The recent killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani by the U.S. and the subsequent Iranian attack on Iraqi military bases housing U.S. soldiers have once again brought geopolitical risks to the forefront of oil markets. Given the global oil market has been in a deficit and nearly all spare capacityRead More →
Gold’s haven appeal amid mounting U.S.-Iran tensions and uncertainty in the Middle East could turn sour following the precious metal’s recent price rally to near seven year highs. “The geopolitical instability is adding fuel to the fire,” said Maria Smirnova, senior portfolio manager at Sprott Asset Management, following a sharpRead More →
Asian markets retreated in early trading Wednesday amid new uncertainty involving Brexit and Hong Kong. On Tuesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won Parliament’s backing for the substance of his exit deal but lost a key vote on its timing, a result that inches him closer to his goal ofRead More →
NFIB Small Business Optimism Small business optimism remains relatively strong, but it has been losing strength over the past year, falling 1.3 points to 101.8 in September. The primary cause is uncertainty over trade policy and tariffs, which should come as no surprise. This is negatively impacting capital spending plans.Read More →
Catherine Kress: Markets are sending pretty mixed signals. At the end of 2018, we saw a downturn, yet in the first half of 2019, we’ve seen the stock market rally against a backdrop of incredible volatility in the international environment. This geopolitical whiplash looks set to continue with the 2020Read More →
U.S. Treasury prices rose Thursday, pulling yields lower, after two oil tankers came under attack in the Gulf of Oman, a key shipping artery for oil products. What are Treasurys doing? The 10-year Treasury note yield TMUBMUSD10Y, -0.17% edged lower by 1.4 basis points to 2.115%. The 2-year noteRead More →
Asian markets were mixed in early trading Thursday, tracking Wall Street’s lackluster trading day. Markets largely shrugged off a report that the U.S. and China may sign a long-negotiated trade deal in late May or early June, as well of claims that North Korea test-fired a new tactical guided weapon,Read More →
Asian stocks were mixed in early trading Thursday as investors remained cautious amid a spate of worldwide geopolitical concerns, including President Donald Trump’s summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, U.S.-China trade talks, testimony by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, Brexit and conflict between India and Pakistan. Japan’s NikkeiRead More →
Europe’s markets were down on Wednesday, as escalating geopolitical tensions between Pakistan and India heightened investor fears. Markets were also waiting for the second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to kick off in Vietnam’s capital. Metro Bank PLC tumbled by 20%. How areRead More →
