Australia Unemployment Hits Five-Year High Despite Strong Jobs Growth 
Gold Holds Near $4,275 as Rising Treasury Yields Fuel Fed Rate Hike Bets 
Canadian Dollar Faces Pressure as Fed-BoC Policy Gap Widens 
Gold Prices Fall as Treasury Yields Rise on Fed Rate Hike Bets 
Asian Currencies Mixed as Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High 
Japanese Bank Stocks Surge as Bond Yields Fuel Rate Hike Bets 
Trump, Xi Focus on Trade and AI at White House Summit 
Asian Stocks Fall as Bond Yields Surge Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit 
US Stock Futures Fall as Treasury Yields Surge Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit 
Soybean Futures Slip as Traders Await Trump-Xi Trade Signals 
Mexico-US Trade Talks Delayed to October as Tariff Negotiations Continue 
China Agrees to Buy 20 Million Tons of U.S. Coal 
U.S. Dollar Hits Two-Month High as Oil, Treasury Yields Surge 
RBI Uses $10 Billion Currency Swaps to Drain Excess Rupee Liquidity 
Japanese Yen Rebounds as Trump Flags Currency Weakness 
Oil Prices Jump 3% as Houthi Attack Revives Supply Fears 
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Oil prices climbed on Thursday as optimism over U.S. trade negotiations and a significant decline in crude inventories boosted market sentiment. Brent crude futures rose 0.4% to $68.75 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained 0.4% to $65.50.
The increase follows President Donald Trump’s tariff agreement with Japan, which lowers auto import duties and includes a $550 billion U.S.-bound investment package. Analysts say progress in U.S.-EU trade talks, which may include a 15% baseline tariff with potential exemptions, is also improving risk appetite. However, ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions and unresolved Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations continue to cap further gains.
U.S. Energy Information Administration data showed crude inventories fell by 3.2 million barrels to 419 million last week, surpassing expectations of a 1.6 million-barrel draw. This stronger-than-expected decline eased supply concerns, supporting price stability.
Geopolitical risks remain in focus, with Russia and Ukraine engaging in talks over prisoner swaps but failing to bridge differences on a ceasefire. Additionally, foreign oil tankers were temporarily barred from loading at Russia’s Black Sea ports due to new regulations, disrupting exports from Kazakhstan via a consortium partly owned by U.S. energy companies.
The U.S. energy secretary indicated Washington may consider sanctioning Russian oil to pressure Moscow, while the European Union recently approved its 18th sanctions package, including a reduced price cap on Russian crude.
Analysts forecast WTI prices will remain range-bound between $60 and $70 in the near term, as traders weigh supply-side factors and geopolitical developments impacting global energy markets.
