Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
U.S. Imposes 25% Tariff on Select Brazilian Imports After Section 301 Trade Investigation 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
China Trade Surplus Hits $125.6 Billion as June Exports, Imports Smash Forecasts 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Gold Prices Slip as Oil Rally Fuels Inflation Fears, Strengthens Dollar 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
Asian Stocks Slide as Oil Surge, U.S.-Iran Tensions and Fed Rate Bets Weigh on Markets 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Goldman Sees Foreign Investors Driving India Stock Market Recovery 
Oil prices extended their decline in Asian trading on Monday, pressured by weak demand outlooks and expectations of an oversupplied market. Despite geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, both Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures remained near five-month lows.
Brent crude for December delivery slipped 0.3% to $61.11 per barrel, while WTI fell 0.4% to $57.33 per barrel by 20:40 ET (00:40 GMT). Both benchmarks dropped over 2% last week, reflecting continued market pessimism over global energy demand.
Although hostilities flared between Israel and Hamas over the weekend, oil prices saw limited upside. Israel confirmed the resumption of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza after retaliatory attacks left two Israeli soldiers and nearly 30 Palestinians dead. The truce, originally agreed upon in early October, had already dampened oil’s risk premium by reducing fears of broader regional disruption.
Investor focus also shifted to U.S. diplomatic efforts to mediate ceasefires between Russia and Ukraine, and renewed trade tensions between Washington and Beijing. These global uncertainties have compounded existing worries about slowing consumption and growing inventories.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently issued a bearish outlook, warning that consistent production hikes by OPEC and its allies could trigger a supply overhang as early as 2026. Meanwhile, sluggish economic data from top oil importer China, including the upcoming third-quarter GDP report, added to fears of softening demand.
In the U.S., the ongoing government shutdown has delayed key economic data releases and weighed on local fuel demand. Despite occasional support from conciliatory U.S.-China statements, traders remain cautious as rising output and weakening consumption threaten to deepen the oil market’s downturn.
