The European Union and the U.S. will form a "metals alliance" to counter the impact of subsidised Chinese production on global markets, as part of their ongoing trade deal, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic said Monday. Following extensive talks, both sides agreed that their steel and aluminium sectors face a common threat. Under the deal, EU metal producers will receive tariff-free or low-tariff access to U.S. markets through a quota system, replacing former 50% tariffs imposed under President Trump. The system is still being finalized. "It became very, very clear that if it comes to...
The Australian dollar (AUD) retraced its recent decline on Friday (6/20). The AUD/USD pair remained firm after the release of the interest rate decision from China. However, the pair's gains could be limited due to weaker risk sentiment amid rising Middle East tensions. The People's Bank of China (PBOC) decided to leave the Loan Prime Rate (LPR) unchanged on Friday. The one-year and five-year LPRs were at 3.00% and 3.50%, respectively. US intelligence agencies believe that Iran has not yet decided whether to pursue nuclear weapons, despite having developed a large stockpile of enriched...
Gold prices held steady in holiday-thinned trade as markets digested the Federal Reserve meeting results and the Middle East conflict. Israel and Iran continued to trade barbs, with Trump saying he would decide on a US strike on Iran "within two weeks." The safe-haven metal traded in a tight range amid lower volumes, but underlying risks remain real, says Tammy Da Costa at FXStreet. Geopolitical tensions remain the main upside driver for gold, although it faces pressure from renewed USD strength after the Fed update, she writes. Powell's cautious tone suggests monetary policy may remain...
Oil prices jumped almost 3% on Thursday as a week-old air war between Israel and Iran escalated and uncertainty about potential U.S. involvement kept investors on edge. Brent crude futures settled up $2.15, or 2.8%, to $78.85 a barrel, its highest close since January 22. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for July was up $2.06, or 2.7%, to $77.20 at 1330 EST (1730 GMT). Trading volumes were light on Thursday due to a U.S. federal holiday. Israel bombed nuclear targets in Iran on Thursday, and Iran fired missiles and drones at Israel after hitting an Israeli hospital overnight. There was...
WTI crude oil futures pared its early session rally to trade below $75 per barrel on Thursday, only marginally below a five-month high, after President Trump's announcement that he will decide on US involvement in the Israel–Iran conflict "within two weeks" defused the immediacy of a Middle East supply shock. Earlier, renewed missile exchanges between Israel and Iran after Tel Aviv claimed to have struck nuclear targets in Iran had stoked fears of an escalation severe enough to threaten tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, driving prices briefly above $77. Trump's initial "may...
Gold price registers modest gains on Thursday as geopolitical tensions rose due to increasing rumors that the United States (US) might become involved in the Israel–Iran conflict. Nevertheless, a slightly hawkish Federal Reserve (Fed) caps the golden metal's advance. At the time of writing, XAU/USD trades at $3,373, up 0.13%. Geopolitics continued to drive Gold's price action due to reports from several US news websites like The Wall Street Journal and CBS News revealing that plans of a US attack on Iran nuclear facilities had been approved by US President Donald Trump, who is weighing his...
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.
It...
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...
The European Union and the U.S. will form a "metals alliance" to counter the impact of subsidised Chinese production on global markets, as part of their ongoing trade deal, EU Trade Commissioner...