Australia

The dollar recovered its footing after it had fallen sharply on Tuesday, when U.S. president Donald Trump appeared to "shrug off" its recent weakness. Meanwhile, positive earnings kept the world stock market near record highs ahead of a Federal Reserve interest rate decision. The?U.S. The?U.S. European stock markets declined, but U.S. futures indicated a positive opening for Wall Street. Japan's blue chip Nikkei also gained. The MSCI World Stock Index was hovering at record highs. "Last Week, when it seemed like there was a flight away from the U.S., you saw equities fall, Treasuries take a hit, and the Dollar...

Asian shares reached a record high on Tuesday, as investors hoped that the U.S. earnings of large-cap companies would be positive. However, uncertainty over President Donald Trump's tariff moves against South Korea has boosted gold and Silver. Trump said late Monday that he will increase tariffs to 25% on imports of goods from Asia's 4th largest economy. The Nasdaq Futures rose 0.5% as investors prepared for the slew earnings that will be released by Microsoft, Apple, and Tesla on Wednesday. Even South Korea's KOSPI surged by over 2% and reached a new high. The EURO STOXX futures are pointing to...

Investors hoped that a barrage?U.S. Mega-cap earnings were a big factor, but uncertainty due to President Donald Trump's tariff moves against South Korea capped broader gains. Trump increased tariffs to 25% on autos, lumber, and pharmaceutical imports to the U.S. from Asia's 4th-largest economy. The Nasdaq Futures rose 0.2%, as investors prepared for the earnings of the Magnificent Seven, including Microsoft, Apple, and Tesla, on Wednesday. Even South Korea's KOSPI reversed earlier losses and was last to gain 0.8%. Silver surged 6.4% to $110.60 per ounce and is not far off the record set just on Monday. Christopher Louney is...

Gold surged above $5,000 per ounce?Monday. This was boosted by safety flows amid dollar strength following a turbulent last week, where investors were rattled by tensions regarding Greenland and Iran, while markets remained on edge after violent spikes of the yen. After sharp spikes in the yen on Friday, speculation about possible intervention grew. Sources say that the New York Federal Reserve checked rates on Friday. This raises the possibility of a joint U.S. and Japanese intervention to stop the currency's decline. The market is inclined to short the yen, but with the possibility of coordination it is no longer...

Asian stocks fell Tuesday as trade war concerns resurfaced and caused a sell-off in U.S. ?assets. Investors are rushing to secure assets such as the Swiss Franc or gold in response to U.S. president Donald Trump's threat to impose additional tariffs on Greenland. This could fuel trade tensions between the U.S. and Europe. Talk of the "Sell America" trade has been revived after the tensions. This is where investors sell U.S. stocks, dollars and Treasuries. The trade seemed to be gaining momentum during Tuesday's Asian hours. Nasdaq futures and S&P500 futures both fell 1% during the early trade. The dollar...

Asian stocks rose Wednesday, boosted by Japanese shares. Investors?prepared for a quick election in Japan, which could lead to fiscal stimulus. Worries about central bank independence, and 'benign U.S. data on inflation, whipsawed currencies. Gold prices reached a new record high as geopolitical tensions erupted across the globe. Oil prices also rose after U.S. president Donald Trump encouraged Iranians to continue protesting and said that help was on its way. Iran accused Trump, in turn, of inciting violence and encouraging political instability. Early Asian hours saw the Japanese yen at its lowest level since July 20,24, at 159.415 to the...

Dollar and Wall Street futures fell and gold rose?on monday as Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell claimed that the Trump administration threatened him with criminal charges over the refurbishment of the central bank's HQ. This has heightened concerns about the Fed’s independence from political influences and added to the?a?frenzied start to 2026. Already, the U.S. captured Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro. They have also ramped up the talk of taking over Greenland. S&P futures dropped more than 0.5%. Meanwhile, safe-haven metals like gold - that investors use as a hedge against inflation and turmoil - reached another record high. Money markets have...

The dollar fell and U.S. stock futures dropped after Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell claimed that the Trump administration had?threatened? him with a criminal investigation, fueling investor concerns about the independence of the central bank. S&P 500 futures were down 0.5%. European futures fell 0.1% during the morning of Asia. The dollar dropped 0.2% against the major currencies, dropping below 158 yen to $1.1660. The news, traders said, was unsettling. However the immediate impact on interest rates is not known. Benchmark 10-year Treasury Futures rose by 3 ticks, resulting in an implied yield (4.15%), which is about one basis point...

