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 dollar held ground in choppy trading on Monday, as investors monitored the fighting between Israel and Iran for signs that it could escalate into a broader regional conflict and braced for a week packed with central bank meetings. As both Iran and Israel showed no signs of backing off from their attacks, market participants mulled the prospect that Tehran might seek to choke off the Strait of Hormuz - the world's most important gateway for oil shipping. This could raise broader economic risks from disruptions in the energy-rich Middle East. The dollar, which until recently had always...
Oil prices edged down on Monday, paring back Friday's 7% surge, as renewed military strikes by Israel and Iran over the weekend left oil production and export facilities unaffected. Brent futures were down 96 cents, or 1.3%, to $73.27 a barrel by 1157 GMT, while U.S. WTI futures were off $1.05 or 1.4%, to $71.93. Both benchmarks jumped more than $4 a barrel in Asian trading before giving back gains. They settled 7% higher on Friday, having surged more than 13% during the session to their highest levels since January. "It all boils down to how the conflict escalates around energy flows,"...
Silver prices (XAG/USD) remain close to the multi-year highs near $37.00 hit last week, despite a moderate decline in demand for safe-haven assets, like precious metals, as fears that the Israel-Iran war might turn into a regional conflict have eased. Israel and Iran have kept exchanging missile attacks over the weekend in a war that entered its fourth day, but the conflict did not extend to other countries in the area, at least for now. Apart from that, several countries have offered their efforts to mediate between the contenders, and US President Dolanld Trump is pushing them to sit and...
Gold fell on Monday as investors weighed the impact of the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, while also focusing on the Group of Seven leaders meeting and the Federal Reserve policy decision later this week. Spot gold fell 0.5% to $3,415.36 an ounce, as of 0854 GMT, after hitting its highest level since April 22 earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures were down 0.5% to $3,434.50. "Geopolitical tensions are not disappearing near term, as well rates are likely to be cut further by the central bank, so that should provide a floor to gold," said Giovanni Staunovo, an analyst at UBS. Iranian...
The dollar index pared early gains to trade around 98 on Monday, hovering near its lowest levels since 2022, as traders dialed back some risk-off positioning while closely watching developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. The two nations continued to exchange attacks for a fourth consecutive day, defying international calls for de-escalation. Investors are also looking to the G7 summit for potential responses to global flashpoints, including the crises in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as ongoing trade tensions. Meanwhile, attention is turning to a busy week of monetary policy...
Gold rose to a near two-month high on Monday, as escalating clashes between Israel and Iran over the weekend stoked fears of a wider regional conflict, prompting investors to turn to safe-haven assets. Spot gold was little changed at $3,428.89 an ounce, at 0508 GMT, after hitting its highest since April 22 earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures fell 0.1% to $3,448.10. "The compounding political risk premium that has risen due to the current Iran-Israel conflict has boosted safe-haven demand for gold," said Kelvin Wong, senior market analyst, Asia Pacific at OANDA. "Currently, prices...
The USD/CHF pair strengthened around 0.8125 during the early European session on Monday (6/16), supported by a rebound in the US dollar (USD). Investors await the Swiss May Producer and Import Prices and SECO Economic Forecast, due to be published on Monday. Friday's stronger-than-expected US economic data lifted the greenback against the Swiss franc (CHF). The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index improved to 60.5 in June, compared to 52.2 in the previous reading. The reading was stronger than the expected reading of 53.5. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index (DXY), a gauge of the...
Oil prices were volatile on Monday, after jumping 7% on Friday, as fresh attacks by Israel and Iran over the weekend raised concerns that fighting could spread across the region and significantly disrupt oil exports from the Middle East. Brent crude futures rose 64 cents, or 0.86%, to $74.87 a barrel by 0507 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 76 cents, or 1.04%, to $73.74. Oil prices had jumped more than $4 a barrel earlier in the session and also briefly dipped into negative territory. Both benchmarks closed 7% higher on Friday, after jumping more than 13% during the...
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....