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Markets celebrate the potential end of US government shutdown
Rae Wee gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. Investors are ecstatic about the imminent end of the historic U.S. Government shutdown, which has disrupted everything from air travel and key economic data releases to the global markets. The U.S. Senate advanced a bill passed by the House on Sunday. It will be amended in order to fund the federal government until the end of January and will include a package containing three full-year appropriations. The Senate may pass the amended bill but it still needs to be approved by Congress and sent to the President Donald Trump. This could take a few days. The positive momentum was sufficient to propel Nasdaq and S&P futures in Asia up by 1.2%, 0.7%, respectively, while European futures saw strong gains as well. The dollar and U.S. Treasury yields rose, as did the Asia stock market. The shutdown is taking a toll on the U.S. Economy. Federal workers, from airports to the military and law enforcement are not paid. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve has limited access to government data. Kevin Hassett, White House economist, said in an article that if the government shutdown continues the U.S. could see a contraction in the fourth quarter. The data released on Friday showed that the U.S. consumer's sentiment fell to its lowest level in almost 3-1/2 years at the beginning of November, amid concerns about the economic impact of the shutdown. After a few turbulent sessions last week, the stock market received a much needed boost after fears over high valuations for artificial intelligence and technology shares - sectors which have driven the market in this year. Many investors still viewed the pullback not as a sign of greater trouble, but rather as a temporary breather. Minutes of the Bank of Japan meeting in October showed that policymakers in Asia saw an increasing case for raising interest rates in near-term. Discussions about the BOJ's rate hike are likely to increase the likelihood that it will happen next month or January. The timing depends on whether the BOJ is convinced enough by the comments and earnings of executives that companies will continue to pay their employees next year. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index grew 0.6%, while the CSI300 blue chip index in China fell 0.24%. The world's No. 2 economy has seen a slight decrease in producer prices. Data showed that the world's No. 2 economy grew in October, and consumer prices were back to positive territory. Beijing is stepping up its efforts to curb excessive capacity and intense competition among firms. Market developments on Monday that may have a significant impact France: Reopening 3-month, 6-month, 9-12-month, and 1-year auctions of government debt Reopening the 3-month and nine-month auctions of government debt
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New Delhi police detain dozens in anti-pollution protests
The Indian police arrested dozens of protesters during a rare demonstration at the India Gate monument, New Delhi. They demanded action to stop the annual plague of toxic air that engulfs the capital and surrounding area. The protests by people of all ages, holding banners and chanting before the police took them away on Sunday were a rare event. Delhi and its surrounding area have been fighting such fumes in winter every year for years. "We only have one problem and that's clean air," said Neha - a mask wearing protester who only gave one name. She told the news agency ANI that despite this problem being present for years, no action was taken. The agency released images showing police dragging protesters into buses, with some holding banners reading "Breathing kills us" while others chanted slogans like "Our Right, Clear Air". According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the city's air pollution index on Monday was 345. This is compared with ratings of a 'good' for the range of zero to fifty, and a'severe" rating in the range of 401 to 500. The police had told reporters that the area was not designated as a protest site. Opposition leaders, however, criticized the removal of protesters. Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress Party, which has ruled India since it became an independent nation for most of its history, stated on X that "the right to clean air" is a fundamental human right. Our constitution guarantees the right to peaceful demonstration. Why are citizens who peacefully demand clean air treated as criminals? Manjinder Sirsa, the environment minister of Delhi, stated that the government is taking steps to reduce pollution. In a BJP Delhi statement on X, he stated: "We will continue to make every effort possible to rid us from pollution." "This is our government's resolve." The Bharatiya Janata Party, the ruling party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, forms the state government. The winter brings a thick fog that is caused by the cold and heavy air, which traps dust from construction, vehicle emissions, and smoke. This causes respiratory illness for many. The cloud seeding attempts by authorities last month to create artificial rain and reduce pollution levels failed. (Reporting and editing by Clarence Fernandez; Sakshi Dayal)
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Gold gains more than 1% due to Fed rate-cut betting and slowdown concerns
Gold prices increased by more than 1% Monday. This was due to expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again in December, and also a series of weak economic indicators which raised concerns about a global slowdown. By 0435 GMT, spot gold rose 1.4% to $4053.40 an ounce. U.S. Gold Futures for December Delivery rose 1.3% to $4.062.40 an ounce. Tim Waterer, KCM Trade's Chief Market Analyst, said that gold is receiving a strong bid by traders as they begin the week. The precious metal rose on the expectation of a rate reduction next month even though the Fed had downplayed the likelihood. Last week, the U.S. economy lost jobs in October due to losses in government and retail. Cost-cutting measures and the adoption of artificial intelligence by businesses also led to an increase in announced layoffs. A survey released on Friday showed that the U.S. consumer's sentiment fell to its lowest level in almost 3-1/2 years at the beginning of November, amid concerns about the economic impact from the longest government shutdown ever. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, market participants see a 67% probability of a rate cut in December. Gold that does not yield tends to perform well in an environment of low interest rates and economic uncertainty. The U.S. Senate seemed to be moving forward on Sunday with a bill aimed at reopening federal government, ending a shutdown of 40 days that had left federal workers unable to work, delayed food aid, and slowed air travel. Waterer stated that "while it appears as if we are moving towards the end of the shutdown, this will bring greater visibility to key economic indicators which have been lacking on the ground ever since the shutdown began." SPDR Gold Trust (the world's biggest gold-backed exchange traded fund) said that its holdings increased 0.16% on Friday to 1,042.06 tons from 1,040.35 tonnes on Thursday. Spot silver rose by 1.8%, to $49.18 an ounce. Platinum rose 1.3%, to $1.565.36, and palladium gained 0.7%, to $1.389.94. (Reporting and editing by Sumana Nady and Subhranshu Sahu in Bengaluru.
