Europe

Each financial market crisis differs, but they all rhyme. Parallels are emerging between the 'tremors' now rippling across private credit and the subprime housing in the U.S. that led to 2007-09 Global Financial Crisis. It's not to say that a replay of the historic crash is imminent. There is a growing danger that the increasing stress in the private credit market - i.e., the lack of liquidity, the opaque pricing and the soaring redemptions – could spill?over into the public markets. BlackRock, with its $14 trillion in assets under management, announced?on? Friday that it had limited withdrawals after an influx...

The German fashion group Hugo Boss announced a better-than expected annual operating profit on Tuesday, despite a difficult market environment. It also said that it has not yet felt the impact of the Middle East conflict. The company's earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), which were 391 million euro ($455million) in 2025, are up from 361 millions euros a year ago, and well above the average analyst forecast of 379million euros, according to a poll conducted by the company. Early trading saw a 4% rise in shares of the company. The stock has risen 1.3% from the beginning of the...

These are the most popular?stories from the Wall Street Journal. ? The accuracy of these stories has not been verified by the site. Rio Tinto has said that it is currently in negotiations with Mongolia regarding the Oyu Tolgoi mine, which is one of the largest deposits of?metal required to build data centers and electric vehicles. Shell agreed to sell Jiffy Lube?to Monomoy Capital Partners in a $1.3billion deal. Shell announced that the sale included Jiffy Lube, the?franchisee Premium Velocity Auto, and a network of stores operated by independent franchisees. Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are supporting a new...

Oil prices dropped on Tuesday, after hitting a three-year high in the previous session. U.S. president Donald Trump predicted that the Middle East war could be over soon. This eased concerns about disruptions of global oil supply. Brent futures were down $4.17 or 4.2% to $94.79 per barrel at 0345 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI), however, was down $3.81 or 4% to $90.96 per barrel. Both contracts had fallen as much as 11 % earlier, before reversing some of their losses. On Monday, oil prices soared to their highest level since mid-2022 as Saudi Arabia and others cut...

Investors now seriously consider the possibility that a war in the Middle East may create a stagflationary shock, as it did fifty years ago when disruptions to global energy supply sent inflation soaring and harmed growth. Kaspar Hense is the portfolio manager of RBC BlueBay Asset Management. If oil prices continue to rise, the safe-haven status for government bonds, and all other assets, is at risk. Five charts show how stagflation could affect the markets. OIL IS THE KEY Oil prices are at the forefront of the stagflation debate, and now the question is: how long can they continue to...

During a 'online meeting' with the Group of Seven Finance Ministers, Satsuki Katayama, Japanese Finance minister told a press briefing that IEA called for a coordinated release?of emergency?oil reserve during a?online meeting on Monday. Katayama stated that the IEA had asked each country to release oil reserves in a coordinated manner. "In response to current conditions... the G7 has agreed to closely monitor developments on the energy?market, and to take the necessary measures to support the global energy supply. This includes releasing oil reserves." Katayama stated that the IEA and the Ministers were joined by executives from the World Bank,...

Investors are rethinking popular themes and trades of 2026 due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Global equities have plummeted, the dollar has risen and traders have reduced their bets on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Investors have been preparing for growth this year. "A stagflationary surprise was not part of the plan", said ING's head of global markets Chris Turner. Investors are cautious and still have more to unwind. Here are five popular topics that have been "upended" by the conflict in Middle East. 1/ DOLLAR SHORTS SQUEEZED According to data released by the U.S. regulator...

On Sunday, Trump administration officials defended the 'decision' to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian oil and predicted that gasoline prices would spike sharply in response to the Iran War. Chris Wright, the Energy Secretary of the United States and U.S. The Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz stated that a waiver granted last week allowing Indians to purchase Russian oil will ease pressure on the global markets. Waltz told NBC's 'Meet 'the Press' that the 30-day pause would allow millions of barrels of crude oil, sitting on ships, to be sent to Indian refineries. Wright said on CNN's "State...

