European Stocks Tumble as Iran-Strait of Hormuz Crisis Rattles Global Markets 
Oil Prices Rebound as Iran Denies U.S. Talks, Middle East Tensions Persist 
Bank of Japan Eyes April Rate Hike Despite Inflation Dip, ING Says 
Japan's Private Sector Growth Slows in March Amid Rising Costs and Middle East Uncertainty 
Gold Prices Fall for Tenth Straight Session Amid Iran Uncertainty and Rate Concerns 
Australia-EU Free Trade Deal Signed After Years of Negotiations 
Gold Prices Climb as Middle East Ceasefire Talks Stir Market Optimism 
Asian Stocks Gain Amid Iran Conflict Uncertainty 
Asian Currencies Weaken as Dollar Rebounds Amid Middle East Uncertainty and Japan Inflation Data 
UK Consumer Confidence Weakens Amid Middle East Conflict and Rising Living Costs 
Suspicious Oil Market Trades Precede Trump's Iran Peace Post by 15 Minutes 
Australia's Inflation Eases in February but Core Pressures Persist 
Oil Prices Rebound as Iran Denies U.S. Talks Amid Gulf War Supply Fears 
Wall Street Slides as Iran War Uncertainty, Oil Surge, and AI Fears Rattle Markets 
U.S. Oil Prices Slide as Middle East Ceasefire Talks Spark Market Optimism 
U.S. Stock Futures Steady as Iran Reviews U.S. Ceasefire Proposal 
Oil prices edged slightly higher on Tuesday as investors balanced easing geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran against pressure from a stronger U.S. dollar. The cautious tone in global energy markets followed sharp losses a day earlier, when signals of renewed diplomacy reduced fears of supply disruptions in the Middle East.
Brent crude futures rose modestly by 6 cents, or 0.1%, to trade around $66.36 per barrel in early Asian hours, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained about 0.2% to $62.24 per barrel. Despite the small uptick, crude prices remained under pressure after falling more than 4% on Monday.
The earlier decline came after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was “seriously talking” with Washington, suggesting a possible de-escalation in long-running tensions with the OPEC member. According to Reuters, officials from both countries confirmed that Iran and the U.S. are expected to resume nuclear talks in Turkey later this week. While Trump warned that failure to reach an agreement could have serious consequences, the prospect of dialogue eased immediate concerns about supply risks, weighing on oil prices.
Adding further pressure, the U.S. dollar index hovered near a more-than-one-week high. A firmer dollar typically makes dollar-denominated commodities such as crude oil more expensive for buyers using other currencies, dampening global demand.
On the trade front, markets also reacted to news of a new U.S.-India agreement. Trump announced that Washington would cut tariffs on Indian goods to 18% from 50% in exchange for India halting purchases of Russian oil and reducing trade barriers. India has already begun slowing its imports from Russia, with volumes expected to fall from around 1.2 million barrels per day in January to roughly 800,000 bpd by March. Under the deal, India is expected to increase oil purchases from the U.S. and potentially Venezuela.
Meanwhile, OPEC+ confirmed it would keep oil output unchanged for March. However, the group previously agreed to raise production quotas by about 2.9 million bpd between April and December 2025, a move equivalent to roughly 3% of global oil demand. This planned supply increase continues to shape longer-term oil price expectations.
