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Four injured and one dead after 6.3 magnitude earthquake in China's Qinghai
State media, citing emergency authorities, reported that a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the province of Qinghai in northwestern China on 'Tuesday. At least one person was killed and four others were injured. China Earthquake Networks Center reported that the quake hit a high-altitude area in Haixi, Qinghai at 5:06 pm Beijing time (906 GMT) Tuesday. State media reported that all coal miners near the epicenter had been evacuated, and that authorities were still assessing property damage and casualties. Earlier, Xinhua had reported that rescuers were rushing to the site to look for?trapped people and assess risks of secondary catastrophes. China's quake?administration activated an?emergency?response for the temblor. It was followed by a number of aftershocks, including one that measured a 4.9 magnitude.
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MORNING BID AMERICAS - Central banks take center stage
Anna Szymanski is the Editor-in Charge of Open Interest. As markets awaited further details about the terms of the preliminary U.S. Iran deal, and looked for indications that it could?lead a meaningful increase of tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the global stock rally appeared to?moderate? on Tuesday. The Reserve Bank of Australia and Bank of Japan both kicked off the busy week for monetary policymakers on Tuesday. The BOJ announced a?quarter-point?rate?hike of 1%. This is a new high for 31 years. Below, I'll go into more detail. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast. Subscribe to the Morning Bid daily podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets seven days a weeks. CENTRAL BANKS ARE THE STARS Despite Donald Trump's comment on Monday, that oil tankers are leaving the Strait of Hormuz - there were no significant crossings of tankers visible on vessel-tracking data for Monday - though ships continue to move up and down the coast of Oman under the U.S. Navy's watch. Brent crude fell further on Tuesday after a 5% drop on Monday. However, it remained above $80 a barrel. Global shares continued to rise as Asian indexes grew and European shares opened higher. Wall Street futures are largely flat before the bell. Trump said on Monday that it is still early and the deal will be revealed after the formal signing of the agreement on Friday. In Lebanon, the fighting between Israel's Hezbollah and its allies eased up on Monday. The BOJ's anticipated rate hike of?to 1% represents another step towards normalizing the country's monetary policies. It is a move to reduce price pressures caused by the Iran War-driven energy shock. Shinichi Uchida, BOJ Deputy governor, welcomed the U.S.Iran memorandum on Tuesday but expressed uncertainty about the "pace" of improvement regarding oil flows. The move was well-telegraphed, but it had little effect on the yen. It remained at around 160 yen to the dollar. If the yen continues to weaken, it could trigger another round of government intervention in order to support the currency. The Reserve Bank of Australia held rates at 4.35% despite the slowing of the economy. However, it warned that inflation was still too high and it could raise rates. Investors will closely monitor the language used by the Federal Reserve and Bank of England when they meet respectively on Wednesday and Thursday. They are assessing how the prospects of a settlement in the Iran War could affect their rate paths. Elon Musk’s SpaceX continues to soar after its massive IPO on Friday. It rose more than 19% Monday. The company's premarket trades have put it on course to surpass Amazon ($2.7 trillion) and become the fifth largest?company in the world. SpaceX shares have traded for more than $1.16 Billion as of this morning's early hours. This is more than the combined trading volume of Nvidia and Apple, as well as Microsoft, Tesla, and Microsoft over this period. Nvidia announced on Monday a $25 billion U.S. Bond issuance. This is the first time since 2021 that it has tapped into debt markets. The chipmaker is the latest tech giant to raise money amid the AI boom, but the main reason for the raising of cash does not seem to be capex funding needs. Instead, it appears to be a desire to set a benchmark for the cost of credit. The G7 summit is taking place in Evian-les-Bains, a French resort on the lake. They are discussing war, global imbalances, and the rapid growth of AI. Chart of the Day Approximately 24% of Americans approve of Trump's management of the cost of living. This is up from 20% one month ago and 22% just a week before. In the latest /Ipsos survey, 69% of Americans disapprove compared to 73% in a previous poll. The poll was conducted before and after Trump's announcement on Sunday, that he had reached an agreement with Iranian leaders to end the "war" that had driven gasoline prices dramatically higher. Watch today's events * U.S. housing starts for May (8:30 am EDT), and May import prices (8.30 am EDT). * ?U.S. Auction of 20-year bonds (1 p.m. ET) Want to receive Morning Bid every morning in your email? Subscribe to the newsletter by clicking here. Follow us on LinkedIn, X and ROI. The opinions expressed here are the author's. These opinions do not represent the views of News. News is committed to the Trust Principles and is dedicated to integrity, independence, freedom from bias, and impartiality.
