Western Europe

The oil prices remained steady?on Tuesday? at a level higher than a week ago?despite fading hopes of an agreement between the U.S.A. and Iran that would end their war and open the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump demanded damages for the U.S. Brent crude futures remained flat at $87.81 per barrel at 0013 GMT. U.S. West Texas intermediate crude?futures stayed at $82.20 per barrel. Both benchmarks rose by more than 5% Monday, reaching their highest level since July 31. Trump's response to Iran’s conditions for a deal was to demand that Iran pay compensation for those killed in...

Asian share markets followed Wall Street's lead on Monday, after a weak U.S. employment report reduced the risk of an increase in borrowing costs near-term. However, a lackluster progress in Gulf peace negotiations saw oil prices rise. Iran said?on Sunday? that an agreement with Oman to define new shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz is in its final stages. However, it reiterated that this waterway will only be reopened once the United States meets other conditions. Brent crude increased 0.6% to $84.04 per barrel, as the shipping volume through this vital waterway was minimal. U.S. crude climbed 0.5% to...

Wayne Cole gives us a look at what the day will bring for European and global markets. Asian stocks are mostly higher following the Wall Street rally on Friday, but European share futures are down as oil prices rise amid confusion about the Strait of Hormuz. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed over the weekend that the'strait' would become "irrelevant", as oil will eventually be redirected via pipelines. This gave analysts the impression that the White House is trying to wash their hands of this whole matter. Iran announced on Sunday that it was nearing completion of a deal to define...

The global stock market is on track for its biggest weekly gain since the beginning of May, after a weaker than expected U.S. job report eased concerns about an imminent Federal Reserve interest rate hike. Meanwhile, strong earnings and AI enthusiasm overshadowed concerns about the Iran War. U.S. stock prices opened higher on the Friday, and Treasury yields dropped. This reflects a waning expectation that the Fed would raise rates next month. The Nasdaq gained 0.7% during early trading, while the dollar dropped. This gave the Japanese yen some relief. The yen rose to 157.20 against the dollar, after previously...

Are you looking for inspiration? Weekend Reads?reports on what the Open Interest team is reading, watching and listening to every Friday. This week, the picks focus on America's reliance upon Chinese goods, U.S.?overheating?, geothermal energy, green steel, and risks emanating from bond market. We're reading this 'weekend'... MIKE DOLAN. ROI Finance & Markets columnist. Mary Lovely and Christine Wan from Washington's Peterson Institute discuss how U.S. Policymakers have not made much progress in reducing America’s dependency on Chinese goods and services despite many years of effort. Direct trade declined sharply over the seven-year period from 2010 to 2024. However, direct...

Stella Qiu gives us a look at what the future holds for European and global markets. The markets are mostly in a holding pattern, as traders have stayed on the sidelines ahead of a U.S. Payrolls Report that is notoriously difficult to predict from month to month. The stakes could not be higher, as the markets are unable to decide what the Federal Reserve's next move will be. A rate hike of about 54% is priced in, which makes it a coin flip. This is exactly the type of ambiguity that new Chair Kevin Warsh enjoys cultivating. There is a...

Oil prices rose on Friday as concerns grew over the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and Oman proposed banning hostile vessels from the Strait of Hormuz, while imposing heavy fines for those who violated these rules. Brent crude futures rose by?80 cents, or 0.97 percent, to $83.29 per barrel at 0303 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Futures rose 64 cents or 0.83% to $77.93. Oil futures settled at $3.03 a barrel as Iran considered a bill that would ban U.S. vessels and Israeli vessels from entering the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of world oil and LNG...

Investors cautiously awaited signs of progress in the U.S. Iran peace 'deal' and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures dropped 33 cents or 0.42% to $79.12 per barrel at 0418 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Futures fell 42 cents or 0.56% to $74.80 per barrel. Brent settled slightly higher on Wednesday while WTI edged down. Iran and Oman reached an agreement on the geographic coordinates of a shipping route that would pass through the Strait of Hormuz. A joint announcement is being finalised if certain third parties do not interfere. Yuki Takashima is an economist with...

