The United States and the European Union agreed on a framework trade deal to end months of uncertainty for industries and consumers. The two sides aim to produce a joint statement to clarify what they have agreed to, but here are the main elements of the deal that will enter into force on August 1 through an executive order by President Donald Trump, according to EU officials: * BASELINE TARIFF RATE: Almost all EU goods entering the U.S. will be subject to a 15% baseline tariff. The 15% tariff is not added to any existing rates. * CARS: Cars and car parts will be subject to the 15%...
Gold rose on Tuesday as rising geopolitical uncertainty stemming from the Israel-Iran row and U.S. President Donald Trump's call to evacuate Tehran prompted investors to seek safe-haven assets. Spot gold was up 0.4% at $3,396.67 an ounce, by 0239 GMT, after falling more than 1% on Monday. U.S. gold futures were steady at $3,416.30. "Market sentiment continues to fluctuate between escalation and de-escalation regarding events in the Middle East, and it is this shift in sentiment back and forth that is driving gold prices either side of the $3,400 level," said Tim Waterer, chief market...
The dollar firmed slightly on Tuesday, though most currencies held tight ranges as investors remained concerned about ongoing tensions in the Middle East and awaited an upcoming central bank decision. The Bank of Japan concludes its two-day monetary policy meeting on Tuesday, where it is widely expected to keep interest rates steady and consider tapering bond purchases slowly starting next fiscal year. Ahead of the outcome, the yen firmed slightly to 144.70 per dollar, reversing some of its decline from the previous session. "Markets are now refocusing their attention on the usual...
Gold edged up in early Asian trading amid ongoing geopolitical tensions that typically boost the precious metal's appeal as a safe haven. Israel attacked buildings belonging to Iran's state-owned media company in Tehran. The attacks came despite Tehran sending a message through intermediaries calling for a return to nuclear talks if the U.S. stays out of the conflict. "The geopolitical backdrop remains highly volatile," Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at City Index and FOREX.com, said in an email. "The Israeli attack on Iran has injected a clear risk premium across commodities," the...
Oil prices slipped $1 per barrel on Monday in volatile trading after reports that Iran is seeking an end to hostilities with Israel, raising the possibility of a truce and easing fears of a disruption to crude supplies from the region. Brent crude futures settled $1, or 1.35%, lower to $73.23 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures fell $1.21, or 1.66%, to $71.77 per barrel. Iran has asked Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman to press U.S. President Donald Trump to use his influence on Israel for an immediate ceasefire in return for Tehran's flexibility in talks about its nuclear...
The Swiss Franc (CHF) is holding steady against the US Dollar (USD) on Monday, even as the US Dollar Index (DXY) slips back below 98.00, with traders brace for a relatively calm start to a week full of central bank decisions and the context of an escalating war between Israel and Iran.. The USD/CHF pair is hovering around 0.8106 during the European session, holding within a narrow range between 0.8100 and 0.8130 after bouncing back from Friday's dip to a two-month low near 0.8056. Market participants remain cautious, keeping positions light ahead of this week's key interest-rate decisions...
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...