The majority of 'Gulf' stock markets were up in the early trade on Sunday. The Saudi index was up for a fifth consecutive session after the?Iranian?temporary governing council agreed to stop attacks on neighboring nations, unless they originated on their own territory. Saudi Arabia told Tehran it supports a diplomatic solution to Iran's conflict with the U.S. but that continued attacks against the kingdom and its energy sector may push Riyadh into a similar response, according to sources. Saudi Arabia's benchmark.TASI index rose 2%. All of its constituents posted?gains led by energy and material stocks. Brent oil prices surged on...

The oil prices dropped on Friday, the first time since six days. This is because the U.S. government has been considering intervening in the futures markets to curb rising 'prices' and issued waivers to Russian oil buyers to ease the supply constraints caused by the Middle East War. Brent crude futures fell 95 cents or 1.1% to $84.46 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate dropped $1.08 or 1.3% to $79.93 at 0440 GMT. Brent is still up 16.4% while WTI is up 19.2%, making this the biggest weekly gain since Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine began in February 2022. The...

According to The Gleaner, the local media outlet, 'Jamaica’s Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that it will terminate a medical 'cooperation program' with Cuba. In a statement, cited by The Gleaner, the foreign ministry stated that the two governments could not agree on terms of a new agreement. The Gleaner reported that the medical professionals would be allowed to continue working until their tenure is complete. Jamaica's Minister of Health and Wellness Christopher Tufton said previously that?about 300 Cuban medical professionals and doctors were working in the island despite the previous agreement expiring in 2023. Jamaica has become the latest...

Due to the increase in energy prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East, investors have reduced their bets that the Bank of England will cut interest rates this month. Analysts said that Britain was at risk of a rise in inflation. Yields on two-year bonds, which are sensitive to expectations for short-term rates of interest, rose 10 basis points and reached a high point of 3,815%. The indices fell by 2 bps Wednesday, but were on track for their biggest weekly rise since October 2024. UK gilts two-year are the worst performing government bonds in the Group of...

Rio Tinto announced the first commercial shipment of lithium carbonate from its Rincon project, located in Salta Province in Argentina. This marks the official start of exports. In a late-Monday statement, the company said that a?shipment of?200 tons in 10 containers had left the Port of Buenos Aires for Shanghai, China. It will be received at a warehouse and distributed in Asian markets. The Rincon project will add a production capacity of 53,000 tons per year of battery-grade lithium carbonate starting in 2028. Anglo-Australian Mining Company, a mining company based in the United States, said that Argentina is a key...

The Financial Times reported that Mongolia wants to renegotiate "unfair" terms for Rio Tinto's Oyu Tolgoi copper mine worth $18 billion. The newspaper reported that the Mongolian Prime Minister, Gombojavyn Zaandanshatar, warned Rio in a Monday meeting about the "unfairness" of the current deal. He added that the "situation feels like the Mongolians and their parliament are being misled", the paper said. The report stated that Zandanshatar, along with other government officials, will meet Rio executives this week, including head of copper Katie Jackson to discuss the terms of the deal. Mongolia holds 34% of Oyu Tolgoi - one of...

Customs data showed that China's imports of iron ore in the first two months 2026 increased by 10% compared to a year ago, thanks to stronger exports from Australia, a major supplier, and a higher level of domestic demand. In January and February of this year, the world's biggest iron ore consumer imported 210.02 metric tons. This is up from 191.36 metric tons in previous years. Alexis Ellender is an analyst with the ship tracking firm Kpler. She said that this growth was due to Australia's strong exports in December. China combined import data from January and February in order...

The iron-ore pellet manufacturer?Ferrexpo warned on Monday of "material 'negative consequences" unless they secure alternative?banking agreements after a collapse in a Swiss banking partner MBaer, which sent shares down 4%. Ferrexpo AG's Swiss subsidiary (FAG), had a banking arrangement with MBaer Merchant Bank AG. The bank is slated to be closed by the Swiss financial regulator for alleged money laundering violations and breaches of sanctions against Iran and Russia. Ferrexpro used the bank for 'commercial payments outside Ukraine' and said that MBaer holds about $3 million with FAG. Ferrexpo stated that the collapse of Ferrexpo's Ukraine subsidiaries will not have...

