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...
The Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said on Wednesday that the prospect of a new Canada-U.S. trade deal offers hope that tariffs will be removed, but cautioned that inflation could rise if tariffs stayed in place. U.S. President Donald Trump and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney this week agreed to reach a trade deal between the two countries in 30 days that could possibly resolve a trade conflict triggered by U.S. tariffs and the subsequent Canadian counter duties. "Restoring open trade between our countries is critical to jobs and growth in Canada," said Macklem in a speech in the...
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits fell to 245,000 in the week ended June 15, 2025. The figure was lower than the 246,000 estimate and the previous weekly revised 250,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. Source: Newsmaker23
British inflation slowed as expected in May, pulled down by air fares which leapt in April and the correction of a tax data error, although food prices shot up at the fastest rate in more than a year. Consumer prices rose in annual terms by 3.4% in May, the Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday, just as a Reuters poll of economists and the Bank of England had predicted. Services price inflation - a crucial metric for the BoE - cooled to 4.7% from 5.4% in April, matching the BoE's forecast for May. The Reuters poll had pointed to a reading of 4.8%. Earlier this month the ONS...
The UK's (UK) annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 3.4% in May after rising 3.5% in April, data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed on Wednesday. Markets had expected a 3.4% growth in the reported period. The reading was still short of the Bank of England's (BoE) target of 2%. Core CPI (excluding volatile food and energy) rose 3.5% year-on-year (YoY) in the same period, compared with a 3.8% acceleration in April, but missed the anticipated 3.6%.(alg) Source: FXstreet
US President Donald Trump claimed the US now has total and complete control of the skies over Iran via his social media platform, Truth Social. We now have total and complete control of the skies over Iran. Iran has great sky trackers and other defense equipment, and many, but nothing compares to the American-made, designed, and manufactured "stuff." Nobody does it better than the good ol' USA. We know exactly where the so-called "Supreme Leader" is hiding. He's an easy target, but safe there – We're not going to take him out (kill him!), at least not right now. But we don't want missiles...
Federal Reserve officials get to voice their outlook this week on the future path of interest rates along with the impact that tariffs and Middle East turmoil will have on the economy. While any immediate movement on interest rates seems improbable, the policy meeting, which concludes Wednesday, will feature important signals that still could move markets. Among the biggest things to watch will be whether Federal Open Market Committee members stick with their previous forecast of two rate cuts this year, how they see inflation trending, and any reaction from Chair Jerome Powell to what has...
President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Iran's leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that he is an "easy target" and "our patience is wearing thin" before demanding Tehran surrender in its escalating conflict with Israel. "We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader' is hiding," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "He is an easy target, but is safe there - We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now," he wrote after declaring "total control" over Iran's airspace. "But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin." Trump in a...
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would likely extend a deadline for China-based ByteDance to divest the U.S. assets of short video app TikTok.The president said in May he would extend the June 19 deadline after the app helped him with young voters in the 2024 election. His comments to reporters on Air Force One on Tuesday reiterated that sentiment. "Probably, yeah," Trump said when asked about extending the deadline. "Probably have to get China approval but I think we'll get it. I think President Xi will ultimately approve it." Source: Investing.com
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....