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Sponsored: Record Deals and Record Attendance Underscore ADIPEC’s Global Impact
Record-breaking 239,709 attendees from 172 countries gathered at ADIPEC 2025, reaffirming UAE’s convening power and its role as a global hub for energy, partnerships and innovation. ADIPEC 2025 generated an estimated US$400 million in economic benefits for Abu Dhabi’s economy, particularly across the hospitality, tourism and transport sectors. Expanded AI Zone and dedicated industry areas showcased the role of AI, digitalisation, decarbonisation, chemicals and low-carbon solutions in advancing energy resilience. 45+ ministers and policymakers, and 1,800+ speakers from energy, finance and technology explored the future of energy under the theme ‘Energy. Intelligence. Impact.’ ADIPEC 2026 will take place from 2-5 November 2026, with expanded focus on the resilience and energy security in driving sustainable global growth.Abu Dhabi, 6 November 2025:ADIPEC 2025 closed today, after another record-breaking year, delivering US$46 billion through 35,000 cross-sector deals and bringing together a record 239,709 attendees – 17% up from 2024 – to set the agenda for the future of global energy. The event also delivered significant value to Abu Dhabi’s economy, generating an estimated US$400 million in economic benefits, particularly across the hospitality, tourism and transport sectors.Building on the call by H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO, leaders throughout the week echoed the need for energy addition, adding secure, diversified and lower-carbon supply while harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and investment to turn ambition into real-world progress.In his opening address, Dr. Al Jaber highlighted the need for US$4 trillion in investment in all energy sources and urged energy industry leaders, policymakers and investors to boost job creation, economic growth, and global competitiveness through pragmatic policies and bold partnerships.Abdulmunim Al Kindy, Chairman of ADIPEC 2025, said: “ADIPEC continues to provide a global platform that brings the entire energy ecosystem together to advance practical, data-driven solutions that harness energy to deliver jobs, growth, competitiveness and intelligence. This year’s record participation and partnerships reinforces ADIPEC’s key role in shaping a more secure energy future.”Convening the full energy ecosystem, from international energy companies to technology leaders, financiers and policymakers, across the global value chain, the event strengthened its status as the world’s most impactful and commercially successful energy gatherings. Speaking in the Opening Ceremony, Secretary Doug Burgum 55th Secretary of the Interior, Chairman of the National Energy Dominance Council, United States of America, said: “We stand at a critical moment in time, where innovation, national security, and prosperity intersect like never before...Energy has always underpinned national security and prosperity, but today those forces are converging in a way history has never seen.”ADIPEC’s two flagship agendas, the Strategic Conference and the Technical Conference, featured 12 programmes, more than 380 sessions and over 1,800 speakers – including ministers, policymakers, C-suite executives and innovators – and over 16,000 conference delegates.Participation included 54 of the world’s leading energy companies, including ADNOC, Aramco, ExxonMobil, CNPC, Oxy, Shell, BP, Chevron, NNPC, Petronas and TotalEnergies, to emerging independents and technology innovators driving new frontiers of progress. Christopher Hudson, President of dmg events, the organiser of ADIPEC, said: “ADIPEC 2025 has been extraordinary in every measure, from the record number of deals signed to the sheer scale of participation and innovation on display. Over four days, we’ve seen thousands of conversations evolve into partnerships, projects and investments that will shape the future of global energy. “ADIPEC is the world’s most influential platform for turning ideas into action, uniting the global energy ecosystem in a powerful demonstration of shared purpose and collaboration. “With global energy demand continuing to rise by more than two per cent a year, the need for secure, sustainable and affordable supply has never been greater. ADIPEC remains focused on connecting energy industry leaders with policymakers, technology innovators and financial institutions, to share intelligence and forge the partnerships that deliver real progress for people, markets and the planet.”Hosted by ADNOC under the theme ‘Energy. Intelligence. Impact.’, ADIPEC 2025 championed the principle of energy addition, delivering more energy, from more sources, with lower carbon intensity to meet the world’s rising demand responsibly.ADIPEC welcomed high-level government, policy, trade and investment delegations from across emerging and advanced economies, underscoring its growing influence as a platform for government-to-government dialogue. With participation from 172 countries, the event reaffirmed the UAE’s convening power and its role as a global hub for energy, partnerships and innovation.Against a backdrop of rising