Help
Market Minutes
Read snapshots of the latest market news
Europe stocks rebound on hopes of Middle East de-escalation
The conflict in the Middle East has experienced a momentary de-escalation, leading to a potential normalisation of energy prices. Consequently, European equity markets closed with significant recoveries, while major crude oil benchmarks recorded substantial depreciations. Concurrently, Chinese trade data for February significantly exceeded market expectations, signalling a robust reconfiguration of international trade flows.
Middle East geopolitical tensions trigger sharp volatility in oil markets
Crude oil markets are experiencing heightened volatility as the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran continues to inject significant uncertainty into the Middle East. Consequently, supply-side disruptions and logistical bottlenecks have forced prices toward multi-year highs.
Oil tops $90 as risk premium rises; US jobs show weakness
Crude oil prices have surged to multi-year highs driven by escalating geopolitical volatility in the Middle East. The near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz is severely disrupting energy supply chains, mainly impacting crude exports to Asian markets. Concurrently, US labour market data has exhibited significant weakness, casting doubt on the Federal Reserve’s forthcoming monetary policy trajectory.
US services PMI, ADP jobs surprise to the upside; Stocks rally
US equity markets closed with a significant recovery, rebounding from recent losses driven by geopolitical and economic uncertainty. The ISM Services PMI reached its highest level since August 2022, while the ADP National Employment Report simultaneously showed private-sector job growth exceeding analyst forecasts.
Energy prices surge as global stocks slide on geopolitical tensions
Energy prices—specifically crude oil, natural gas, and gasoline—have rallied sharply in response to escalating tensions in the Middle East. Conversely, global equity markets have faced significant selling pressure as investors grapple with heightened concerns over economic stability and the resurgence of inflationary risks.
US dollar, 10-Year Treasury yield, gold, and oil climb as geopolitical tensions intensify
Global asset volatility surged following a significant escalation in the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Following coordinated strikes by US and Israeli forces on Iranian territory, Tehran retaliated with bilateral attacks on Israeli targets and US military installations across the Middle East.
US indices fall as PPI tops expectations; oil prices rise on US-Iran talks impasse
US equity indices declined in unison following the release of Producer Price Index (PPI) data, which exceeded analyst expectations and suggested persistent inflationary pressures. Concurrently, crude oil prices advanced as negotiations between the United States and Iran reached an impasse. Regional uncertainty has been further heightened by an increasing concentration of US naval assets in the Middle East.
Wall Street closes mixed amid strong Nvidia results, falling jobless claims
US equity indices finished the session with mixed results amid a decline in continuing jobless claims and a significant quarterly earnings beat from Nvidia Corp. Market sentiment was dampened by growing uncertainty regarding the Federal Reserve’s future monetary policy trajectory and mounting scepticism over the sustainability of artificial intelligence (AI) returns relative to the substantial capital expenditure (capex) currently being deployed.
Oil resilient despite substantial US stockpiles; Nvidia beats forecasts
Crude oil prices remained stable despite a significant weekly build in US inventories, which reached their highest level in three years. Simultaneously, Nvidia Corporation successfully exceeded analyst expectations for both revenue and earnings per share (EPS), maintaining a robust year-on-year growth trajectory. Meanwhile, Australia’s inflation rate remained unchanged, holding at its highest level since September 2024 and complicating the domestic monetary outlook.
US markets recover, led by technology firms
US equity markets recorded a recovery at the close, primarily bolstered by gains in the semiconductor and software sectors. Key drivers included Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which announced a multi-year collaboration with Meta, and Intel, following its partnership with the AI-chip startup SambaNova. Furthermore, Home Depot shares edged higher after the company reported Q4 2025 financial results that exceeded analyst expectations.