Market Insights

In-depth insights on market events and major trades

Real oil price explained: why crude is no longer trading at one global level

In the middle of the Hormuz shock, asking for the “real” oil price sounds simple but quickly becomes misleading. Oil is not trading at one universal number. It is trading across a fractured market where the price depends on the grade of crude, the delivery timing, the location, and whether one is talking about physical barrels moving to refiners or paper barrels trading on financial screens.

Markets are pricing peace, but the inflation risk is still around

U.S. President Donald Trump signaled that a deal could come soon, with talks potentially resuming over the weekend and even suggesting that the current ceasefire may not need extension if progress continues.

17 Apr 2026, 09:12

Japan is caught between inflation pressure and growth risk

Japan is entering a more complicated phase, where external shocks are starting to matter more than domestic policy alone.

16 Apr 2026, 09:10

US–Iran tensions choke the world’s oil artery

The Strait of Hormuz has always been critical, but the latest disruption shows just how fragile the global energy system really is. China sending five ships stands out not for its scale, but for how limited activity has become. The strait is not fully closed, but it is far from functioning normally.

15 Apr 2026, 09:25

US market caught between rates and risk

From March 18 through to the end of the month, flows turned decisively negative, with a sustained stretch of net outflows and several days exceeding $10bn. This was not simply profit-taking it aligned with a broader repricing of macro risk.

ECB faces a new inflation challenge

The European Central Bank is once again at the center of market attention as inflation in the euro area shows signs of reacceleration. Preliminary data for March put headline inflation at 2.5%, while the increase is not dramatic, the drivers behind it are more concerned.

How to trade and invest in gold in the UAE: A beginner’s guide

Gold is widely known as a safe-haven asset and store of value during economic uncertainty. In the UAE, investors can access gold through physical bullion, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), contracts for difference (CFDs) and futures.

DXY surges as fed tone turns hawkish

The US Dollar Index has pushed to its highest level since 11 months, as global markets shift back toward safety, the dollar is being supported by a combination of geopolitical tension, rising energy prices, and a more hawkish Federal Reserve.

Silver caught between structural demand and macro pressure

Silver is moving through a complicated phase. On one side, the long-term story remains strong, driven by technology, clean energy, and industrial demand. On the other hand, short-term market behaviour is being shaped by geopolitics, oil prices, and stronger dollar factors that are pulling attention away from metals.

Gold fails its haven test — now markets are questioning central bank demand

Gold’s sharp pullback since the Iran conflict began has exposed a familiar truth about the metal: in moments of stress, it can behave less like a sanctuary and more like a source of liquidity. That pattern is not new. What is new is the possibility that central banks — the dominant buyers of the past several years — may begin using parts of their gold stockpiles to fund rising energy and defense costs, potentially changing the market’s structure from a one-way accumulation story into a more bala