Gold Prices Pull Back After Record Highs as January Rally Remains Strong 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
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 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
Wall Street Slips as Tech Stocks Slide on AI Spending Fears and Earnings Concerns 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
Asian Stocks Waver as Trump Signals Fed Pick, Shutdown Deal and Tech Earnings Stir Markets 
Oil prices edged lower during Asian trading on Tuesday as investors remained focused on expectations of a global oil supply glut in 2026, while closely monitoring developments in Russia-Ukraine ceasefire negotiations. The potential for increased global crude supply continued to outweigh concerns around geopolitical disruptions, keeping oil markets under pressure.
Brent crude futures for February declined 0.5% to $60.28 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 0.4% to $56.42 per barrel. The modest losses came as traders largely shrugged off rising tensions involving Venezuela, despite the United States increasing its scrutiny of the country’s oil exports. Washington recently seized a tanker transporting Venezuelan crude, yet markets showed limited reaction, suggesting supply concerns elsewhere are more influential.
A major focus for oil traders remains the U.S.-brokered ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine. Any meaningful progress toward ending the nearly four-year conflict could eventually lead to a relaxation of U.S. and Western sanctions on Russian oil. Such a move would likely free up additional Russian crude exports, adding to global supply and reinforcing fears of oversupply next year. While U.S. officials have hinted at some diplomatic progress, including Ukraine’s willingness to reconsider NATO ambitions, critical issues such as territorial concessions remain unresolved, and Moscow has offered little indication of an imminent agreement.
Beyond geopolitics, oil markets are also bracing for key U.S. economic data releases later this week, including nonfarm payrolls and consumer inflation figures. These indicators are expected to provide further insight into the health of the U.S. economy and the future path of interest rates, both of which can influence energy demand and commodity prices.
Meanwhile, forecasts from major industry bodies such as OPEC and the International Energy Agency continue to point toward rising oil supplies and slower demand growth in 2026. This outlook has overshadowed escalating U.S.-Venezuela tensions, including reports of a cyberattack on Venezuela’s state oil firm PDVSA and rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting possible land operations. For now, concerns over long-term supply dynamics remain the dominant force shaping oil price movements.
