Global oil prices are on track for their deepest annual decline since the 2020 pandemic. The main pressure comes from market concerns about a large supply surplus, which is expected to continue to cloud trade well into the new year. The US benchmark, West Texas Intermediate (WTI), fell below US$58 per barrel, down nearly 20% so far this year. Meanwhile, Brent for March delivery remained around US$61 per barrel. In the short term, market participants' attention is focused on the OPEC+ meeting scheduled for January 4th. Furthermore, negative US oil industry reports have weighed on sentiment....
Global gold prices have stabilized after weakening at the end of the year. However, gold remains on track for its best annual performance since 1979, in line with silver's performance. Spot gold prices are hovering around US$4,335 per ounce, slightly strengthening after a sharp decline earlier this week. Meanwhile, silver prices remain above US$75 per ounce. Throughout this month, precious metal prices have fluctuated considerably. Gold and silver briefly set consecutive record highs before eventually correcting as investors began to take profits from price rallies deemed too rapid. This...
The GBP/USD exchange rate moved steadily around 1.3465 in early Asian trading on Wednesday (December 31). This relatively calm movement occurred because trading volume was expected to be thin ahead of the New Year holiday. However, signals from the Bank of England that it was still open to gradual interest rate cuts provided some support for the pound sterling against the US dollar. At its December policy meeting, the Bank of England cut interest rates to 3.75%, the lowest level in almost three years. Governor Andrew Bailey emphasized that the policy direction remains downward, but the...
Silver prices traded steadily on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, as the year draws to a close. Price movements tended to be limited as many investors opted to hold off amid low liquidity and a relatively quiet market due to the New Year holiday. The current price level is around $75 per ounce, demonstrating silver's resilience despite some minor fluctuations. Throughout the year, silver has recorded significant gains, as investor interest in the precious metal increased. The price surge was driven by central bank buying, inflation concerns, and global economic uncertainty. However, some...
Gold prices (XAU/USD) continued their rally and held above $4,350 in early European trading on Wednesday. So far this year, gold has risen around 65% and is poised for its biggest annual gain since 1979, making many market participants increasingly curious: will this trend continue or is it starting to face a correction? The main driver of gold's rally comes from expectations of a US interest rate cut in 2026. When interest rates fall, the opportunity cost of holding gold shrinks because gold doesn't provide the same yield as bonds. Furthermore, global uncertainty remains high—from the...