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Russian artist who criticised the Kremlin is shot in Poland
On Tuesday, a Polish prosecutor confirmed that a Russian artist who was critical of President Vladimir Putin had been?shot and died in the eastern Polish city?of BialaPodlaska. Marcin Kozak said at a Lublin press conference that five shots were fired, one of which was to the victim's head. He added that two Belarusians have been arrested, but they are not being charged in the case. Local media have identified Robert Kuzovkov as the victim. He is also known by his pseudonym Semyon Skrepetsky. A Russian artist and performer, known for his criticisms of the Russian president, the Russian artist has been identified as the target of Monday's assault. Kozak confirmed the 'dead man', identified by prosecutors as Robert K. was involved in artistic activity where he expressed criticism of the current actions of authorities in the Russian Federation. Skrepetsky, three days before his death, had traveled to Berlin for Russia Day on June 12, a holiday that marks the declaration of sovereignty of the country before the fall of the Soviet Union. He staged a demonstration with a caricature-like icon of Joseph Stalin, and Putin. Kozak told?phone that the identity of the victim was a crucial element in the investigation. Poland claims that its role as the hub for military and other supplies to Ukraine has made it an attractive target for Russian spy agencies who are trying to gather intelligence on the support of Kyiv in their efforts to repel Russia's invaders, as well sabotage. The Russian Embassy in Warsaw did not respond to a request for comment. Jacek Dobrzynski said that the Internal Security Agency was working closely with police and prosecutors in this matter. (Reporting and editing by Alex Richardson; Additional reporting by Anna Koper, Barbara Erling and Marek Strzelecki)
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Indian shares extend gains on US-Iran peace deal
Indian shares closed higher 'on Tuesday. They advanced for a third consecutive session as a preliminary U.S. - Iran peace deal cooled down oil prices & improved risk appetite. The Nifty?50 increased 0.57%, to?23989.15. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex rose 0.71%, to 76 808.48. This represents gains of 3.6% and 4% respectively in just three sessions. The small-cap and middle-cap indexes each rose 0.4%. Brent crude dropped about 2%, to $81.6 per barrel. This was a good thing for India, which imports oil. The?moderation in oil prices, to around $82 per barrel, along with India's stable macro-fundamentals, steady interest rates, and controlled inflation augurs well after the year-to date underperformance against emerging-market peers, said?Vinit Blinjkar. Foreign portfolio investors, who have sold Indian stocks for a record $30.8 billion in 2026, became net buyers after 13 consecutive sessions of selling. Inflows of $21.2 million were recorded. Bolinjkar said that "coordinated steps taken by the government and central bank to support rupee and attract foreign investors to bonds?are positives to the markets, as they could result in a reversal to foreign outflows." Devyani International, the operator of KFC India, jumped by 2.5%. Sapphire Foods grew by 5%. The company said it received "no objections" from NSE, and "no adverse remarks" from BSE regarding its proposed merger with Sapphire Foods. HDFC Bank and Reliance Industries, index heavyweights, rose by 1% and 1,7% respectively to lead benchmark gains. Aluminium producers Hindalco Industries (and?National Aluminium) fell by 3.1% and 4.1% respectively, tracking weaker global aluminum prices. General Insurance Corporation of India fell 8% following the announcement by government that it would sell a stake at a 9.1% discount from its previous closing price. Bharathrajeswaran, Bengaluru. Edited by Sonia Cheema & Ronojoy Mazumdar.
