The Hang Seng Index reversed its downward trend in Hong Kong on Thursday (February 12th), weakening by around 0.9% to around 27,000 after a strong session earlier. This decline halted the momentum of the short term rally, as investors began to reduce risk in large cap stocks. Among the index's contributors, Tencent was a major drag, with its shares falling by around 2.3%, putting pressure on the technology sector, which has recently been a driving force behind market gains. Weakness in large cap companies like this typically quickly impacts sentiment due to their significant weighting in...
As we approach December 26, 2025, the US dollar's movement presents an interesting yet questionable situation. Globally, the dollar remains under pressure after experiencing significant weakness throughout the year. The dollar index (DXY) is trending downward as markets become increasingly confident that the Federal Reserve will continue its interest rate cut policy. This expectation has driven down US bond yields, thus reducing the dollar's attractiveness as a high-yielding asset compared to other major currencies. In terms of monetary policy, market sentiment remains dovish. Market...
Silver prices continued to set new record highs, rising 2.7% to $73.78 per ounce, marking their fifth consecutive session of gains. This rise was driven by speculative inflows and ongoing supply imbalances stemming from the historic short squeeze in October. Meanwhile, gold also approached its record high above $4,525 per ounce set last Wednesday, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions, particularly in Venezuela, where the US has blocked oil tankers. In addition to tensions in Venezuela, the US has launched an offensive against terrorist groups in Nigeria, adding to global tensions and...
Oil prices are headed for their biggest weekly gain since late October, driven by escalating geopolitical tensions. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) prices are stable above $58 per barrel, posting a gain of more than 3% this week. This price surge comes amid tensions between the US and Venezuela, where the US has tightened its blockade of oil shipments, including the pursuit of sanctioned tankers. Meanwhile, the US military offensive in Nigeria is also impacting oil prices. The US recently launched a deadly offensive against the Islamic State group in northwest Nigeria, an OPEC member...
Spot gold prices rose slightly by 0.3% to $4,493.63 per ounce in the Asian morning session, driven by rising geopolitical risks. Tensions escalated after Israel threatened to take action against Iran, which is working to rebuild its ballistic missile arsenal. A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that Israel continues to monitor the activities of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, with potential action if the threat becomes more real. Gold remains a top choice as a safe-haven asset, especially amid heightened global uncertainty. Joseph Dahrieh, managing director at...
Gold (XAU/USD) started the year on a bullish note and registered impressive gains in the first quarter. Following a consolidation phase during the summer months, the precious metal surged higher in the third quarter and reached an all-time record high of $4,381 in October. Although XAU/USD corrected lower, buyers refused to hand over the reins heading into the holiday season. Throughout 2025, Gold set over 50 record peaks and rose more than 60%, becoming one of the best-performing commodities of the year. A combination of fundamental factors fuelled the precious metal's relentless advance,...