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Oil prices leap higher as Ukraine crisis worsens If you’ve read the note this far, you know what comes next. Oil prices surged higher overnight on thinned US holiday liquidity after President Putin crushed the summit olive branch and commenced “security operations” in his breakaway satellite provinces of the Ukraine.

22-02-2022 04:35 GMT by Jeffrey Halley

Dollar rises on Ukraine developments

Ukraine jitters raise risk apprehension With US markets closed for a holiday overnight, volumes and volatility were muted in currency markets, sparing them the worst of the ravages seen elsewhere. Still, the US dollar did receive a modest haven bid, and the old adage of always buying US dollars in a war is as good today as it was all those decades ago when I started my trading career.

22-02-2022 04:27 GMT by Jeffrey Halley

Asia equities slump on Ukraine developments

Putin moves in 'peacekeepers' into Eastern Ukraine The incipient rally seen yesterday has been snuffed out overnight after President Putin pushed back on US summit hopes and then recognised the two breakaway areas of the Ukraine and began “security” operations there. That dose of reality in dealing with the Russian President saw European stocks slump and with US markets closed, US index futures tumbled.

22-02-2022 04:02 GMT by Jeffrey Halley

Russian “peacekeepers" move sink markets

Putin recognises breakaway regions The clutching at straws rally we saw in Asian and early European hours yesterday quickly came to an end as Russian President Vladimir Putin quashed any certainty over a US summit regarding Ukraine. He followed that up by recognising the two Ukrainian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as sovereign states.

22-02-2022 03:46 GMT by Jeffrey Halley

Oil rises, gold in choppy waters

Oil marches higher as optimism fades around Ukraine It's been another volatile session in the oil market, with doubts over US-Russian diplomatic efforts lifting prices. Oil prices were declining early in the day at the prospect of a Biden-Putin meeting but as hopes around that have unravelled, the price of oil has climbed. This is despite a nuclear deal between the US and Iran seemingly being close which could bring 1.3 million barrels per day back into the markets, alleviating some of those p

21-02-2022 11:50 GMT by Craig Erlam

Another rollercoaster ride

The rollercoaster ride that is 2022 is continuing at the start of the week as European equities relinquish early gains to make heavy losses. The week got off to a decent start, following reports of France brokering a meeting between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin. While the West has continued to warn of an imminent invasion, with Russia apparently following the playbook for such a move, a meeting between the two leaders increases the potential for a diplomatic resolution. But as we've seen so of

21-02-2022 11:46 GMT by Craig Erlam

Yen steady ahead of BoJ Core CPI

The Japanese yen has started the week quietly and is trading slightly below the 115 line. Investors eye Japanese inflation releases The focus will be on Japanese inflation indicators in the coming week, with three events on the economic calendar. Like other major economies, Japan is dealing with a rise in inflation, although the pace has been much more moderate than what we're seeing in the UK or the US.

21-02-2022 09:18 GMT by Kenneth Fisher

Pound rises on strong Services PMI

The pound has posted gains at the start of the week, punching above the 1.36 line. In the European session, GBP/USD is trading at 1.3634, up 0.35% on the day. PMIs points to UK rebound The UK economy continues to grow and has rebounded after a bump from Omicron in January.

21-02-2022 05:58 GMT by Kenneth Fisher

Oil eases, gold drifting

Oil eases on potential Ukraine summit A potential reduction of Ukraine tensions following the US/Russia summit announcement this morning has seen some sellers emerge in oil in Asia. Oil has had quite the rally in my absence, driven by the predicted Ukraine tensions, and a world economy that appears to be moving quickly towards living with omicron.

21-02-2022 04:55 GMT by Jeffrey Halley

Dollar dips on talk of Biden/Putin meet

US/Russia summit lifts FX risk sentiment Most of the major currencies appear to be around their year-end levels as the end of the month approaches, having weathered a US dollar storm over the first five weeks of 2022. The prospect of interest rate rises outside of the US, and a stubborn long end of the US curve has seen the US dollar retreat in the past two weeks, as the kitchen sink buy-US dollar-trade was slowly squeezed out.

