Oil prices soared on Wednesday as tensions in the Middle East worsened. The US and Iran hit several oil tankers while the Houthis attacked oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, market participants are watching incoming US data for clues on the Fed’s monetary policy path. Oil futures (Source: ICE, Nymex) The new conflict between the Read More…
Fundamental Analysis
Gold Recovers as Markets Brace for US CPI Report
Gold fell on Tuesday, extending its decline from the previous session after an upbeat US jobs report increased Fed rate-hike expectations. At the same time, rising geopolitical tensions increased inflation worries. It recovered early Wednesday as market participants geared up for the US CPI report. Since last week, tensions in the Middle East have driven Read More…
Equities Flat as Geopolitical Risks and Strong Payrolls Shape Sentiment
Equities ended last week nearly flat as prices oscillated amid geopolitical tensions and US economic data. The conflict between the US and Iran escalated during the week, sending oil prices back above $90 a barrel. Meanwhile, non-farm payroll data on Friday revealed a robust labor market that gives the Fed room to hike interest rates. Read More…
Currency Futures Gain as Dollar Struggles on Labor Day
Currency futures edged higher on Monday as the dollar struggled to hold Friday’s gains, as the US marked Labor Day. The non-farm payrolls report out last week revealed robust job growth, beating forecasts and increasing expectations for a Fed rate hike. At the same time, inflation worries intensified as Middle East tensions worsened last week. Read More…
Interest Futures Rebound on Dovish Fed Signals, Downside Risks Remain
Interest futures recovered on Thursday after slightly dovish Fed remarks sent Treasury yields lower. However, underlying fundamentals still point to further downside. Tensions in the Middle East have sent oil prices higher, rekindling inflation worries. As a result, Fed rate hike bets have increased significantly from a week ago. The recent collapse in the bond Read More…
Oil Jumps to July Highs as US-Iran Conflict Escalates
Oil prices soared to levels last seen in July as tensions in the Middle East escalated. After pausing for almost a month, the US and Iran were back to missile and drone attacks






