OPEC on Tuesday raised its forecast for global oil demand next year and trimmed its forecast for growth in supply from the United States and other producers outside the wider OPEC+ group, pointing to a tighter market outlook. World oil demand will rise by 1.38 million barrels per day in 2026, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said in a monthly report, up 100,000 bpd from the previous forecast. This year's expectation was left unchanged. Oil supply from countries outside the Declaration of Cooperation - the formal name for OPEC+ - will rise by about 630,000 barrels per...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) edged higher during the Asian session on Thursday (1/23) following the release of better-than-expected Trade Balance data from Japan, although it remained near a one-week low against the US currency hit the previous day. Prospects of an imminent interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BoJ) on Friday continued to underpin the JPY. Moreover, a subdued US Dollar (USD) price action, amid bets that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will cut interest rates twice this year, capped the USD/JPY pair's recovery from a more than one-month low hit on Tuesday. However, JPY market players...
Gold held above $2,750 an ounce on Thursday, extending a three-day rally and near its highest level since early November, relatively close to its record peak of $2,790. The precious metal continued to benefit from its safe-haven appeal amid uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump's tariff plans, which have raised concerns about a potential trade war. On the monetary policy front, ECB policymakers endorsed further interest rate cuts on Wednesday, signaling a cut next week is almost certain, which would benefit non-yielding bullion. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is expected to keep...
The dollar index was steady around 108.2 on Thursday after facing pressure earlier in the week, as investors awaited more clarity on President Donald Trump's policy plans. The index is down about 1% so far this week, following Trump's decision not to implement tariffs that have raised concerns about potential inflationary pressures. However, he has issued tariff threats against China, Mexico, Canada and the European Union in recent remarks. Investors are also focused on next week's Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting. The central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged...
The Australian dollar (AUD) held steady against the US dollar (USD) on Thursday (23/1), as market concerns eased after news that China-specific tariffs proposed under US President Donald Trump's revised plan were much smaller than previously expected. The development helped calm investor concerns, especially given the strong trade ties between China and Australia, which make the Australian market sensitive to changes in China's economic landscape. President Trump announced plans to impose 10% tariffs on Chinese imports from February 1, citing concerns over fentanyl shipments from China to...
Brent crude fell below $79 a barrel on Thursday, falling for a fifth straight session after an industry report revealed a fresh build in U.S. crude inventories. API data showed a 1 million-barrel increase in crude inventories last week, the first increase in five weeks of declines. Traders also continued to assess the potential impact on energy markets from President Trump's proposed tariffs on China, the European Union, Canada and Mexico, along with warnings of penalties for Russia if President Putin fails to end the Ukraine war. In other news, Saudi Arabia's crude exports hit an...
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Monday evening on Truth Social that Israel and Iran have agreed to a "Complete and Total CEASEFIRE" following what he referred to as "THE 12 DAY...
Gold moved above $2600 on Monday during the Asian trading session. Currently, Gold is still struggling to capitalize on last week's modest recovery from a one-month low and is fluctuating.
In...