China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
Oil Prices Surge Toward Biggest Monthly Gains in Years Amid Middle East Tensions 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
Indonesia Stocks Face Fragile Sentiment After MSCI Warning and Market Rout 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Oil prices hovered near two-week highs on Monday as global markets anticipated a possible U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cut that could boost economic growth and strengthen energy demand. Brent crude futures edged up 4 cents to $63.79 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 7 cents to $60.15 a barrel during early Asian trading. Both benchmarks ended Friday at their highest levels since November 18, reflecting improving market sentiment.
Investor expectations are firmly tilted toward a quarter-point rate cut, with LSEG data showing an 84% probability ahead of the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting. However, analysts warn that the decision may be one of the most divisive in recent years, making the central bank’s forward guidance especially critical for commodity markets.
Geopolitical tensions continue to add uncertainty to global oil supply. Progress in Ukraine peace negotiations remains slow, with major disagreements over security guarantees for Kyiv and the status of Russian-occupied regions. According to ANZ analysts, the outcomes of these discussions—and former President Donald Trump’s push to influence negotiations—could shift global oil supply by more than 2 million barrels per day, depending on how the conflict evolves.
Additional pressure is coming from Western policy discussions, as the Group of Seven nations and the European Union consider replacing the existing price cap on Russian oil with a full maritime services ban. Such a move could significantly restrict exports from Russia, the world’s second-largest oil producer.
At the same time, Washington has intensified its stance against Venezuela, targeting alleged drug-smuggling operations and issuing threats of military action against President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Meanwhile, Chinese independent refiners have increased purchases of sanctioned Iranian crude, using newly issued import quotas to draw from onshore storage and help ease an ongoing supply overhang.
These combined economic and geopolitical forces continue to shape a volatile but upward-leaning outlook for global oil markets.
