Author: Anthony Persuader
Financial Journalist with global coverage.
Oil Prices Edge Higher as US-China Trade Tensions Ease Oil prices rose slightly on Tuesday as easing trade tensions between the United States and China lifted market sentiment, though weak demand projections capped further gains. Brent crude was trading at $61.06 per barrel, up 0.4% from the previous close of $60.80. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also rose 0.5% to $57.18, compared to $56.92 in the prior session. Market sentiment improved after both countries signaled that the tone of their trade negotiations could soften ahead of a planned meeting in South Korea. US President Donald Trump said Monday that…
Rising Energy Costs: 47m Europeans Struggle to Heat Homes As Europe faces rising energy costs and widespread energy poverty, a new report warns that the continent’s energy transition must prioritise social equity and empower local regions to ensure a just and effective shift to climate neutrality. While 47 million people in the European Union (EU) still can’t adequately heat their homes, rising energy costs and the uneven impacts of climate policies are increasing social vulnerability across the continent, according to “The State of Regions and Cities 2025” report. The European Committee of the Regions released its State of Regions and…
British Pound Hold Position as UK GDP Expands Slowly The British pound was stable around $1.34 on Thursday after UK gross domestic product (GDP) data for August came in line with market expectations. UK monthly real GDP is estimated to have grown by 0.1% in August 2025, following a revised fall of 0.1% in July 2025, an economic update from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed. Production grew by 0.4% in August, whereas services showed no growth and construction fell by 0.3% in August 2025. Over the longer term, GDP is estimated to have grown by 1.5% in the…
Euro Rebounds Versus Dollar as France Political Flux Eases The euro bounced back above $1.16 on Wednesday from a low of $1.154 hit as investors welcomed signs of political stabilisation in France following a successful budget presentation. FX data from the previous day showed that the euro against the U.S. dollar (EUR/USD) exchange rate reached a two-month low when it tested the 1.1542 support level. Subsequent attempts to bounce higher failed to move above the 1.1630 level amid declining buying interest, which kept the euro trading lower. As markets priced in Fed rate cuts in October and France’s political stability,…
France’s Persistent Political Turmoil Deepens Fiscal Uncertainty –Fitch France’s latest political turmoil highlights the extent of the political and policy uncertainty stemming from the fractured National Assembly, Fitch Ratings says. According to the rating agency, high uncertainty that limits the scope for substantial fiscal consolidation that could contain France’s high and rising government debt ratio was a key driver of the downgrade of the sovereign rating to ‘A+’/Stable from ‘AA-’/Negative on 12 September. President Emmanuel Macron reappointed Sebastien Lecornu as Prime Minister on 10 October, just four days after Lecornu’s resignation. Lecornu presented his new government’s 2026 budget proposal on…
IEA Cuts Global Oil Demand Forecast by 35,000 bpd The International Energy Agency (IEA) has revised down its forecast for global oil demand growth this year by 35,000 barrels per day (bpd). Global oil demand is now expected to rise by around 710,000 bpd in 2025 compared to last year, reaching 103.84 million bpd, according to the IEA’s October Oil Market Report. The previous report had projected an increase of about 740,000 bpd. Challenging macroeconomic conditions and the electrification of transport were cited among the main factors slowing the pace of oil consumption growth. Oil demand in OECD regions is…
Oil Prices Increase after ‘Not Afraid of’ Trade War Comment Oil prices increased on Monday as renewed tensions between the US and China fuelled worries over global growth and supply chains after Beijing said it was “not afraid of” a trade war in response to President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threats. Brent crude was trading at $63.41 per barrel, up 2.1% from the previous close of $62.08. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) increased by 2.3% to $59.41 from $58.07 in the prior session. The rebound came after Trump on Friday threatened to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese goods and…
British Pound Vs USD Falls as Markets Anticipate UK Tax Hike The British pound – GBP/USD – dropped to $1.33, its lowest in 9 weeks, according to forex market data tracked on Thursday. The exchange rate remained in a tight range as traders continued to focus on the ongoing US government shutdown. It pulled back to a low of 1.3300, down from the September high of 1.3725. Over the past 4 weeks, the cable – British pound vs the US dollar – has lost 1.8%, and in the last 12 months, it increased 1.75%. The pound fell significantly during the…
UN Calls for Overhaul of Global Mining Finance The United Nations (UN) Environment Programme has called for reforms in the financial system, governance, and regulation of mineral exploration and mining to drive sustainable investment and ensure a fair, clean energy transition. UNEP made the call in a new report, “Financing the Responsible Supply of Energy Transition Minerals for Sustainable Development”, which was released on Thursday. The report hosted by its International Resource Panel (IRP), warned that mineral extraction now accounted for 50 per cent of all global raw materials use, up from 31 per cent in 1970. This, it said,…
Euro Slides as Markets React to France Political Deadlock The euro fell more than 0.5% on Monday, slipping below $1.167, its weakest level since September as market reacted to France’s newly appointed Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, resignation The ex-PM tender resignation following President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to retain a largely unchanged cabinet, which drew swift criticism from opposition parties. Lecornu, who took office less than a month ago, faced the daunting challenge of steering a budget through a deeply divided parliament. The upcoming fiscal plan is expected to include unpopular spending cuts and tax hikes aimed at curbing France’s deficit…