Renewed tensions between the United States and Russia have resurfaced following an incident involving an oil tanker, sparking market concerns about potential disruptions to global energy supplies. Washington's move, associated with tightening oversight and enforcement of sanctions on Russian oil shipments, is viewed by Moscow as provocative and could worsen relations between the two countries. Russia views these actions as an attempt by the United States to suppress Russian energy exports and strengthen its dominance in the global oil market. Meanwhile, Washington argues that these measures...
Gold prices halted their rise after a four-day rally, as comments from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials raised doubts about whether the US would cut interest rates again next year. On Monday, gold was stable at around US$4,305/ounce, after rising 2.6% last week. Although the Fed did cut interest rates on Wednesday, three policymakers apparently rejected the decision. The market is signaling that the next easing move could be more difficult and contentious, especially as 2026 approaches, when internal Fed views appear divided. The two officials who voted against it—Austan Goolsbee (Chicago)...
Oil prices remain stable near their lowest level in almost two months, as the market is more concerned about oversupply than the impact of geopolitical tensions. Brent held around US$61/barrel after closing at its lowest level since October 20, while WTI remains below US$58/barrel. The main pressure comes from expectations of a widening supply surplus: OPEC+ and other producers continue to pump more oil, while consumption growth is expected to remain sluggish. This situation means oil prices are expected to remain on a downward path for the year. However, geopolitics is also preventing...
The US dollar remains sluggish after experiencing intense pressure following the Fed's decision to cut interest rates by 25 bps. The US Dollar Index (DXY) remains in the lower zone and is trending lower weekly, as market participants assess the Fed's policy stance as being more dovish. Expectations of further interest rate cuts have diminished the dollar's appeal as a high-yielding asset, leading to more capital flows into other assets such as gold, silver, and some riskier currencies. Nevertheless, in the very short term, the dollar attempted a slight rebound in the US session as US bond...
Gold (XAU/USD) advances modestly on Friday as traders seem to book profits ahead of the weekend, yet clings to gains of over 0.51% after reaching a seven-week high of $4,353 as traders digest comments from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials. Bullion trims gains ahead of the weekend, but remains supported by Fed uncertainty, weak data. The US economic docket was light, yet Federal Reserve officials crossed the wires. Two of the three dissenters expressed concerns about inflation remaining too high, specifically amid a period of scarce economic data, particularly the Consumer Price Index (CPI),...
Silver fell below $62 per ounce on Friday after touching record highs earlier in the day as the rally eased amid profit taking and a brief consolidation phase going into the weekend, even as the broader bullish backdrop remained intact. The recent US Federal Reserve rate cut and its less hawkish outlook continued to underpin medium term support, with Powell signaling no further hikes and projecting one additional cut next year and another in 2027. Robust ETF inflows and strong retail demand reinforced expectations of a market deficit next year, while industrial demand from solar, electric...
Asian stock markets fell in unison on Thursday, following Wall Street's decline. A brief rally in tech stocks led by Nvidia quickly faded, prompting investors to turn away from riskier assets like...
European stock indices closed marginally lower on Wednesday as equities took a breather from their recent strong momentum, while investors continued to assess the outlook for the ECB's policy this...
The upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the legality of President Donald Trump's massive tariffs, which rocked markets in April, is one of the next major tests for US stocks and bonds.
Equity markets...