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Stocks soar as SpaceX fever boosts technology; the yen remains flat following BOJ rate hikes
The global?stocks rose on Tuesday, following a rally on Monday on the news of a U.S. - Iran peace deal. Meanwhile, the dollar remained steady against the yen after the Bank of Japan increased rates to a '31-year-high. The markets have taken a more measured approach to Gulf developments, as the initial excitement surrounding the preliminary agreement reached between Washington and Tehran has begun to fade. Investors were encouraged by the blockbuster IPO of SpaceX, which took place late last week. Its shares rose nearly 20% on the following Monday and pushed the market value of the space exploration firm past $2 trillion. In premarket trading, they were up 10.7% on Tuesday. Nasdaq Futures rose by 0.1% while S&P500 e-mini Futures were flat. After the Japanese central banks voted 7-1 in favor of raising its benchmark policy rates to 1% levels last seen in 1995, the Nikkei 225 reached the 70,000 level for the first time. The yen remained flat at 160.31 against the dollar. The STOXX 600 index in Europe rose 0.6% and hovered near the record high of Monday. This was led by gains made by Schneider Electric, a company that caters to data centers, and ASML. Nvidia, world's largest maker of AI chips, shocked investors by tapping bond markets for 25 billion dollars. The company said that the money would be used to fund general corporate needs and the debt sale would serve as a benchmark for future issuance. Nvidia's shares fell a little in premarket trade. Mitch Reznick is the group head of Fixed Income at Federated Hermes. He said: "We're one-step closer to codifying the optimism of this market." He added that the key question is how much systemic inflation we have, its impact on consumers, and whether it has spread throughout the economy. The price of oil fell another 2.2%, to a low of just over $81 per barrel. Shippers in Asia and Europe have said that it could take several weeks for them to rebuild their confidence in returning transit through the Strait of Hormuz. According to ING's Warren Patterson, oil consumers are likely to scramble to replenish their inventories that have been depleted during the war. This means prices will not be able to drop much in the short term. The announcement by U.S. president Donald Trump of a nuclear deal with Iran on Monday brought relief to investors, but also put Washington on a collision course with Israel. Westpac analysts said in a research note that while the deal was an important diplomatic breakthrough, it would be tested over time. Many sticking points were left for future negotiations, such as the fate of Iran’s nuclear program. The dollar index, which measures the U.S. dollar against six other currencies, was stable at around 99.6. The euro increased by 0.1%, to $1.1605, and the pound traded at $1.342, two days before a Bank of England meeting, where it is unlikely that monetary policy will be changed. The Australian dollar is little changed after Reserve Bank of Australia held interest rates at the same level as expected. Its currency was 0.4% weaker, trading at $0.707. (Additional reporting by Gregor Stuart Hunter in Singapore; Editing by Shri Navaratnam and Jacqueline Wong) The yield on U.S. Treasury notes 10-years fell 2 basis points, to 4.45%. Gold, which is sensitive to U.S. expectations of interest rates, increased 0.9%, to $4,344 per ounce. (Gregor Stuart Hunter contributed additional reporting from Singapore; Shri Navaratnam, Jacqueline Wong and Jacqueline Navaratnam edited the article.)
