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...
The Australian dollar (AUD) strengthened against the US dollar (USD) this morning after the latest inflation data from the TD Securities–Melbourne Institute (TD-MI) showed a higher-than-expected surge in consumer prices. The monthly inflation index rose 0.4% in September, reversing from a 0.3% decline in the previous month. Annually, inflation now stands at 3%, slightly above the upper end of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) target range of 2–3%. This rise in inflation has fueled speculation that the RBA may reconsider its cautious stance on interest rates. Although the RBA held its...
The USD/JPY pair climbs to near 149.65 during the early Asian session on Monday. The Japanese Yen (JPY) faces some selling pressure against the Greenback after a ruling-party vote for Sanae Takaichi to become Japan's next Prime Minister. Reuters reported on Sunday that Japan's ruling party elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader on Saturday, positioning the 64-year-old to become Japan's first female Prime Minister. A vote in parliament to replace outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is scheduled for October 15. Takaichi is favoured as the ruling coalition has the largest number of...
Gold prices hit a new record early this week, hitting $3,920 per ounce on Monday, October 6, 2025, before a slight correction. This surge fueled investor concerns over the ongoing US government shutdown. This uncertainty prompted a massive outflow of funds into safe-haven assets like gold. The shutdown also caused the postponement of US employment data, which was scheduled for release last Friday, further clouding the picture of the US economy. With crucial data withheld, investors grew wary, and precious metals became a prime choice for hedging. So far this year, gold has risen nearly 50%...
OPEC+ is once again playing it cautiously. For the second consecutive month, the world's largest oil producer group only increased supply by 137,000 barrels per day—a figure significantly lower than market expectations. Although Saudi Arabia and Russia initially disagreed, this decision indicates they are still trying to maintain a balance between maintaining prices and regaining market share. But the move comes at a less than ideal time. The global oil market is becoming oversupplied, with oil reserves continuing to grow and global demand predicted to slow. According to the International...
Oil headed for the biggest weekly loss since late June as traders positioned for a key OPEC+ decision on supply this weekend. Brent futures edged marginally higher on Friday, but were still trading below $65 a barrel and set for a weekly slump of about 8%. Prices have declined the past four days on the expectation OPEC+ will discuss fast-tracking more supply hikes. Meanwhile, efforts by the Trump administration to keep oil exports flowing from northern Iraq, as well as a US government shutdown, have added to the bearish sentiment. The OPEC+ meeting comes as...
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...