Aluminum prices rose 'again' on Friday, after breaking a three-day winning streak in the previous session. They were on their way to their biggest weekly increase in more than 18-months as a result of?supply -concerns resulting from the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. As of 1050 GMT, the benchmark three-month aluminum on the London Metal Exchange had increased by 1.5% to $3,346.50 a metric tonne. Aluminium, a metal used for packaging and transportation, reached a four-year high of $3.418 per metric ton on Wednesday. The Mideast crisis was threatening to stop shipments. LME aluminum was expected to rise 6.6% in the...

Michael Flacks, the CEO of Flacks Group, said that if current attempts to sell Thyssenkrupp's steel division fail, they would be "ready" to bid for it. Thyssenkrupp and Jindal Steel International have been in discussions since the autumn about a possible sale for Thyssenkrupp Steel Europe. However, these discussions are yet to produce a formal bid. Flacks Group was selected by Italy in 'December' to conduct exclusive negotiations on the sale Acciaierie d'Italia, a bailed out steel company. Flacks stated that "our main interest in Italy is now, but we're interested in major companies and, if talks about an acquisition...

This week, investors have been rushing to buy dollars amid the turmoil in the Middle East. It is a reminder of the difficult transition from a dollar-centric worldview towards a multi-polar, fractured financial system. Investors are seeking relative safety in the most liquid asset of the world, the dollar. Equity indices, which were the best performers in the first half of the year, are now in a slump: South Korea's KOSPI has fallen by nearly 20% in just two days. The dollar has risen by as much as 2 percent in just two days and Treasury yields have also soared....

Aluminium Bahrain, one of the largest smelters in the world, informed customers that it had halted all shipments because of the "widening" Middle East conflict. This exacerbated supply concerns following a Qatari melter shutdown the day before. After the news, the London Metal Exchange saw an increase of up to 5.1% in aluminium prices to $3,418 per ton, the highest since April 2022. Analysts said that prices could rise even further, since about 8% world supply is made in the region. Goldman Sachs stated on Monday that prices could reach $3,600 per ton if the production in this region is...

SSR Mining, a Canadian company, announced on Wednesday that it had signed a binding agreement to sell its 80% stake in Turkey’s Copler Mine to Cengiz Holding A.S. in exchange for $1.5 billion. This boosted its stock by more than 12%. The gold miner also said that it was'reviewing its remaining platform in Turkey including a 20% interest in the Hod maden development project. The deal, which is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year, will cover all SSR's mining licenses and assets located in eastern Anatolia. This includes Copler and nearby satellite deposits. Cengiz Holding...

On Wednesday, copper prices recovered from two sessions of losses due to better than expected private factory data from China, the top metals consumer. The aluminium price rose to its highest level in more than a month, on the back of supply concerns resulting from the escalating conflict in the Middle East. This region is a major producer of this metal. The benchmark three-month copper price on the London Metal Exchange rose 1.5%, to $13,150 per metric ton at 1030 GMT. LME copper has fallen 3% in the last two sessions due to fears that the Mideast conflict will hinder...

Aluminum prices continued to rise on Wednesday, as supply concerns grew after Norsk Hydro of Norway announced a controlled shut-down?in their aluminium joint venture in Qatar in the face of a growing war in the Middle East. Around 8% of global aluminum capacity is accounted for by the region. As the conflict spreads into neighbouring countries and Iran threatens to target ships trying to transit the Strait, supply concerns are becoming more real. The Shanghai Futures Exchange's most active aluminium contract closed the daytime trade 2.31% higher, at 24,795 Yuan ($3,585.11) per metric ton. As of 0700 GMT, the benchmark?aluminum...

Aluminum prices rose on Wednesday, as concerns about supply grew after Norsk Hydro of Norway announced a 'controlled shutdown' in its joint venture with Qatar due to the?ongoing conflict between Israel, Iran and the U.S. Around?8% global aluminum capacity is produced in the Middle East. As the conflict spreads to neighbouring countries and Iran threatens to target ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz, supply concerns are becoming more real. As of 0300 GMT, the most active aluminium contract at the Shanghai Futures Exchange had risen by 2.04% to 24,730 Yuan ($3,576.13) per metric ton. The benchmark three-month aluminum...