Investors weighed whether the progress of Iran-Oman talks could pave the path for a U.S. and Iran peace deal to end the five-month conflict and reopen Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude futures fell 37 cents or 0.5% to $79.08 per barrel at 0024 GMT. ?U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures fell 53 cents or 0.7% to $74.69 per barrel. Brent prices were slightly higher on Wednesday while WTI was a little lower. Yuki Takashima is an economist at Nomura Securities. She said that there was some selling pressure following reports of progress in the talks between Iran and Oman. Investors are...

The major stock indexes were mixed on Wednesday. SpaceX shares and Advanced Micro Devices declined, and U.S. oil prices eased as signs of progress towards a peace agreement with Iran emerged. Two?regional? officials and a senior Iranian source said that a proposed agreement between Iran, Oman and the United States to end the five-month war between Iran and America would give Tehran control of ships entering the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz. This is one of the largest concessions to Iran yet. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Futures dropped 55 cents or 0.73% to $75.22 per barrel. Brent crude futures...

The Asian stock market jumped Wednesday as Wall Street reached record highs on the back of robust earnings, and a renewed interest in tech. Meanwhile, oil prices and bond yields fell on hopes of progress regarding opening of the Strait of Hormuz. Japan's Nikkei rose 3.5% as more evidence of the huge sums spent on 'AI?capex was revealed, while South Korea maintained its wild swings and rose 4.3%. The broadest MSCI index of Asia-Pacific stocks outside Japan rose by 2.3% while blue chips in China gained 1.5%. The rally in tech came despite AMD's setback. AMD fell 8.8% following hours,...

After steep drops in the two previous trading sessions, oil prices continued to 'decline' on Wednesday as investors waited for signs that efforts to end the?Iran war and restore traffic through the blockaded Strait of Hormuz were making progress. Brent crude futures fell 92 cents or 1.2% to $78.44 per barrel at 0330 GMT. The price has fallen by more than 12% this week. U.S. West Texas Intermediate Futures fell $1.07 or 1.4% to $74.70 per barrel, and are down over 11% for the week. Qatar announced on Tuesday that mediators are making progress to end the conflict, which is...

Aluminum?prices rose to a seven week high on Tuesday, as 'concerns about supply from the Gulf coincided wth Norsk Hydro announcing a reduction in feedstock production?at?its Brazilian facility. Benchmark three-month "aluminum" on the London Metal Exchange rose 1.9% at 0850 GMT to $3,378.50 per metric ton, after reaching $3,382.5 as its highest level since June 22. Aluminum extended its gains for a seventh session in a row after Norsk Hydro announced that its Alunorte facility in Brazil had reduced alumina production to 50% of its capacity due to the reduction of natural gas supply. The plant's annual production capacity is...

The Russian Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday that it had carried out overnight strikes on military-related transport and logistics centres located in Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. It also said its forces struck a major steel and iron works in Zaporizhzhia which was aiding Ukraine's efforts in Zaporizhzhia. The Ukrainian government said that the 'attacks' had caused the deaths of six people in Zaporizhzhia, in the south-east and 20 injuries in Kyiv. ?Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians. The Russian Defence Ministry announced that it had struck a sorting facility in Kyiv, which, according to the ministry, was responsible for storing...

Investors focused on inflation data to get clues about the U.S. rate outlook. Gold spot was down 0.3% at $4,374.82 an ounce as of 0548 GMT after reaching its highest level in the session since June 5, $4,434.82. U.S. Gold Futures increased 0.4% to $4435.00. Ahmad Assiri is a Research Strategist for Pepperstone. He said that the move higher in gold's early session trading above $4,400 was primarily driven by renewed flows and a noticeable shift in metal market sentiment. If?this change of sentiment continues to attract more flows, this could be an important factor in determining if gold can...

Gold prices fell on Monday due to a stronger dollar and investors awaiting key U.S. data about inflation that could influence expectations of the Federal Reserve. By 09:33 am EDT (1333 GMT), spot gold had fallen 0.2%, to $4335.27 an ounce. After an unexpected decline in U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls, it reached its highest level since Friday. U.S. Gold Futures dropped 0.1% to $4,394.00. Jim Wyckoff is a market analyst at American Gold Exchange. He said, "Gold is under pressure from the firm dollar index today and is taking a break?ahead?of a key inflation report due later this week." Dollar-priced gold...

