number of people receiving benefits, rose to 1.9 million in the previous week. Holiday-related factors often lead to swings in weekly claims data, which will likely continue through the end...
Annual inflation in the United States (US), as measured by the change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), fell 2.7% in November, according to a report by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Thursday. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will release key Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for November on Thursday at 1:30 PM GMT. The inflation report will not include the CPI for October and will not offer a monthly CPI figure for November, due to the lack of data collection during the government shutdown. Therefore, investors will be closely watching the annual CPI and core CPI figures...
The Bank of England cut Bank Rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%, its lowest level since 2022, as easing inflation and growing signs of economic stress prompted policymakers to act. This marked the first rate cut since August. Five policymakers voted to cut rates, while four others voted to keep rates unchanged. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) stated that future policy easing would be guided by developments in the inflation outlook, adding that the degree of policy restraint had eased. UK inflation slowed to 3.2% in November, the lowest in eight months and below the Bank of England's...
The United States ordered a blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers because the Trump administration believes President Nicolás Maduro's regime is acting detrimentally to the United States and the world. Trump has labeled the Venezuelan government a "foreign terrorist organization" and accused the regime of asset theft, terrorism, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. He has therefore decided to block tankers sailing in and out of Venezuela as part of an economic and political pressure campaign. This move is also part of a broader US pressure campaign, including the seizure of tankers...
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expects a substantial drop in inflation during the first six months of 2026, according to statements made Tuesday on Fox Business. Bessent indicated that an announcement regarding President Trump's Federal Reserve chair selection would likely come in early January, with "one or two more Fed interviews" possibly taking place this week. When discussing potential candidates, Bessent noted that both Kevin Warsh and Kevin Hassett are "very very qualified" for the position. He rejected suggestions that Hassett would lack agency at the Federal Reserve, while...
US retail sales were little changed in October as a decline at auto dealers and weaker gasoline receipts offset stronger spending in other categories. The value of retail purchases, not adjusted for inflation, was essentially unchanged after a revised 0.1% gain in September, according to a Commerce Department report that was delayed due to the government shutdown. Excluding auto dealers and gasoline service stations, sales increased 0.5%. Eight out of 13 retail categories posted increases, including solid advances at department stores and online merchants. Motor...
US job growth remained sluggish in November and the unemployment rate rose to a four-year high, pointing to a continued cooling in the labor market after a weak October. Nonfarm payrolls increased 64,000 in November after declining 105,000 in October, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data out Tuesday. The unemployment rate was 4.6% last month, up from 4.4% in September. The BLS had to forgo publishing an October jobless rate because it was unable to retroactively collect that data following the government shutdown. The decline in October payrolls, which was the...
Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) in the United States rose by 64,000 in November, according to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on Tuesday. This figure was better than market expectations of a 50,000 increase. (alg) Source: FXstreet
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....