China Factory PMI Seen Returning to Growth in June as AI Export Demand Supports Economy 
Trump Questions Housing Bill as He Prioritizes SAVE America Act 
China Manufacturing PMI Edges Higher in June as Exports and AI Investment Boost Growth 
Trump Urges Gasoline Retailers to Cut Prices to $2.50 Per Gallon, Warns of Legal Action 
Canada Grants C$7 Million to Greenland Molybdenum Mine to Strengthen Critical Minerals Supply 
Trump Suspends Some Morocco Fertilizer Tariffs to Ease U.S. Supply Shortage 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.-Iran Peace Talks and Strait of Hormuz Risks Keep Markets on Edge 
RBA Minutes Signal Australia Central Bank Remains Ready to Raise Interest Rates if Inflation Persists 
US Stock Futures Rise as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Market Sentiment 
Asian Stocks Slip as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Lift Oil, Dollar Strength Persists 
Yen Falls to 40-Year Low as Markets Watch Japan Intervention and U.S. Jobs Report 
Argentina Economy Shrinks 1.5% in April, Recovery Under Milei Loses Momentum 
Gold Price Ends Lower for Fourth Week Despite Rebound as Fed Rate Hike Bets Strengthen 
Gold Price Hits Annual Low as Fed Rate Hike Bets and Sticky Inflation Weigh on Bullion 
Gold Price Falls as Fed Rate Hike Fears and U.S.-Iran Tensions Weigh on Bullion 
China Expands Export Controls, Adds 20 Japanese Companies to Restricted List 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
Global financial markets were rattled Monday after the United States announced a blockade on Iranian shipping following the breakdown of weekend peace negotiations. The decision has renewed fears over Middle East energy supply disruptions, sending oil prices sharply higher while stocks and bonds across Asia and Europe declined.
Brent crude futures climbed 7.3% to $102 per barrel, reflecting deep investor concern over the potential long-term impact on global energy supplies. The move effectively eliminates up to 2 million barrels of Iranian-linked oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane. MST Marquee analyst Saul Kavonic warned that if the U.S. escalates further with strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, the consequences for regional oil output could extend well beyond the duration of the conflict.
U.S. equity futures dropped 0.7%, while European futures fell 1.3%. Asian stock markets in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, and Sydney each declined roughly 1%. In bond markets, Japan's 10-year yield reached a 29-year peak of 2.49%, signaling growing inflation anxiety among investors. The U.S. dollar strengthened, with the euro dipping to around $1.1687, as traders shifted toward safer assets.
President Trump acknowledged on Sunday that elevated oil and gasoline prices could persist through the November midterm elections, highlighting the domestic political stakes tied to the ongoing crisis. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump and his advisers were considering limited military strikes on Iran, though no action had been confirmed.
Economists and market strategists warn that sustained high energy prices could force central banks in Europe and the U.K. to pivot toward interest rate hikes, reversing earlier expectations of rate cuts. Meanwhile, political developments in Hungary, where nationalist leader Viktor Orban lost power to a centre-right coalition, could unlock long-delayed EU funding for both Hungary and Ukraine.
