Oil prices held steady on Thursday (September 11th) as concerns over weakening US demand and the risk of a wider oversupply were offset by concerns over attacks in the Middle East and Russia's war in Ukraine. Brent crude futures fell 13 cents, or 0.2%, to $67.36 per barrel at 07:29 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell 17 cents, or 0.3%, to $63.50. Benchmark crude prices rose more than $1 per contract on Wednesday following Israel's attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar the previous day and the mobilization of Polish and NATO air defenses to shoot down a suspected Russian...
The Australian dollar strengthened to around $0.651 on Friday, recouping some losses in the previous session, as a surge in iron ore prices, driven by renewed optimism over Chinese economic support, lifted demand for the commodity-linked currency. The rally in iron ore came as China's June import volumes hit a 2025 high, reflecting strong restocking demand and expectations of further policy support for infrastructure and property. Traders grew more optimistic after Chinese authorities signaled fresh stimulus measures, including targeted credit easing and fiscal aid to boost construction...
The dollar edged lower against most Group-of-10 peers after Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said the central bank should cut rates at its next meeting. Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index slipped 0.1%, while the yield on 2-year Treasuries fell two basis points to 3.88% With limited risk to price pressures and inflation within target, the Fed shouldn't wait until the labor market deteriorates before it cuts, Waller said in the text of a speech. "I believe it makes sense to cut the FOMC's policy rate by 25 basis points two weeks from now" NOTE: Traders are pricing effectively...
Gold steadied and was set for a moderate weekly loss as investors assessed the outlook for Federal Reserve rate cuts after resilient US jobs and retail data eased concerns about the economy. Bullion traded below $3,340 an ounce in early Asian hours, heading for a 0.5% drop on the week. That came after data that showed applications for unemployment benefits fell for a fifth straight week to the lowest level since mid-April, and advancing retail sales in June. San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said she still thinks it's reasonable for policymakers to plan on two interest-rate cuts this...
The Japanese yen rose to around 148 per dollar on Friday, rebounding from a significant drop in the previous session, as investors digested the latest inflation data. Headline inflation ticked down to 3.3% in June 2025 from 3.5% in May, yet it marked the 39th consecutive month that inflation remained above the Bank of Japan's 2% target. This bolstered expectations that the BoJ may consider tightening monetary policy, given the prolonged period of above-target inflation. Meanwhile, data on Wednesday showed Japan's trade surplus shrank in June, falling short of expectations as exports fell...
Oil held a gain after US data showed the world's largest economy holding up despite the fallout from the Washington-led trade war, while crude market metrics pointed to near-term tightness. Global benchmark Brent traded above $69 a barrel after advancing by more than 1% in the previous session, while West Texas Intermediate was near $67. In wider markets, strong US data eased concerns about the economy, helping to underpin a risk-on mood and global equity rally. Crude futures, as well as those for gasoil, remain in backwardation in the nearer months of their curves, which means traders are...
Gold price dropped by over 0.26% during the North American session on Thursday, trimming some of its earlier losses of nearly 1%. The release of solid economic data from the United States, which supports the Federal Reserve's (Fed) stance to hold rates unchanged at the upcoming July meeting, contributed to this decline. At the time of writing, XAU/USD trades at $3,340. The market mood remains positive throughout the trading day, which serves as a headwind for Gold prices, as investors digest the latest job and consumer data. Initial Jobless Claims for the last week continued to show...
EUR/USD tumbles during the North American session, down 0.38% following the release of economic data from the United States (US), which triggered a reaction by investors, who trimmed their bets that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will cut interest rates. At the time of writing, the pair traded at 1.1598, having reached a high of 1.1642. Risk appetite improved after US President Donald Trump denied rumors that he planned to sack Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. News flows had remained light, though economic data from the US continues to justify the Fed's current stance, which most officials...
Oil prices rose $1 on Thursday after drones struck Iraqi Kurdistan oil fields for a fourth day, pointing to continued risk in the volatile region. Brent crude futures settled at $69.52 a barrel, up $1.00, or 1.46%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures finished at $67.54 a barrel, up $1.16, or 1.75%. Officials pointed to Iran-backed militias as the likely source of attacks this week on the oilfields in Iraqi Kurdistan, although no group has claimed responsibility. Oil output in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region has been slashed by between 140,000 and 150,000 barrels per day, two...
Gold (XAU/USD) is extending its decline on Wednesday for a second consecutive day as the US Dollar (USD) and US Treasury yields firm ahead of the release of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC)...
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....