Trade Reviews

Professional and technical analysis on products and past trades

Brent crude surges above $100 as US-Iran tensions intensify

Brent crude has surged past $100 per barrel as military escalation between the US and Iran, alongside disruptions to Middle Eastern maritime corridors, has renewed concerns over global energy supply risks.

U.S.-Venezuela oil deal reshapes supply as Iran keeps WTI near $95

The U.S. has secured a major position in Venezuela's oil sector, with Washington gaining a 35% stake in NABEP, guaranteed access to 20% of its production at cost and first-refusal rights over the rest. The agreement covers more than 65 billion barrels of proven reserves across 17 fields.

Copper reaches new all-time high amid growing AI industry expansion

Copper futures have reached an all-time high of $6.82 per pound, underpinned by surging demand from artificial intelligence data centres and escalating supply-chain concerns linked to prospective US trade tariffs.

Euro falls amid a sharp slowdown in Eurozone retail sales

The Euro fell to $1.1613 as Eurozone retail sales growth slowed sharply to 0.6% year-on-year (YoY) in July. Concurrently, heightened expectations of a restrictive monetary policy stance by the US Federal Reserve further reinforced the currency’s depreciation.

Week Ahead: Inflation takes center stage again

This week brought a sharper shift in expectations for the ECB, RBNZ and BOJ, while the renewed U.S.-Iran fighting pushed oil back above $90 and kept inflation risks alive. Next week, the focus moves to the ECB meeting, U.S. PPI and CPI, and UK GDP. These releases will matter less for the headline numbers than for what they mean for the next move in interest rates.

GBP/USD rises following accelerating UK services PMI

The GBP/USD pair rose to $1.3525 after the UK Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) expanded to 52.5 in August, supported by growth in service output and reduced expectations of an interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve.

Can LNG shortages and Hormuz push Natural Gas prices higher?

Europe is entering winter with much less gas in storage than traders would normally want, just as the conflict around Iran continues to disrupt one of the world's most important LNG routes. EU storage is only about 65% full, the lowest late-summer level in at least 15 years and well below the roughly 82% five-year average.

US dollar weakens amid disappointing private payrolls data

Disappointing ADP private payrolls data signalled a slowdown in US job growth, weighing on the US Dollar Index. Consequently, market expectations of a Federal Reserve interest rate hike moderated, shifting investor focus towards upcoming official employment and inflation reports.

Can ETF buying offset the Fed's pressure after the $70 rejection?

The rejection near $70 was not simply a technical failure. It came at the same time the dollar strengthened, Treasury yields pushed higher and investors began pricing a more restrictive Federal Reserve after fresh inflation concerns tied to the Middle East. At the same time, ETF investors quietly started rebuilding positions after months of selling, creating a rare split between weaker price momentum and improving investment demand.

Japan’s bond yields hit the 3% mark, adding to BoJ policy challenges; USD/JPY rises

Japanese 10-year bond yields have hit a 30-year high of 3%, intensifying pressure on the Bank of Japan to hike interest rates despite economic weakness. Meanwhile, the USD/JPY pair maintains bullish momentum.