21-02-2022 04:19 GMT by Jeffrey Halley

The kitchen sink trade passed sooner than expected

A belated good morning from Jakarta where I am on day two of managed isolation and where, unfortunately, my hotel room’s internet ceased functioning last night. Back home in New Zealand, it’s been nearly two months since I looked at the markets closely, but the effects of the pandemic behind the Great Wall of Jacinda have been clear to see and most certainly have played out similarly in other parts of the world. The ham-fisted quantitative easing by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand has caused on

21-02-2022 04:03 GMT by Jeffrey Halley

Equities jump on Ukraine talks

Asia equities mixed US equities closed lower on Friday as heightened Ukraine tensions weighed on sentiment, complicated by a long weekend with the US closed for President’s Day today. The S&P 500 fell by 0.72%, the Nasdaq by 1.23%, and the Dow Jones by 0.68%.

21-02-2022 03:55 GMT by Jeffrey Halley

Market Insights Podcast (Episode 296)

OANDA Senior Market Analyst Craig Erlam reviews the day's market news with Jonny Hart. They discussed the latest in Ukraine and the impact it's having on the markets.

18-02-2022 15:41 GMT by Craig Erlam

US Close: Tough to hold risk into long weekend, Housing Sales Impress

Investors are having a hard time holding onto risk as the likelihood that the standoff between the West and Russia will ultimately lead to some ground conflict. US stocks gave up earlier gains after the Russian press confirmed reports of the evacuation of residents from East Ukraine to Russia and then turned negative after reports over an explosion in Donetsk.

18-02-2022 13:47 GMT by Edward Moya

Commodities and Cryptos: Crude pares losses after explosion in Donetsk, Gold hovers near $1900, Bitcoin below $40k

Oil Crude prices reversed earlier losses after reports of an explosion in the center of separatist-held city of Donetsk in east Ukraine. Oil had been pulling back over the past couple of days as energy traders took some risk off the table and over improved expectations that Iran is getting closer to reviving a nuclear deal.

18-02-2022 13:47 GMT by Edward Moya

Week Ahead - Markets remain volatile

There's been no shortage of volatility in the markets so far this year and it doesn't look like that is going to change any time soon. The focus has shifted slightly in recent weeks from monetary policy to geopolitics as Russian troops have built up on the Ukrainian border and the West has warned of an imminent invasion.

18-02-2022 13:33 GMT by Craig Erlam

Oil falls while gold sparkles

Oil slides as the US nears nuclear accord with Iran Reports of the US and Iran nearing a new nuclear deal couldn't have come at a better time and oil prices are slipping at the prospect of more than a million barrels of crude re-entering the market. In the absence of a deal, we could already be talking about triple-figure oil prices. Of course, the risk of a Russian invasion remains heightened so there's plenty of potential for oil prices to head higher once more if troops do cross the border

18-02-2022 08:12 GMT by Craig Erlam

Cautious end to the week

It promises to be a fascinating end to the week as European equity markets steady and US futures pare losses amid planned talks between the US and Russia next week. Risk aversion swept through the markets on Thursday as the perceived risk of a Russian invasion of Ukraine rose. Much like the weather here in London, Friday was shaping up to be rather treacherous in the markets, that is until US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accepted an invitation to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

18-02-2022 08:08 GMT by Craig Erlam

Pound steady as retail sales rebound

UK retail sales bounce back UK retail sales rebounded in January, with a gain of 1.9% m/m, its highest monthly gain since April 2021. The increase followed a decline of 4.0% in December and beat the consensus of 1.0%.

18-02-2022 04:22 GMT by Kenneth Fisher

Brent Crude - Will oil hit $100?

OANDA Senior Market Analyst Craig Erlam discusses whether oil will hit $100 as Russia is accused of preparing to invade Ukraine and the US and Iran could resurrect the nuclear deal.

17-02-2022 17:17 GMT by Craig Erlam

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