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 eased on Monday as the dollar strengthened, as investors awaited fresh catalysts after last week's rally saw bullion hit three consecutive record highs, helped by geopolitical and economic concerns, and hopes of a U.S. interest rate cut. Spot gold was down 0.2% at $3,016.43 an ounce, by 0302 GMT. U.S. gold futures were steady at $3,020.80. Gold hit a record high of $3,057.21/oz on Thursday. The dollar index is hovering near a three-week high, making dollar-priced bullion more expensive for overseas buyers. "Gold is still well positioned for further upside if markets remain nervous...
The Japanese yen continued to weaken against its US counterpart for the third straight day on Monday (3/24) and continued to weaken in response to weaker March Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI). Moreover, positive sentiment in equity markets was seen as another factor undermining the safe-haven JPY. However, the possibility of further interest rate hikes, supported by expectations that strong wage growth could fuel broader inflation trends, might hold JPY investors from placing aggressive bets. Additionally, the recent narrowing of interest rate differentials between Japan and its peers...
The GBP/USD pair continues to show resilience below the 1.2900 round-figure mark and attracted some buyers who took some buying action during the Asian session on Monday (3/24). The spot prices are currently trading around the 1.2930 region, up nearly 0.10% for the day, and for now, seems to have snapped two consecutive days of the downtrend to one-and-a-half-week lows touched on Friday. The US Dollar (USD) started the new week on a weaker note and stalled its three-day recovery move from multi-month lows, which, in turn, was seen as a key factor that acted as a tailwind for the GBP/USD...
EUR/USD halted a three-day losing streak, trading around 1.0840 during Asian hours on Monday (3/24). The pair strengthened as concerns over a US economic slowdown, fueled by President Donald Trump's trade policies, weighed on the US Dollar (USD). Investors now focus on the preliminary March Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data for the Eurozone, Germany, and the United States (US), due later in the day. The EUR/USD pair also benefited from improved risk sentiment as the White House revised its tariff strategy ahead of its implementation on April 2. According to the Wall Street Journal, the...
The US dollar index remained firm above 104 on Monday as investors awaited further clarity on President Donald Trump's trade policies ahead of the April 2 deadline for his reciprocal tariffs. Trump suggested on Friday that there could be "flexibility" in the plan, while weekend reports indicated that the tariffs may be narrower in scope, potentially sparing some industries. The dollar has faced pressure for much of the year, as tariffs are expected to weigh on US economic growth. However, it rebounded last week after the Federal Reserve reaffirmed that it is in no rush to cut interest...
Gold edged up in early Asian trading on March 24, supported by geopolitical tensions. The Pentagon is sending another aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, a U.S. official said, as tensions rise in the region following the resumption of Israeli attacks on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The precious metal is increasingly sought after as a safe haven, not least because of geopolitical tensions, Commerzbank Research commodity analysts said in a research report. "As long as this is the case, the downside potential for gold is likely to remain limited," they added. Spot gold was up 0.1%...
Oil prices were steady at start of week as traders weighed the impact of higher U.S. tariffs and an upcoming increase in OPEC+ supply. Brent traded above $72 a barrel after rising 2.2% last week, while West Texas Intermediate neared $68. Donald Trump's wave of retaliatory levies on April 2 is set to be more targeted, aides say, than the barrage the U.S. president has sometimes threatened. Global markets have been gripped by uncertainty and volatility as Trump has unleashed trade wars on multiple fronts, with U.S. levies met with retaliation from other countries including China. The new...
Gold price retreats for the second straight day yet is poised to finish the week in the green amid broad US Dollar (USD) strength and traders booking profits ahead of the weekend. The XAU/USD trades at $3,019, down 0.81%. Market mood remains downbeat, yet US equities are trimming some of their previous losses. Bullion remains defensive as the Greenback seems to have found its foot with the US Dollar Index (DXY) standing at 104.05, up 0.24%. The lack of a catalyst keeps traders focused on the main driver of the markets, President Donald Trump's trade policies. Aside from this, even Federal...
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....