United States

EU foreign ministers warned on Thursday that Russia would not be able to choose who represented Europe in any future talks with Moscow about Ukraine. The bloc's chief of foreign policy also said that Moscow showed no real interest for peace. The?ministers? met informally on Cyprus to discuss their strategy towards Russia, as Kyiv calls for greater European involvement in order to end the conflict while the U.S. is focused on the Iran crisis. The Kremlin told the RIA News Agency on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin was open to talks with Europe. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has...

LONDON/DUBAI - U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio warned on Tuesday that negotiations with Iran could "take several days." This was after the U.S. launched what they called 'defensive strikes' in southern Iran. Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated earlier that many of the topics covered in a possible 14-point memorandum were concluded, but this does not mean an agreement to end the war will be reached anytime soon. What is the current stage of the discussions? After a "ceasefire" in early April, both sides remain at odds over difficult issues, including Iran's nuke ambitions, Israel’s war with the Hezbollah militia,...

Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, said that although there has been some progress in talks with Iran, and the United States is constantly communicating?with pakistani'mediators', there is still a lot more work to be done. There has been progress. I would not exaggerate. "I wouldn't minimize it," Rubio said to reporters following a NATO Ministers Meeting in Sweden. He added, "There is still more work to do." "We are not yet there." "I hope we get there." Rubio stated that President Donald Trump prefers to make a "good deal". He said that the core concern is that Iran cannot...

Sources with knowledge of this matter said that a Qatari team was in Tehran Friday to "try to secure a deal" to end the "war" with Iran and to resolve outstanding issues. Doha had previously acted as a mediator for the Gaza War and other international conflicts, but it has now backed away from a role of mediation in the Iran War after being attacked by Iranian drones and missiles in the most recent conflict. The source added that "a Qatari team of negotiators is in Tehran this Friday" and that they had traveled in coordination with the United States....

UBS Global Wealth Management raised its 2026 S&P 500 'year-end forecast' to 7,900, up from 7,500. The company cited resilient consumer spending and strong demand for data center infrastructure. Morgan Stanley, for example, forecasted 8,000 dollars by 2026, on the strength of AI-driven investments, and earnings optimism. This was despite the inflation risk associated with higher oil prices due to the Middle East conflict. The current target of the wealth manager implies a 6% increase in the index's closing price, which was 7445.72. The company also announced a target for the June 2027 index of?8,200, but kept its "attractive view"...

Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia's president, said that he was not optimistic about the possibility of reaching an agreement over the Hungarian oil firm 'MOL's bid for a majority stake in NIS, operator of the Balkan country's only refinery. The deadline is Friday. Gazprom and Gazprom, two Russian oil companies, agreed to sell their majority 56% stake in NIS in January to?MOL after the United States demanded that Russian shares be divested due to sanctions imposed by the United States over Moscow's conflict in Ukraine. Washington has given MOL and the Russian companies until May 22th to complete the sale. This requires...

The Trump administration further delayed on Thursday the planned closure of Units 3 and 4, at the Eddystone fossil fuel-fired power generation generating station in Pennsylvania, by ordering Constellation Energy Corp. to continue operations beyond the shutdown date. Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued an emergency order directing PJM interconnection, the largest power grid in 'North America to work with Constellation Energy in order to ensure 'the two units are operational and to minimize costs for American people, the?Energy Department said in a press release. Wright stated that "energy sources which perform at their peak are the most valuable." This is...

Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, said that the 'likelihood' of a peaceful, negotiated agreement between the United States, and Cuba, is not very high right now. Washington has been stepping up its pressure against Cuba's communist regime. Rubio stated that the United States prefer a negotiated solution. He told reporters, "That is still our preference." I'm being frank with you. The likelihood that this will happen, given who we are dealing with at the moment, is low. If they change their mind, we are here. In the meantime, we will continue to do what we have to." Donald Trump...

SpaceX released its IPO on Wednesday. It revealed to investors how much Elon Musk loses on?artificial Intelligence, while betting on the future of the company by transforming it into a rocket maker that is a powerhouse in AI. SpaceX's future depends on dominating markets and technologies that don't yet exist, from AI data centers to Mars missions. Musk's track record of turning Tesla into the world's most valuable automaker, developing the first reusable rocket and the largest satellite network and making it the most valuable company in the industry is enough for many to justify investing. Musk has tightened his...

