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...
Gold prices rose on Thursday, hitting their highest level in more than one month, as the dollar weakened while investors awaited Friday's US inflation data for clues on Federal Reserve policy direction. Spot gold rose 0.3% to $3,407.81 an ounce at 12:22 GMT, after hitting $3,408.62, its highest level since July 23, earlier in the session. US gold futures for December rose 0.5% to $3,466.30. The dollar index fell 0.3% against a basket of currencies, making gold more attractive to holders of other currencies. Investors are awaiting Friday's release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures...
The dollar index pared its losses after data showed the US economy grew slightly faster in the second quarter than initially estimated, while US unemployment claims declined slightly last week. All Group of 10 currencies strengthened against the US dollar on Thursday. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.2%, a third straight day of declines. "The data suggests the economy may not be that weak," said Aroop Chatterjee, a strategist at Wells Fargo. "The Q2 GDP was revised up and the claims data suggest that layoffs in the labor market remain moderate." Investors now await Fed Governor...
Oil prices have been little changed in their recent narrow range as traders continue to monitor the possibility of a supply glut and US efforts to force India to halt purchases of Russian oil. Brent crude briefly touched below $68 per barrel, after trading between $65 and $70 for most of August. White House trade adviser Peter Navarro increased pressure on New Delhi to halt purchases of Russian oil after Washington doubled import duties from the country to 50%. The US has been squeezing India over its imports of Russian crude as part of its efforts to end the war in Ukraine. At the same...
Gold held firm near a more-than-two-week peak on Thursday, as the dollar softened and investors hunkered down for Friday's U.S. inflation data for cues on the Federal Reserve's policy path. Spot gold was up 0.1% at $3,399.60 per ounce, as of 0851 GMT, after hitting $3,401.73, its highest level since August 11, earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures for December delivery edged 0.2% higher to $3,456.20. The dollar index was down 0.1% against its rivals. Investors are awaiting the release of the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the preferred inflation measure for the...
The U.S. dollar was little changed on Thursday (August 28th) as traders increased bets for a Fed rate cut next month after New York Fed Chairman John Williams hinted at the possibility of a rate cut. The U.S. currency is again under pressure from President Donald Trump's intensifying campaign to exert more influence over monetary policy decisions, as he seeks to oust Fed Chair Lisa Cook and replace her with a loyalist. The dollar weakened against the euro even after the French Prime Minister unexpectedly called for a no-confidence vote next month on Monday, which would likely lead to the...
Oil prices plummeted on Thursday (August 28th) after briefly rising in the previous session, pressured by expectations of lower US fuel demand as the summer holiday season ends and Russian supplies to Hungary and Slovakia resume via the Druzhba pipeline resume. Crude prices briefly rose on Wednesday after official data showed US crude inventories fell by 2.4 million barrels in the week ending August 22nd, compared with analysts' expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.9 million barrel drop, a sign of strong demand. However, oil market participants view the upcoming US Labor Day holiday as...
Silver prices (XAG/USD) rose more than 0.5%, trading around $38.80 per troy ounce in early European trading on Thursday (August 28th). Non-yielding silver prices strengthened amid the increasing likelihood of an interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve (Fed). Lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding precious metals compared to interest-bearing assets, making silver more attractive. Traders now price an 88% chance of a rate cut of at least a quarter point at the Fed's September meeting, up from 82% the previous week, according to the CME FedWatch tool. This shift...
Oil prices fell on Thursday after rising in the previous session as investors weighed expectations for lower U.S. fuel demand with the end of the summer demand season nearing and focused on India's response to punitive U.S. tariffs. Brent crude futures dropped 63 cents, or 0.91%, to $67.43 at 0502 GMT, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures dropped 62 cents, or 0.97%, to $63.55. Both contracts climbed in the prior session after the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that U.S. crude inventories fell by 2.4 million barrels in the week ended August 22, compared with...
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....