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The U.S. uses an Iranian smuggling technique to sneak oil from the Gulf
US military conducted a number of secretive oil transfers between ships to maintain Gulf energy exports. They used aerial and water drones, as well as helicopters to guide convoys towards awaiting tankers. Operation on the Strait of Hormuz uses a technique that Iran has used for years to avoid sanctions. Eleven people who are familiar with the operation identified two specific locations for the oil transfers. One is off the coasts of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, and the other is off Oman's Sohar port. According to satellite imagery and shipping data, the transfer began in early May. At least 92 vessels have been involved. Satellite images show that as recently as June 1117, pairs of ships were seen transferring oil at two sites simultaneously. Four sources, including an ex-U.S. official who was aware of the attack, claim that the Apache helicopter shot down by Iran on the 9th, which sparked retaliatory attacks by the U.S. Satellite imagery showed six pairs of oil tankers clustered in a small area near the port of Sohar on the day that the Apache helicopter was shot down. Could not confirm the role of the Apache in the operation. A U.S. Defense official responded to questions by saying that no Central Command forces were involved in the offshore ship-toship oil transfer operations. U.S. officials confirmed that a drone boat rescued both crew members. Prior to this, the extent of the transfers, their working, and Apache's involvement in the operation were not reported. Centcom was contacted by the White House. The Iranian government has not responded to requests for comments about the transfer operation. These two locations, located in the Gulf of Oman, near the exit of Strait of Hormuz are very close to the borders drawn by the Persian Gulf Strait Authority. This is a newly established Iranian body that was created to manage the Hormuz Strait. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may use drones and missiles to attack ships that do not comply with Iran’s orders. Fujairah has been repeatedly targeted by Iran during the U.S. led operation. According to British maritime risk management company Vanguard, a "unknown projectile", which struck a tanker near the coast of Oman, occurred over the weekend. Vanguard stated in a press release that the crew were safe, and the impact had caused some cargo leakage but not environmental damage. The statement did not say whether the tanker had been involved in a transfer from ship to ship. Iran's response to the U.S./Israeli conflict was to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz through which a fifth of the world's oil is normally consumed. This caused the largest global energy disruption in history, and has sparked inflation all over the world. Although risky and inefficient transfers from ship to ship, they appear to be part of Trump's administration's effort to restore normal oil flow from the Gulf. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said that Friday would be the reopening of Strait of Hormuz under a framework agreement with Iran announced earlier this week. Details are still vague. The announced deal did not affect oil transfers, but it was impossible to determine. An investigation published on May 20 revealed that Iran had established its own system to guide ships through the Strait. This involved island checkpoints and diplomatic deals, as well as sometimes fees. STAGGERED Departures and Waypoints Eight sources confirmed that the U.S. Military is in full control of the American transfer operations, including the private security contractor involved with the transfers. According to satellite imagery and one source, tankers are required to sail to a rendezvous point before reaching the strait. Then, they must stagger their departures to be?around 3,000-4,000 meters apart. Four sources claim that their transponders and lights have been dimmed. The U.S. military can monitor the tankers' progress by setting up waypoints. But the Americans "are obviously watching you at all times," according to one source. The oil transfer begins when the tankers pass through the strait just outside the zone Iran has designated as its own. The oil transfer takes between 24 to 40 hours. The VLCCs are then loaded and sail through the Strait. This ship-to ship operation is possible because a few shippers are willing to navigate their vessels through this strait in order to deliver oil to waiting tankers despite the Iranian ban. The operation is dangerous. Noam Raydan is a Washington Institute senior fellow who specializes on maritime risk. He reviewed the findings. Iran has used the ship-to-ship method for years in order to avoid sanctions because it hides the source. Iran usually operates one pair of vessels at a given time to avoid detection, and also because its exports before the war were small. The U.S. led operation, which involves massive transfers, provides Gulf producers with better protection against Iranian retaliatory strikes so that they can move crude oil, condensate, and petroleum products to foreign buyers. The review of more than 12 satellite images between May 2 and 11 June showed ship-to-ship transfer involving Gulf state-owned tanker fleets, and international vessels receiving the oil. LSEG and Kpler data on shipping reviewed by revealed repeated rendezvous of tankers operating within the area. Based on the imagery, it was calculated that 90 million barrels or more of crude oil and petroleum-based products have likely moved through the offshore system since early May. Based on the tankers carrying capacity, the volumes are still low compared to pre-war levels of approximately 20 million barrels per day that passed through this strait. Michael Froman wrote a Friday note in which he said that "as the old rules are weakening, it is ironic that America now takes