Market Update

Oil prices on Monday hit their highest level in more than seven years amid fears that a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine could trigger sanctions from the United States and Europe and disrupt energy exports from the world’s largest producer. Brent crude futures were at $56.95 a barrel by 0235 …

Japan’s Nikkei index fell on Monday to its lowest level in three weeks, pushed down by technology shares on investor concerns about growing tensions surrounding Ukraine and rising inflation risks in the United States. The Nikkei index lost 2.23 percent to close at 27,079.59 points, the most significant daily percentage …

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia escalated all along the five trading days. This was sending markets into a flux with the usual risk assets and currencies responding in a mixed manner. There was news that a Russian attack on Ukraine could begin any day and would likely start with air …

The US Treasury yields have been declining since the beginning of the daily trading on Friday, after consumer confidence data and their negative impact on the future of the US economy and economic recovery.Economic DataAccording to the University of Michigan’s preliminary February Consumer survey, the Consumer Sentiment Index fell to …

On Friday, US equities dropped sharply as recent geopolitical chatter linked to the Ukraine – Russia conflict. US news sources said that a Russian invasion of Ukraine was imminent, spurred a flight to safe-haven assets. As the New York session ends, the S&P 500 drops 2.05%, at 4,410.85. The Dow …

During the North American session, the USD/JPY nose-dives as the Ukraine – Russia conflict escalates, on reports that Russia would attack Ukraine in the following week. The USD/JPY pair is now trading at 115.19.On the news headlines, the USD/JPY collapsed from 115.80 towards a daily low at 115.00, where the …

Front-month WTI futures saw an abrupt surge in recent trade from around the $92.00 per barrel level to as high as the $94.60s to print fresh highs since September 2014. The spike occurred as traders upped the amount of geopolitical risk premia embedded in oil prices in response to US …

The count of active drilling rigs in the U.S. surged by 22 to 635, 60% above year-ago levels, according to the latest weekly survey from Baker Hughes. U.S. crude oil rigs jumped by 19 to 516 while gas rigs gained 2 to 118, with one rig unspecified; rigs targeting oil …

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Friday that we are in the window where a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin at any time and could happen during the Beijing winter Olympics.The US believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin has decided to invade Ukraine and already communicated those …

Federal Reserve officials are in no rush to raise interest rates prior to their scheduled policy meeting next month, nor is a half percentage-point move in March yet likely, despite a bigger-than-expected jump in consumer prices that stoked speculation about such options.Mere hours after yesterday’s CPI showed a bigger-than-expected inflation …