Aluminium prices rose on Monday for the sixth consecutive day, reaching their highest level in nearly seven weeks, as exchange inventories continue to deplete. Open outcry activity on the benchmark?three-month aluminum at the?London Metal Exchange increased by?1.2% to $3,320 per metric tonne. The price of aluminium on the London Metal Exchange had earlier reached $3,336.50 - its highest level since June 23. Ewa Mnthey, ING commodities analyst, said that the recent rally of copper, which reached a six-month peak last week, has reinforced a bullish sentiment in industrial metals. She added that "Aluminium fundamentals are still supportive with low exchange...

Gold prices fell on Monday, despite hitting a seven-week peak in the previous session. The stronger dollar was to blame, and investors are looking forward to inflation data, which will provide new clues about the policy direction of central banks. As of 1122 GMT, spot gold was down 0.2% to $4,332.68 an ounce. After weak U.S. payroll data, prices hit their highest level since June 17, on Friday. U.S. Gold Futures dropped 0.2% on Monday to $4,391.60. Dollar gained 0.2% making greenback bullion prices more expensive for holders of other currencies. Gold remains capped by the U.S. - Iran conflict...

Gold prices fell on Monday, as investors took profits following a seven-week high. Meanwhile, markets waited for new clues from U.S. inflation figures to determine the Federal Reserve's rate policy. As of 0200 GMT, spot gold was down 0.5% to $4,322.28 an ounce. After a weaker than expected?U.S. jobs data. U.S. Gold futures dropped 0.4% on Monday to $4,381.60. Gold is slightly lower as it succumbs a little to profit-taking after last week's NFP-inspired gains. This is more of a natural stabilisation than a significant shift in sentiment. I expect gold will remain above $4,300 in the near term. The...

India's Titan reported on Friday a 63% increase in its?quarterly profits as the demand for jewellery remained strong, store footfalls increased and gold prices rose. As they expand rapidly across India, which is the second largest consumer of gold in the world, large jewellery chains such as Kalyan Jewellers (Titan's Tanishq) and CaratLane (CaratLane by Titan) are gaining customers from smaller independent jewellers. Titan Jewellers is the largest jeweller in Canada, both by store count and revenue. At the end of June, Titan Eye+ eyewear stores and Fastrack watches stores had 3,680 outlets, up from 3,322 at the same time...

The price of copper remained above $14,000 on Friday, as tighter inventories and?supply worries put the metal in a position to have its best week in nearly three months. Traders?awaited the news from the?mining panel convened by the?U.S. Donald Trump, President of the United States. In official open outcry, benchmark three-month copper at the London Metal Exchange fell 0.1% to $14.090 per metric ton. The copper price was set to end the week with a 2.2% gain, its biggest weekly gain since the week of?May 8th. LME copper reached a six-month peak of $14,369.50 after reports that the Democratic Republic...

Thyssenkrupp shareholders will vote on Friday,?Feb. 14, on the proposal to spin off the materials trading division of the German conglomerate, which is its largest sales division. This is the latest step taken by the German conglomerate in order to streamline its complex structure. Thyssenkrupp would continue its overhaul by spinning off 49% of tk-accelis, which is a wholesaler of raw materials like steel and alloys and operates warehouses for them. Separate listings of the?hydrogen and defence divisions were made in recent years. Investors will vote on the matter at an "extraordinary general meeting" later on Friday. The move could...

Thyssenkrupp shareholders will vote on Friday on the proposed spin-off of the materials trading division. This is the largest division based on sales in the German conglomerate. Thyssenkrupp would continue its overhaul by separating the?hydrogen division and defence division in recent years. Investors are expected to vote on the issue at an extraordinary meeting on Friday. Analysts at Jefferies believe that tk Accelis, which has around 15,500 employees, is active across 30 countries, and generated sales of EUR11.4billion in the past fiscal year, could achieve an enterprise worth of EUR3.6billion ($4.2billion). During a capital market day held last month, tk...

James Hardie increased its annual earnings forecast on Friday. It cited synergies from its acquisition of AZEK and manufacturing efficiencies, as well as strong execution across its businesses. The company also reported a 54% increase in its first-quarter profits. As affordability restrictions in the?U.S. grew, pressure was put on the company's Siding & Trim division. New construction activity slowed and distributor inventories were high. The company's previous forecast was $5.25 to $5.41 Billion. It now expects a net sales of $5.56 to $5.72 Billion in 2027. It also raised its forecasted adjusted earnings before taxes, depreciation, and?amortization for the year...