a page from the playbook used by China, Russia and North Korea as well as Iran, who pioneered the use of these methods to avoid U.S. sanctions and UN sanctions." Froman was the president of the Council on Foreign Relations. He was referring to the practice of sending vessels through the strait with no transponders. Trump had mentioned this in his comments on June 10, after the downing the Apache. Six sources who had direct knowledge of the operations said that the U.S. supported participating vessels by combining aerial surveillance, compliance screening, and monitoring instead of naval escort. No indication was found that U.S. personnel were involved directly in the transfers. According to an analysis of shipping records, the receiving side?of the operation has been dominated by international operators. Dynacom Tankers, a Greek company, has spoken of its attempts to find innovative ways to ship oil across the strait ever since the conflict began on February 28, George Procopiou (founder of Dynacom) told the Capital Link Shipping Conference in Athens, Greece, on June 1, that "freedom of navigation was essential, and no one could impose tolls, or any other burden." He said, "We're here to serve and Greece has a tradition of breaking blocksades since ancient times." "I'm not going to get into details, but the hints I gave should be enough for you to understand what I meant." Dynacom has not responded to an immediate request for a comment about the U.S. operations. A maritime source said, however, that the new system poses its own risks to their industry. The source for maritime security said that there was a lack of reliable data. Transponders that communicate the location of ships are turned off and companies do not report through the usual reporting centers. This increases the risk of collisions between ships traveling at night without lights at speeds which make maneuvering difficult. According to four sources who are familiar with the arrangements, operators wishing to access the system must undergo a compliance assessment process before they can be allocated transit window. This process involves submitting information to U.S. Navy’s Naval Cooperation and?Guidance for Shipping Office in Bahrain. Operators are required to review two preliminary compliance documents to ensure that they have complete geospatial track histories, a full disclosure of beneficial ownership, documentation for cargo, and an agreement to allow cargo testing. After approval, the participating vessels will be assigned transit times and stay in touch with the U.S. Military?offices in Bahrain during the entire voyage. According to the shipping records examined by, Emirati exports make up a significant portion of the U.S. transfers. According to six of the sources, UAE's national oil company ADNOC was among the most active participants. Kuwait Oil Tanker Company is also involved in the transfers. TankerTrackers.com reports that 2.3 million barrels were taken from one of their ships on the coast of Sohar, which was one of the busiest transfer days. Five days later, the receiving ship Sea Ruby was seen off India's south-west coast, bound for China where cargo was to be discharged. Requests for comments from the UAE government, ADNOC, and Kuwait Oil Tanker Company were not answered. Raydan said, "I do not see a solution permanent to all this." This is a temporary fix in extraordinary times. (Reporting from Feras Dalatey in Dubai, Jonathan Saul in London and Dmitry Zhdannikov in London.) Erin Banco contributed additional reporting from Washington, and Lori HInnant edited the article.
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Source: India wants samples of rare earth minerals from Rosneft's Siberian deposit
Source: 'Indian miner IREL has been in 'talks with Rosneft about sourcing rare?earth -samples - from Tomtor, the Siberian deposit that the Russian oil company acquired last year. New Delhi is seeking to secure supplies of vital minerals dominated by China. Source: The talks take place via government channels. Samples will be processed in Russia and then shipped to India. The source who spoke under the condition of anonymity because the discussions were confidential said that India is keen to examine the mineral composition of deposit before considering further engagement. IREL, a state-owned company, is 'at the forefront of India’s global outreach in order to secure rare earth supply to meet the rising domestic demand. It also aims to wean India off its dependence on 'China. IREL - India's Department of Atomic Energy - which?oversees state miner Rosneft - did not respond to a request for comment. Tomtor, located in Russia's Siberian Region of Yakutia, is one of the largest undeveloped rare-earth deposits on earth. To pressure Moscow, the United States imposed sanctions on Russia's energy industry, including measures that affected Rosneft, Lukoil and other companies. Permanent magnets are used in electric motors, as well as a variety of clean energy and defense applications. New Delhi approved in November a programme worth 73 billion rupees (770.77 millions dollars) to support the manufacturing of rare earth magnets. India does not have commercial-scale facilities that are capable of?refining and separating?all the rare earth elements into high purity levels. Reports indicate that India gathered rare earth samples in Myanmar, a neighbouring country, with the help of a powerful rebel organization. IREL has also been in discussions with?Japanese companies and South Korean firms about plans to produce rare earth magnets for commercial use, as reported last year. Source: The company plans to start rare earth magnet production between 2029 and 2030. It is also exploring mining opportunities for rare 'earth in Argentina, Australia, and Malawi. India is home to the third largest rare earth reserve in the world, with an estimated 7.23 million tons. However, it does not produce rare earth magnets at this time.