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called on allies on Tuesday to disrupt Iran's.financing network and said that the Treasury would clear its outdated sanctions list to.make it easier for the financial institutions to.root out the most sophisticated terrorist funding schemes. Bessent said that after the G7 finance leaders met at Paris, participants in an anti-terrorism funding conference should "stand in full measure with us" against Iran. Bessent stated that "this will require our European partners, for example to join the United States by taking action against Iran, including by designating its financiers and unmasking their shell and front company, closing its...

Sanjay Khanna, the chairman of India's Bharat Oil Corp. said that it is recalibrating its crude import strategy nearly daily and increasing?spot purchase after the U.S./Israeli conflict in Middle East disrupted Middle East supply. India, which is the third largest?oil?importer and?consumer in the world, has been affected by the rising crude prices as well as supply disruptions after the Strait of Hormuz was closed. South Asian nation raised retail petrol and diesel prices twice in one week. The refiner planned to purchase about 55% of its crude requirements for 2026/27 via annual contracts, mostly from Middle Eastern producers. Khanna stated...

A top government minister announced on Tuesday that Italy would extend a 'cut in fuel excise duty due to expire May 22 as part of efforts to curb the soaring energy prices caused by the Middle East conflict. Matteo Salvini, Deputy Prime minister and Transport & Infrastructure Minister, said during an interview with RTL 102.5 that "we will definitely have to extend the excise reduction." It has spent about?1 billion Euros ($1.16 billion), so far, to reduce?excise duty on?petrol or diesel pump prices. The measure was first introduced in March, and then extended for the first time in late April....

Gold prices?edged up on Friday as investors assessed reports about a?U.S. -Iran ceasefire agreement amid concerns over inflation and U.S. rate hikes. By 0422 GMT spot gold had risen 0.3% to $4505.57 an ounce, but it was down 0.1% so far this week. U.S. Gold Futures rose 0.1% to $4,535.90. Bullion dropped to a 'two-month-low' on Thursday, before closing higher after reports of a U.S. - Iran ceasefire extension. "We saw gold drop to $4,360 yesterday and it was likely that it would go lower until the announcement of the (ceasefire)." The market is still in this position?this morning", said...

Shanghai copper prices rose on Friday as hopes for a U.S. Iran peace deal pushed the oil price?and dollar lower. This eased fears of higher inflation, and a global slowdown. As of 0324 GMT, the most traded copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange had risen?0.8% to 104,900 Yuan ($15472.55). The contract has increased by 3.7% this month. The price of three-month copper at the London Metal Exchange remained unchanged at $13,699 per metric ton. Both contracts rose for the second consecutive month. Sources told? that the United States and Iran had reached an agreement on Thursday to extend their...

Investors weighed?reports about a U.S. - Iran ceasefire agreement amid rising concerns over inflation and U.S. rate hikes. Spot gold was up 0.2% at $4,499.56 an ounce as of 0231 GMT but down 0.2% so far this week. U.S. Gold Futures slipped 0.1% to $4,529.80. Bullion dropped to a two-month-low on Thursday, before closing higher after reports of a U.S. Iran?ceasefire? extension. "Yesterday we saw gold go down to $4360 and it was likely to continue to drop until the (ceasefire announcement) came. Due to this, we suddenly saw a reversal in prices. The market is still?at this level today,"...

Gold prices rose over 1% on Thursday after hitting a two-month low earlier in the session. The U.S. Dollar and oil prices also eased as a result of the news that Iran and the U.S. had agreed to a ceasefire agreement. Gold spot was up 1.1% to $4,504.07 an ounce at 1:31 pm EDT (1731 GMT) after it fell to its lowest price since late March. U.S. Gold Futures closed 1.1% higher, at $4,532.40. According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the U.S. and Iran have reached an agreement on a 60 day ceasefire extension. However, President Donald...

