Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, plans to sign a USD 8 billion engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract with US engineering firm KBR Inc. to build 17 modular refineries, according to two sources familiar with the matter and an official presentation by the Economic Ministry, as reported by Reuters. The contract is part of a trade pact reached last week between Indonesia and the US, which resulted in a reduction of proposed US tariffs, from 32% down to 19%. Indonesia's Economic Minister, Airlangga Hartarto, who served as chief negotiator for the deal, revealed...
The AUD/USD pair extended its upward momentum for the fourth straight session, holding around the 0.6510 mark during Asian trading hours on Wednesday (07/05). The Australian dollar (AUD) found support from the release of mid-tier domestic economic data and improving global trade sentiment. In April, the AiG Industrial Index rose by 5.1 points to -15 on a seasonally adjusted basis, signaling a moderate improvement despite persistent headwinds in the industrial sector. Headwinds such as global trade uncertainty, currency volatility, and the upcoming federal election continued to weigh on...
Oil prices rose after rising more than 3% in the previous session as the U.S. and China agreed to start trade talks, raising optimism that tensions between the world's two largest economies could ease. West Texas Intermediate crude rose near $60 a barrel after rising the most in nearly three weeks on Tuesday. Brent crude settled above $62. U.S. Treasury and Commerce officials are due to travel to Switzerland this week for talks with Chinese officials, the first such discussions since President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs. Crude is facing increasing pressure from escalating trade...
Gold fell in early Asia on a possible technical correction after front-month Comex gold futures closed up 3% at a fresh record high of $3,411.40/oz on Tuesday. Gold prices may be weighed down by positioning ahead of the outcome of today's two-day FOMC meeting. While the FOMC is widely expected to hold rates, Fed Chair Powell's press conference will be scrutinized for any change in tone, Konstantinos Chrysikos of Kudotrade said in an email. "A hawkish stance would likely benefit Treasury yields and limit gold's upside," the head of Client Relationship Management added. Spot gold was down 1.2%...
The AUD/USD pair corrects sharply to near 0.6450 in Tuesday's European session from the five-month high of 0.6500 posted on Monday. The Aussie pair retraces as the Australian Dollar (AUD) underperforms across the board due to a slowdown in business activity in China.Signs of moderate growth in economic activities in China weigh heavily on the Aussie Dollar, given Australia's significant reliance on its exports to Beijing. Caixin Manufacturing and Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data for April have demonstrated that businesses are facing pressure due to the fallout of higher...
Crude Oil WTI Futures rebounded Tuesday, following a slump a day earlier when major oil producers announced plans to ramp up production in the coming months, but the bears may soon retake the reins, Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) says, warning of a supply surplus. "The latest OPEC+ June quota increase of another 411,000 barrels per day will further pressure the already weakened oil market," Scotiabank analysts said in a recent note. The analysts expect that as Saudi Arabia ramps up production to its new quota, global supply could exceed demand by up to 1 million barrels per day for the rest of 2025...
China's official NBS Manufacturing PMI increased to 49.7 in June 2025 from May's 49.5, matching market expectations while marking the third consecutive month of contraction in factory activity.
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Both the STOXX 50 and STOXX 600 hovered around the flatline on Friday, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of further developments in trade talks between US President Trump and Chinese...
Indonesia's sovereign wealth fund, Danantara, plans to sign a USD 8 billion engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract with US engineering firm KBR Inc. to build 17 modular...