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Lumina Metals shares rise nearly 55% at Warsaw debut
Lumina Metals shares rose by nearly?55% in their Warsaw 'Stock Exchange debut, making them a'second copper - and?silver - focused company listed on the Polish bourse along with state miner KGHM. The Warsaw debut comes after Lumina's initial listing at the Toronto Stock Exchange in April, when it raised C$406 (290 million) through an IPO that was priced at C$12.50 a share. IPO proceeds will be used to advance the 'company's flagship Nowa Sol project. CEO Jordan Pandoff said that the company intends to invest approximately 1 billion zlotys (approximately $272 mln) in Poland in five years. * Lumina Metals doesn't currently pay dividends, and it is unlikely to do so in the near future, since the company "has no immediate prospects of generating revenue."
After the US-Iran agreement, spot oil premiums have fallen to levels seen before the war. However, shipping anxiety provides a floor.
After the U.S. and Iran deal to end the Middle East conflict, spot premiums for crude oil in Asia are back to their pre-war level. However, caution over how soon normal shipping will resume is keeping the oil markets afloat.
Prices fell across the board after U.S. president Donald Trump announced that a preliminary deal had been signed. Details have not yet been released, and the U.S. as well as Iran say that a permanent ceasefire is still being negotiated.
Dubai's premium for swaps on Middle East crude returned to its pre-war level of $2.06 a barrel on Monday. This compares to an all-time peak of over $60 in March, after the war disrupted supply.
NAPHTHA FLIPS CONTANGO
This month, producers such as United Arab Emirates and Kuwait offered prompt cargoes that weighed on the crude and naphtha market.
Asia's market for naphtha went into contango on monday, while the refining margins?for petrochemical feedstocks have fallen about 90% to $45 per metric ton compared to Brent crude. This is the lowest price since November 2023, and compares to a record high of $248 on March 31.
In a contango, the prices for immediate delivery are lower than those of future deliveries, which indicates that there is ample supply near-term.
Concerns about cargo availability in early July have also been eased by the resumption UAE supplies via ship to ship transfers.
Energy Aspects, a consultancy, estimated that 7?million barrels naphtha on vessels stuck in the Strait would add to Asian volumes.
DIESEL, JET FUEL MARGINS
Last week, cash premiums for diesel and jet fuel in Asia fell to levels seen before the war on the expectation of abundant regional supplies in July & August.
Regional trade sources report that Northeast Asian exporters have increased spot sales for July shipments of these fuels over the past two week, and shipbroking fixtures show May exports by South Korean refiners at levels close to pre-war.
Diesel premiums were $2.65 per barrel and $1.40 for jet fuel on Monday.
As a result, the price of residual fuels has also fallen. High-sulphur oil (HSFO), for example, is down more than very low-sulphur oil (VLSFO), as the market focuses on the resumption in HSFO shipments by top HSFO providers like Iraq.
After reaching a high of $90 per ton in March, the spread between July and August for 380cst HSFO has narrowed down to $3 to $4 per ton. In a market that is backwardated, immediate prices are higher than the future months.
GASOLINE, ?DIESEL, JET MARGINS REMAIN STRONG
Although the refining margins of transportation fuels are also lower, they remain higher than their pre-war levels because of?tight inventories and concern about how quickly Middle Eastern supplies will be able to resume through Strait of Hormuz.
"As long as the war-risk premiums remain high, crude and refined products will be temporarily supported, until there is a sign of a safe passage across the strait," said Xavier Tang senior market analyst at Vortexa.
Asian gasoline margins are down about 35%, to around $24 per barrel over Brent crude. This is from a high of $43 a barrel in March. However, this is still three-times higher than the pre-war level.
The diesel and jet margins have nearly doubled to $40 per barrel.
Neil Crosby is a senior oil analyst with Sparta Commodities. He said that the price risk was now heavily skewed in favor of the upside.
Data showed that oil product stocks in Asia’s main trading hub Singapore dropped to their lowest level in almost 13 years last week as Middle Eastern shipments were curtailed because of the conflict.
(source: Reuters)