Gold fell on Monday after hitting its highest level in more than eight months, as demand for safe havens waned after the US and Russian presidents announced their intention to hold a summit on the Ukraine crisis, and the metal came under further pressure from an expected interest rate hike …
Read More »Gold Hits $1900 As Russia-NATO Tensions Boil
The Gold Index (XAU/USD) hit $1900 per ounce for the first time since June 2021 on Thursday, taking its on-the-day gains to more than 1.5% as geopolitical tensions between Russia, Ukraine and NATO simmer, stimulating demand for safe-haven assets.Gold now trades more than 2.0% higher on the week, taking its …
Read More »Oil Prices Fall Amid Fears of US Inflation
Oil prices fell on Friday as rising inflation in the United States stoked fears of a major interest rate hike as investors awaited the outcome of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran that could increase the global supply of crude. Brent crude futures were down 58 cents, or …
Read More »Oil Briefly Rises On Lower Inventories, OPEC’s Demand Forecast
An aggressive OPEC report on global demand and a drop across the board in US petroleum inventories pushed oil prices higher on Thursday. Total US commercial crude oil inventories are now just over 410 million barrels. Oil prices reversed earlier losses to rise early on Thursday, following a bullish OPEC …
Read More »US ISM Service, Scarcity Weighing On Production
Data released on Thursday showed the ISM Service Index dropped to the lowest level in 11 months in January. Analysts at Wells Fargo point out it reflects how a lack of available workers and persistent supply shortages “are weighing on firms’ ability to keep up with activity in the service …
Read More »WTI Surges Above $90.00 For The First Time Since 2014
Front-month WTI futures surged above the $90.00 level for the first time since 2014 in recent trade on Thursday, taking their on-the-day gains to more than $2.0, which would mark the best one-day performance in three weeks. No specific one fundamental catalyst can be singled out as behind the recent …
Read More »WTI Slightly Eases After Printing Fresh Highs
Front-month WTI futures touched fresh seven-year peaks on Friday, reaching $88.82 for the first time since October 2014, before pulling back somewhat to just below $88.00 again. Still, that leaves WTI trading more than 50 cents higher on the session and about $3.0 higher on the week. WTI is on …
Read More »Fed’s Evans expects four rate hikes in 2022 if inflation doesn’t abate
Chicago Federal Reserve President Charles Evans said on Thursday that three rate hikes in 2022 would be a good “opening bid”, though it could be four if inflation doesn’t improve fast enough.Evans added that he is reluctant to declare that the US has reached full employment, but that inflation is …
Read More »Key Global Drivers Will Continue Pushing Commodities In 2022
A quick look at central bank and government policies in the wake of the pandemic will easily help conclude that there is a highly bullish trend for commodity prices. In early 2020, when the pandemic caused selling in markets across all asset classes, there was a warning that quantitative easing, …
Read More »Will Momentum of Commodities Continue In 2022?
So far, commodities have been the best performing asset class in 2021 amid record high prices, but will rising interest rates next year hold back the momentum of this investment?The sped-up tapering is signaling steeper interest rate hikes over the next two years, consequently, this will add to the US …
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