U.S. negotiators and Mexican negotiators started formal talks on Thursday to revamp the North American Trade Deal. Washington demanded stricter regional origin rules, including a U.S. specific minimum content level for cars?and?trucks?built in Mexico. Two people familiar with U.S. negotiating positions said that the new standard was contained in the proposed text to modify the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement. Although the exact percentage of U.S. auto content demanded by the U.S. Trade Representative’s office is not yet known, the change from the USMCA’s existing content requirements for preferential North American access to the market is notable. Negotiations over the next...

The gold price reversed its?course on Thursday to increase, recovering from a low of two months earlier in the session. Dollar and oil prices slid?after a report that the United States and Iran are working on extending a ceasefire. Gold spot was up 0.5% to $4,477.59 an ounce at 11:08 am EDT (1508 GMT) after it fell to its lowest levels since late March. U.S. Gold Futures increased 0.6% to $4475.60. Axios reported the U.S. reached a?outline deal to extend their ceasefire pending approval by President Donald Trump. As a result, foreign buyers can now buy greenbacks at a lower...

Gold prices fell to their lowest level in two months on Wednesday. This was due to expectations of a tighter monetary policy, which would help to curb inflation. The U.S.-backed conflict with Iran is not expected to end any time soon. As of 2:08 pm EDT (1808 GMT), spot gold was down by 1.3% to $4,447.71 an ounce. It had fallen earlier in the day to its lowest price since March 27. U.S. Gold futures for delivery in June settled at $4,448.40, a?1.2% decrease. The Middle East continues to have the biggest impact. Peter Grant, senior metals analyst at Zaner...

Gold prices fell to a 2-month low on Tuesday, "pressured" by expectations of tighter monetary policies to combat rising inflation and the fact that there is no end to the Iran war. As of 10:30 am EDT (1430 GMT), spot gold was down by 1.4% to $4,444.64 an ounce. It had fallen earlier in the day to its lowest price since March 27. U.S. Gold futures for June delivery dropped 1.2% to $4445.20. The Middle East continues to have the biggest impact. "There was a lingering optimism, but that optimism is fading as the conflict continues," said Peter Grant. He...

Gold prices dropped to a 'nearly two-month low' on Wednesday. This was due to expectations that monetary policy would be tightened to combat rising inflation. The war in Iran is still far from over. As of 9 am EDT (1300 GMT), spot gold was down by 1.6% to $4,433.85 an ounce. It had fallen earlier in the day to its lowest price since March 30. U.S. Gold Futures for June Delivery fell 1.6% to $4431.60. The Middle East continues to have the biggest influence. Peter Grant, senior metals analyst at Zaner Metals and vice president, said that there was some...

'Sunshine Silver Mining & Refining Company' is aiming for a valuation of up to $2.32 bn in its U.S. initial?public offering. The company wants to raise funds to restart a silver, antimony, and other mineral mine in Idaho. The Kellogg company, based in Idaho, is looking to raise $330 million through the sale of?20 millions shares at a price between $13.50 to $16.50 per share, according to a statement made on Tuesday. North?American companies are preparing to test investor interest in new?listings, after metals like silver saw a spike in demand this year. Barrick Mining is mulling over a potential...

Aluminum prices reached their highest level in over four years on Tuesday as rising feedstock prices, alumina,?added?to persistent concerns?about a tightening?market amid a?reduced supply from Gulf producers. The London Metal Exchange's three-month aluminium rose by 1.4%, to $3,698.50 at 0937 GMT, after reaching $3,707.5. This is the highest level since March 24, 2020. On March 7, 2022 the metal reached a record high of $4.073.5, as markets grappled with the immediate aftermath of Russia's invasion in Ukraine. A 5% increase in September alumina contracts on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, which rose to their highest level since early May due to...

The dollar and oil prices fell on Monday, as a result of hopes for a possible peace agreement between the United States and Iran. This eased fears about inflation and an economic slowdown. By 0845 GMT, the most traded copper contract at the Shanghai Futures Exchange had gained 1.1%, to 105.650 yuan (15,548.76 dollars) per ton. We are hearing some good news about the conflict. Soni Kumari, an ANZ analyst, said that the positive market sentiment is a result of this. The Middle East conflict has caused supply disruptions, which have a negative impact on the demand for base metals....