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Depending on who you speak to, more oil is flowing in Europe.

Wayne Cole gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets.

The week has started off with a positive note in Asia, thanks to a drop in oil prices and reports, often contradictory, of an increased supply from the Middle East.

Brent started higher after the Houthis attack the capital of Saudi Arabia?overnight, but quickly slipped by 2% as the Kingdom hoped to restore some flow through its East-West pipe.

Admiral Brad Cooper of the US Central Command said on the weekend that the volume of crude, cargo and liquefied gas shipped in the last two weeks had been higher than any other time in the previous six months. The US military was escorting ships, but they were running through the Strait of Hormuz without their transponders on. This made it difficult to confirm Cooper's estimate.

Just 12 cargo vessels, for example, transited Strait of Hormuz between Saturday and Sunday. This is down from 35 during the previous weekend.

Kpler figures show that exports of the OPEC kingpin have recovered to just under 4 million barrels a day (bpd), after falling to 2.4 millions bpd last August, which was the lowest level since at least 2013.

JPMorgan analysts said that satellite data showed Saudi oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz on average 2.9 million barrels per day over the last six days. This is up from 700,000 barrels per day in August.

Oil prices dropped, which helped boost most stock markets. However, liquidity was low as Japan was on a 3-day holiday. South Korea's tech sector rose more than 1%. Nasdaq and S&P futures both gained 0.6%.

The euro was also'steady' at $1.1484, while the dollar drifted under 157.00 yen amid concerns that the Bank of Japan might?take advantage of a?lack in liquidity to intervene and support its currency. The euro was also stable at $1.1484, and the dollar drifted below 157.00 yen due to concerns that the Bank of Japan would 'take advantage of a lack of liquidity in order to support its currency.

The Nikkei reported that the yen rose on Friday, after Japanese authorities checked the rate of the currency market.

The week ahead will be a busy one for diplomacy, with US President 'Donald Trump' attending the United Nations General Assembly and meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping Thursday. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent,?Chinese vice premier He Lifeng and the US concluded their talks in New York on Sunday. The US side proposed a new AI notification mechanism.

Market developments on Monday that may have a significant impact

- Appearances of ECB President Christine Lagarde and ECB Board Member Piero Cipollone. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff MacKlem, and Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago president Austan Goolsbee.

(source: Reuters)