demand, shifting geopolitics and the exponential growth of AI, ministers, energy leaders and investors advanced pragmatic dialogue on energy security, market stability and investment frameworks, exploring how inclusive financing models and cross-sector partnerships can mobilise the capital required to build future-ready energy infrastructure. The ADIPEC Finance and Investment Programme further highlighted how strategic capital deployment and policy innovation can accelerate system-wide transformation and unlock long-term prosperity.Demonstrating ADIPEC’s commitment to turning ideas into action, the Technical Conference – the world’s largest gathering of engineers and technical experts – also marked its biggest edition yet, with 203 sessions and 1,420 speakers presenting tangible products, innovations and solutions driving energy progress. It showcased how applied engineering and technology are transforming ambition into measurable outcomes across the global energy landscape.Building on this momentum, ADIPEC’s growing role as an enabler of the integrated solutions needed to ignite the twin engines of progress, energy and AI, was evident across the show floor, with unprecedented participation from digital and AI pioneers including Mistral AI, IBM, Cisco, Microsoft, Gecko Robotics, AIQ, SandboxAQ and Inclusive Brains. Across the show floor, new technology partnerships and product launches showcased how intelligent systems are reshaping operations, accelerating decarbonisation and meeting the surging power demand of AI-driven economies. Together, they demonstrated how cross-sector collaboration and innovation are transforming the global energy landscape and creating new pathways for economic growth.From the Digitalisation and AI to the Diversity, Leadership and Development programmes, the importance of intelligence – human and artificial – ran through every discussion, reflecting a shared understanding that resilience today depends on smarter systems, strategic foresight and collaboration across sectors. ADIPEC will return to Abu Dhabi from 2-5 November 2026, continuing its mission to unite the global energy sector and drive system-wide transformation for a secure, inclusive and sustainable future.Credit: ADIPEC
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Oil prices rise on the hope that US government will reopen soon
Oil prices rose Monday, despite concerns over rising global supplies. This was due to optimism that the U.S. shutdown would end soon. Brent crude futures were up 45 cents or 0.71% to $64.08 per barrel at 0426 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude was $60.23 per barrel, up 48 Cents or 0.80%. The historic U.S. shutdown is nearing its end. It has now lasted 40 days. On Sunday, the Senate moved towards a vote to reopen the federal government. Tony Sycamore, IG's market analyst, said: "The imminent reopening will be a welcome boost for 800,000 federal employees, restoring their pay and resuming vital programs, which will increase consumer confidence, spending and activity." He said that this would also improve the risk perception across all markets and lead to a rise in WTI oil prices towards $62 per barrel. Brent and WTI both fell by about 2% and recorded their second weekly drop, due to fears of an oversupply. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) and its allies agreed to slightly increase output in December but also paused any further increases in the first three months, fearing a glut. Crude stocks are also rising in the United States, while the amount of oil on board ships in Asian waterways has doubled over the past few weeks as tighter Western sanctions have curtailed imports into China and India. Indian refiners are now looking to the Middle East, and even the Americas for alternative supplies to Russian oil. The Russian oil company Lukoil faces increasing disruptions, as the November 21 deadline for American companies to stop doing business with it looms and after the sale of its operations to Swiss trader Gunvor fell through. Sycamore reported that the decision by U.S. president Trump to exempt Hungary from U.S. sanction on Russian oil imports for a year has added to concerns about global oversupply. (Reporting and editing by Christian Schmollinger; Florence Tan is the reporter)
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Stocks surge on optimism about possible end of US government shutdown
The dollar continued to lose ground from the previous week, despite the optimism of global shares rising on Monday. On Sunday, the U.S. Senate advanced a bill aimed at reopening federal government. The measure would end a 40-day shutdown which has impacted federal workers and food aid. It also slowed down air travel. The breakthrough pushed Nasdaq Futures up by 1.2%, while S&P futures rose by 0.7%. The EUROSTOXX Futures, DAX Futures, and FTSE Futures all rose more than 1%. The Nikkei, Japan's stock market index, advanced by 0.97%. Charu Chanana is the chief investment strategist of Saxo. The Senate may pass the bill but it must be approved by both the House of Representatives, and then sent to the President Donald Trump, who will sign the package. This process could take several hours. The shutdown