Global stocks edged up on Friday, ahead of an important U.S. report. Investors also awaited the Supreme Court's ruling on President Donald Trump’s global tariffs which shocked markets last year. Geopolitical tensions around the world have boosted oil and defence stocks. Traders will continue to be concerned about developments in Venezuela, Iran, and Greenland. The U.S. Supreme Court's possible ruling on tariffs will dominate Friday's news. The reduction of tariffs may impact U.S. revenue, driving Treasury yields up and causing new waves in volatility. Kyle Rodda is a senior financial markets analyst with Capital.com. He said that the Supreme Court's...

The major?stock indices were mixed on Thursday, and Treasury yields increased ahead of the key?U.S. Jobs report was mixed, but defense shares rose amid President Donald Trump's plans for a $1.5 trillion budget. The aerospace and defense index reached a record high. European defense shares also hit a new all-time high. Investors also watched developments in Venezuela, which led to a rise in oil prices. The U.S. forces captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro over the weekend. Tuesday, the White House announced that Trump had also discussed options to acquire Greenland. "The defense budget is growing, if not increasing." Joe Saluzzi...

The European defence stocks rose to a "record high" on Thursday as oil prices and dollar gained ground. Geopolitical tensions rumbled from Venezuela to Greenland, keeping traders guessing. seizure Two Venezuelan-linked oil tanks in the Atlantic were reported alongside the news that U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio will?attend Meet?Denmark leaders Next week we will be discussing Greenland, and there are also some mixed economic statistics. STOXX, Europe's aerospace and defence stock index, has risen nearly 2% in the first hour of a fifth consecutive day of gains. They have already risen 13% so far this year and over 260% since Russia...

Oil prices remained stable?on Thursday, after a recent decline. Stocks fell as investors assessed the impact of escalating geopolitical tensions. labour market data. Top U.S. officials stated on Wednesday that the country must control Venezuela's oil sales and revenue indefinitely in order to stabilize the economy of the latter, rebuild its oil industry, and ensure that it acts in America’s interest. As part of Donald Trump's aggressive campaign to control oil flows in America, the U.S. also seized on the same day two Venezuelan-linked oil tanks in the Atlantic Ocean, including one that was sailing under the Russian flag. The...

Capstone Copper Corp. resumed its operations at the Mantoverde Copper and Gold Mine in northern Chile despite a strike by a union that represents nearly 22%. In a filing to the Australian stock exchange dated 1 February, the company reiterated that it expected to continue operating at a level of 50% to 75% normal production throughout this strike. The shares of Capstone Australia listed depositary receipts fell as much as 4.5 percent to A$15.810 per day, their lowest levels since January 23. The decision to resume operations was made following a Chilean Court ruling that authorized the removal of striking...

Mozambique President Daniel Chapo inaugurated a 200,000-metric-ton-per-year graphite-processing plant on Friday at a Chinese mine, as the country boosts its output of the battery mineral. The United States Geological Survey estimates that the annual global production of graphite is 1.6 millions metric tons. Mozambique, meanwhile, is one of world's leading producers of this mineral. It is an?excellent conductor of electricity and heat, and is used to make?batteries and mobile phones for electric cars. China is the largest graphite producer and miner in the world. Chapo said Mozambique was making the most of its resources, including a liquefied gas project worth...

Australia said on Friday that it would continue to support its vital mineral supply chains, after the U.S. withdrew from plans to guarantee a price minimum for such projects. Shares in?Australian rare earth miner companies fell sharply Thursday after a report by? Reports on the Trump Administration's retreat impacted shares of?Australia's rare earth miners sharply on Thursday. On Friday, the sector was still in red. Lynas, the largest producer of rare Earths outside China was down more than 4%. Trump administration officials communicated the backdown to U.S. mining executive and indicated that there was no funding from Congress for price...

