Oil prices rose slightly in trading on Tuesday (January 20) after better-than-expected Chinese economic data boosted demand optimism. Brent crude rose 19 cents (0.3%) to $64.13/barrel, while February WTI which expires today rose 25 cents (0.4%) to $59.69/barrel. The more active March WTI contract also edged higher to around $59.42/barrel. This strengthening was driven by news from China, the world's largest oil importer. The Chinese economy reportedly grew 5.0% through 2025, meeting the government's target. Refinery activity also increased, with refinery throughput rising 4.1% and crude oil...
Gold strengthened during the European session on Friday (October 10th) as safe-haven sentiment remained strong and expectations of a Fed interest rate cut pushed down real yields. A stable, weakening US dollar provided room for price increases, while central bank buying and hedging interest maintained a floor for demand. This increase was also supported by a technical recovery after the previous correction, with buyers reactivating at key support areas. Looking ahead, the market is focusing on comments from Fed officials and the release of inflation/employment data (depending on the impact...
Brent's price pressure at US$64/barrel is driven by two main factors: the Middle East risk premium has shrunk following progress in the Gaza ceasefire (the market is pricing in a reduced risk of supply disruptions), and US stockpiles have risen more than expected, signaling relatively loose supply. On the policy front, OPEC+ has only increased production marginally, not enough to offset concerns about a global surplus—thus, prices remain fragile at low levels. Furthermore, the overall picture remains somewhat bearish: the EIA projects an increase in global inventories and an average Brent...
Brent prices fell again on Friday (October 10th) as the Middle East risk premium faded after Israel and Hamas agreed to the initial phase of a ceasefire plan, dampening the geopolitical pressures that had previously boosted prices. Peace sentiment prompted market participants to reassess the supply disruption scenario from the region. Additional pressure came from US fundamentals: crude inventories rose by 3.7 million barrels last week, indicating tighter supply, although stocks remained slightly below the five-year average. The consecutive inventory increases, combined with the fading risk...
Silver recently hit US$50/oz—even briefly touching the US$51 range—driven by precious metals euphoria after gold broke through US$4,000 and expectations of a Fed rate cut pushed down real/dollar yields. Momentum from "following the gold rally," short covering, and speculative pressure at the psychological US$50 level contributed to the intraday rally. Behind this rapid surge, silver's fundamentals are indeed tight: the market is projected to be in deficit again in 2025, while industrial demand (especially solar panels/electronics) continues to rise; the Indian festival season is also...
Gold prices hovered around $3,980/oz on Friday, heading for an eighth consecutive weekly gain after hitting a record earlier in the week. The main driving force came from economic uncertainty and expectations that the Fed would cut interest rates again. New York Fed President John Williams said he was open to further cuts, although rising inflation could complicate the decision—in line with the FOMC minutes, which saw increasing risks to the labor market but remained wary of stubborn inflation. Meanwhile, the US government shutdown, which entered its second week, delayed the...