is taking a toll on the U.S. Economy. Federal workers, from airports to the military and law enforcement are not paid. Meanwhile, the central bank has limited access to government data. Kevin Hassett, White House economist, said in an exclusive interview that if the government shutdown continues the fourth quarter GDP of the United States could be negative. The data released on Friday shows that the U.S. consumer's sentiment fell to a low of about 3-1/2 years in early November, as consumers worried about economic consequences. Chanana said that while a deal could be beneficial to the market by restoring trust and liquidity, the damage done to the economy from the U.S. shutdown, which is now the longest in history, would not be reversed. On Monday, the overall risk sentiment was still positive. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index grew 0.6%, while the CSI300 blue chip index in China fell 0.24%. The data released on Sunday shows that China's producer prices deflation has eased and that consumer prices have returned to a positive level. This is as the government intensifies its efforts to reduce overcapacity and to stop fierce competition between firms. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield increased by 3.5 basis points, to 4.1278%. The yield on the two-year bond rose by about 3 basis points to 3.5886%. The dollar has recovered some of the losses it suffered last week as investors weighed the prospects for the U.S. economic outlook against a Federal Reserve that is more hawkish. Despite recent data that fueled concerns about a weakening U.S. labor market, Fed officials reiterated last week their preference to go slow with further rate reductions. The euro fell 0.08% against the dollar to $1.1556. The dollar index was unchanged at 99.66, while sterling fell by 0.14% to $1.3147. The markets are pricing in 63% of the chance that Fed will reduce rates in December. In a recent note, ANZ economists said that "the Fed's talk last week was overwhelmingly in favor of delaying easing until December," even though the majority of speakers were regional Fed Presidents who do not vote. For now, the 12-member panel, which includes seven governors and 5 regional Fed presidents, is voting in favor of a 25-bp rate reduction, with both hawkish as well as dovish dissensions. We do not see a rate reduction as a foregone conclusion and recognize that the decision will be based on the incoming data, and the balance of the risks associated with the future. The dollar rose 0.3% against the yen to 153.91. A summary of the opinions expressed at the Bank of Japan's October meeting revealed that policymakers were increasingly convinced of the need to increase interest rates soon. Some even argued for the necessity of ensuring wage increases will continue, according to the report. Brent crude futures rose 0.72% per barrel to $64.09, while U.S. Crude gained 0.8% at $60.23. Spot gold rose 1.4%, to $4.055.05 per ounce.
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Copper prices rise as China's economic data boosts growth optimism
The price of copper rose on Monday, after data released by China's top consumer in October showed a easing of deflation. This boosted confidence that the economy is recovering. Consumer prices also turned positive while factory gate prices declined. As of 0255 GMT, the most traded copper contract at Shanghai Futures Exchange had risen 0.7% to 86,550 Yuan ($12150.78) per tonne. The benchmark copper for three months also rose 0.7%, to $10,798.5 per ton. According to the National Bureau of Statistics' (NBS) published data on Sunday, the producer price index fell by 2.1% in October compared with the previous year. This is a slight improvement from the 2.3% drop in September. The consumer price index rose 0.2% and reversed a two-month downward trend. Both readings exceeded estimates and showed a reduction in deflationary stress in the second largest economy in the world. Analysts warned that risks were not over, but called for additional policy to stimulate demand. The United States Senate is close to passing a bill that will fund the government until January 2026. This would end the shutdown which was a record. It also helped copper prices by relieving the market of the negative impact. Analysts said that copper stocks in sheds registered with the SHFE decreased 1% compared to a week earlier, according to Friday's stock report. This shows a recovery in demand after a decline in copper prices last week which wiped out overextended gains. Copper demand has been resilient. Although buyers were cautious during high prices, they have increased their purchasing orders as prices decreased," said analysts at Chinese broker GF Futures in a report. Aluminium, among other SHFE metals, edged up 0.14%, while lead gained 0.43%. Tin added 1.01%. Zinc was down 0.20%. Nickel dipped by 0.17%. Nickel was unchanged. ($1 = 7.1230 Chinese Yuan) (Reporting and editing by Sherry Phillips, Lewis Jackson, Dylan Duan)
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Stocks surge on optimism about possible end of US government shutdown