The firms announced on Thursday that the Aluminium Corporation of China (Chinalco), and Rio Tinto had agreed to purchase a controlling interest in Companhia Brasileira de Aluminio, for a total amount of 4.69 billion Reis ($903.61 millions). The companies said that together they will purchase 68.6% or 446.6 millions shares of Brazilian aluminium manufacturer CBA at a price of 10.50 reais per share. They added that the Brazilian conglomerate Grupo Votrorantim will purchase the controlling stake. Both will launch a tender for the remaining CBA shares, a move that is required by Brazilian regulations and could lead to the removal...

PLS Group, an Australian lithium producer, signaled a possible restart on Friday of a plant that was under maintenance and care after posting a surge of revenue for the December quarter. The improved?demand? helped to buoy prices for battery material. Pure-play lithium mining company, previously Pilbara Minerals posted a second-quarter revenue increase of A$373 (262,89) million, up from A$216 (216.89 million) a year ago. PLS has received $1,161 per tonne in prices, up 50% on the September quarter. A strong interest in offtake volumes has led the company to announce that it may restart its 'Ngungaju' plant in Western Australia...

Multiple sources have confirmed that the Trump administration has backed away from its plans to guarantee a price floor for U.S. Critical Minerals Projects, as a tacit acknowledgement of a lack in congressional funding and complexity of setting market prices, according to?. This shift comes at a time when a U.S. Senate Committee is reviewing a price ceiling extended to MP Materials in the past year. It marks a reversal of commitments made to the industry. Washington could also be set apart from other G7 countries discussing joint price support measures or similar measures to boost production of critical minerals...

Gold and silver have been making headlines for their massive rise in recent months, but industrial metals are also performing well. The fundamentals of copper, aluminium, and nickel have been a strong factor in the recent gains. These metals are at record highs or multiple-year highs, even though they do not appear to be sufficient for these rallies. Base metals are showing strength for a number of reasons, the majority of which relate to Chinese import demand and easing exports. Metals may also be benefiting from the same speculative dynamics that drive gold and silver. This is a desire for...

Multiple sources have reported that the Trump administration has backed away from its plans to guarantee a price minimum for U.S. vital minerals projects. This is a tacit acknowledgement of the lack of funding by Congress and complexity in setting market prices, they said. This shift comes at a time when a U.S. Senate Committee is reviewing a price floor granted to MP Materials in the past year. It represents a change from previous commitments to industry, and it could separate Washington from other G7 partners who are discussing some form of joint pricing support or similar measures to boost...

Multiple sources have confirmed that the Trump administration has backed away from its plans to guarantee a price minimum for U.S. vital minerals projects. This is a tacit acknowledgement of a lack in congressional funding as well as the difficulty of setting "market pricing". This shift comes at a time when a U.S. Senate Committee is reviewing a price ceiling extended to MP Materials in the past year. It represents a change from what was promised to industry. Washington could be a step behind other G7 countries who are discussing joint price support measures or similar measures to boost production...

Whitehaven Coal's shares reached a record high of three years on Thursday after registering a higher-than-expected rise of 13.5% in its second quarter output. This was aided by better mining conditions, and a higher output at its Queensland and New South Wales operation. As of 2329 GMT, shares of Australia's largest coal miner, Australia's independent coal mining company, rose by as much as 4% to A$9.59 - their highest level since January 2023. Meanwhile, the benchmark stock index fell 0.4%. After dragline-sequencing problems were resolved, production in?the region increased by 20% from a quarter ago. The earnings were supported by...

Iluka Resources, an Australian company, said it would recognise "two exceptional items" including a loss on its mineral sands business. This will cause its shares to experience their 'largest single-day drop in two months. Iluka said that the non-cash impairment charges for this segment are expected to be approximately A$350 (about $246.02 million) before taxes and will be included in its final results for 2025. The shares of the critical minerals mining company fell as much as 8.4%, to A$5.92. This was their lowest session since November 2025. The stock is the worst performing on the ASX 200 index which...

BHP, the global mining company, said that striking contract workers were disrupting an important route which?provides access? to Chile's Escondida copper mines and Zaldivar?copper?mines. This is causing problems with shift changes and a?intermittent vehicle traffic?. Workers employed by Finning, who have been on strike for the past month, have set up intermittent blocks on the roads leading to BHP’s Escondida mine and Antofagasta Minerals’ Zaldivar mining. BHP confirmed the roadblocks affected vehicle traffic at Escondida and shift changes. "Our company was affected by a conflict with a third party for four days. The blockades on the mining route have caused...