US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Trump Questions USMCA Renewal as Trade Talks Continue 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as USD/JPY Nears 161 Amid Yen Weakness 
Asian Stocks Advance as Nikkei Nears Record High Ahead of Fed Decision 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Dollar Surges After Fed Holds Rates Steady, Signals Potential Tightening Ahead 
ASX Proposes New Share Dilution Limits for Public Takeovers 
Asian Stocks Rally as Japan and South Korea Reach Record Highs on US-Iran Peace Deal 
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Signals Policy Overhaul as Hawkish Rate Outlook Rattles Markets 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
Global oil prices edged lower on Wednesday morning after data from the American Petroleum Institute revealed a significant build in U.S. crude stockpiles, putting downward pressure on markets already navigating complex geopolitical developments across the Middle East.
Brent crude futures slipped $1.15, or 1.11%, to $102.27 per barrel in early trading, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate fell $1.54, or 1.6%, settling at $94.67 per barrel. The decline came after API figures indicated that American crude inventories climbed by approximately 6.56 million barrels for the week ending March 13 — far exceeding a Reuters analyst poll that had projected a modest increase of around 380,000 barrels.
On the supply side, developments in the Middle East offered a mixed picture. Iraq's oil minister announced that Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government struck a deal to resume crude exports through Turkey's Ceyhan energy hub, with flows expected to begin Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, Libya's National Oil Corporation confirmed that production at the Sharara oilfield continued uninterrupted after a fire prompted operators to reroute output through alternative pipelines, with no injuries reported.
Escalating tensions between Iran and Israel added another layer of uncertainty to global energy markets. Tehran confirmed the death of senior security official Ali Larijani, attributed to an Israeli strike, marking one of the most high-profile casualties since the onset of the U.S.-Israeli conflict. Separately, the U.S. military conducted strikes on Iranian coastal positions near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, citing threats to international shipping from Iranian anti-ship missiles.
Despite the heightened regional tension, some market analysts interpreted these developments as potential signals of a faster resolution to the conflict. Mingyu Gao, chief energy researcher at China Futures, noted that recent events near the Strait of Hormuz have sparked cautious optimism that hostilities could wind down sooner than anticipated.