The dollar continued to suffer from losses last week, despite the optimism of a possible end to the historic U.S. shutdown. On Sunday, the U.S. Senate moved toward a vote to reopen the federal government. This came a day after Senate majority leader John Thune announced that bipartisan discussions in the chamber had taken a positive direction. Nasdaq Futures gained 1.1%, while S&P500 futures increased by 0.65%. The Nikkei, Japan's stock market index, rose 1% and MSCI's broadest Asia-Pacific share index outside Japan gained 0.9%. Charu Chanana is the chief investment strategist of Saxo. The Senate may pass the bill but it must be approved by both the House of Representatives, and then sent to the President Donald Trump, who will sign the bill. This process could take several hours. The shutdown is taking a toll on the U.S. Economy. Federal workers, from airports to the military and law enforcement are not paid. Meanwhile, the central bank has limited access to government data. Kevin Hassett, White House economist, said in an exclusive interview that the fourth-quarter GDP of the United States could be negative if shutdown continues. The data released on Friday showed that the U.S. consumer's sentiment fell to a low of about 3-1/2 years in early November, as consumers worried about economic consequences. Chanana said that while a deal could be beneficial to the market by restoring trust and liquidity, the damage done to the economy from the U.S. shutdown, which is now the longest in history, would not be reversed. On Monday, the overall risk sentiment was still positive. The FTSE Futures rose 0.8%, and the EuroStoxx 50 Futures and DAX Futures each gained nearly 1.4%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index grew 0.6%, while the CSI300 blue chip index in China fell 0.14%. China's producer prices were revealed in data released on Sunday Deflation As the government intensifies its efforts to curb excessive capacity and intense competition between firms, consumer prices have returned to positive territory. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield increased by 3.5 basis points, to 4.1278%. The yield on the two-year bond rose by about 3 basis points to 3.5886%. The dollar has recovered some of the losses it suffered last week as investors weighed the prospects for the U.S. economic outlook against a Federal Reserve that is more hawkish. Despite recent data that fueled concerns about a weakened U.S. labor market, Fed officials reiterated last week their preference to go slow with further rate reductions. The euro fell 0.06% against the dollar to $1.1558. The pound fell by 0.1%, to $1.3152. Meanwhile, the dollar index remained at 99.64. The markets are pricing in 63% of the chance that Fed will reduce rates in December. In a recent note, ANZ economists said that "the Fed's talk last week was overwhelmingly in favor of delaying easing until December," even though the majority of speakers were regional Fed Presidents who do not vote. For now, the 12-member panel, which includes seven governors and 5 regional Fed presidents, is voting in favor of a 25-bp rate reduction, with both dovish and hawkish dissents. We do not see a rate reduction as a foregone conclusion and recognize that the decision will be based on the incoming data, and the balance of the risks associated with the future. The dollar rose 0.3% against the yen to 153.90. Bank of Japan policymakers have seen a Growing A summary of the opinions expressed at the October meeting on Monday showed that there was a case for raising interest rates soon, and some argued the need to maintain the wage-hike momentum in companies. Brent crude futures rose 0.53% per barrel to $63,97, while U.S. Crude gained 0.6% at $60.11. Spot gold rose 1.2%, to $4 047.23 per ounce.
Marubeni, a Japanese company, invests in critical Australian minerals project
Marubeni Corp, a Japanese company, announced on Monday that it would invest in an Australian mineral sands development project run by RZ Resources. This follows in the footsteps JX Advanced Metals of Japan who struck a similar agreement with RZ Resources earlier this year.
Marubeni has agreed to pay A$15m ($9.75m) towards options that will grant it up 5% of the equity in RZ's Copi Mineral Sands Mine Project in New South Wales, as well as certain marketing rights if the feasibility of the project is confirmed.
RZ, the owner of the Copi project, as well as a mineral separation plant and processing facility in Brisbane, Queensland plans to produce heavy minerals sands such rutiles, ilmenites, zircons, and monazites. These minerals are used by industries such as aerospace, defense, and permanent magnetics.
These alliances are formed as Japan and its Western Allies intensify efforts to secure vital mineral supply chains outside China. China has tightened export restrictions for key resources.
JX, which produces advanced materials made from copper and rare-metal alloys for use in telecommunications and chips, became RZ's strategic partner in June.
Marubeni announced that RZ and JX would work together to develop the Copi project. This will include upgrading RZ’s mineral separation facility and improving RZ’s environmental impact study. Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing and proofreading by Muralikumar Aantharaman
(source: Reuters)