Friday, 30 October 2026
Independent coverage of global markets, trade and finance
Gold prices have more than doubled since late 2023, repeatedly hitting all-time highs in a sustained rally. The precious metal outperformed major equity benchmarks in 2025 with an eye-popping 65% return,1 its strongest …
August 12, 2026, 3:51 AM EDT. Hill & Smith PLC posted 8% revenue growth to $606.7m in H1 2026, led by 14% organic constant currency expansion in US operations. Underlying operating profit climbed 8% to $102.9m while mar…
Quick note: Subscribe to the forthcoming Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter will deliver clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the …
Bias: Gold futures remain trapped in a short-term trading range near the psychologically important $4,000 level. The better risk-to-reward currently appears on the bullish side, but only if buyers first reclaim the tigh…
As tankers sat at anchor outside the Strait of Hormuz and Qatar's LNG facilities burned in the opening days of March 2026, Asia's structural dependence on Gulf oil and gas was exposed — in real time, at full scale. The …
August 6, 2026, 3:59 AM EDT. The Chinese Academy of Sciences achieved a 3.42% conversion efficiency in laser-produced plasma (LPP) EUV lithography, closing in on ASML’s 5.5% commercial benchmark. Although current power …
Inflation pressures resurfaced across some of Africa’s biggest economies in April as the prolonged Iran conflict pushed global oil prices above $100 per barrel, driving up fuel, transport and food costs and threatening …
The gold price outlook for July 2026 rests on a single tension: the price has fallen 28% from its January record on hawkish Fed expectations, while the structural forces that drove that record — central bank buying, fis…
The world’s second-largest crude exporter is rerouting crude via dark shipments and ship-to-ship transfers off Oman.
Only an exceptionally strong El Niño will meaningfully ease Europe's LNG needs this winter, and forecasters currently rate that outcome as a long shot.
The coming week marks the end of September as well as of the third quarter, and the bottom dead center of the second-quarter reporting season. But, while it is a slow week for earnings, it is a busy stretch for special …
Primary 2026: Read This Before You Fill Out Your California Ballot (or Need to Correct a Mistake)
Russia's revenue from oil and gas has plunged recently, putting further pressure on Moscow to end its war in Ukraine.
Europe’s benchmark natural gas prices jumped by 4% at trade open in Amsterdam on Thursday, as the United States and Iran remain distant on how to end the war and put an end to the blocked LNG shipments at the Strait of …
Global oil prices have once again posted a steep increase. The surge reflects mounting concerns over disruptions to global crude supplies after Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline, a critical alternative export route, was…
The late July joint intervention by the U.S. and Japan to support the yen signals escalating concerns regarding global funding stability. While the yen historically serves as a low-cost funding vehicle for global carry …
Gold has long been regarded as one of the world's most reliable safe-haven assets, but even safe havens experience periods of sharp volatility. After surging to a record high above US$5,590 per ounce earlier in 2026, go…
Key price levels for natural gas start with support near $3.12 and resistance at this week’s high of $3.33. A six-day low of $3.15 was reached on Thursday, which attracted buyers and led to a bounce back into a three-da…
Operation Epic Fury began on February 28 and has since pushed the global maritime system into a new phase of sustained disruption. The disruption is no longer limited to isolated vessel attacks or temporary route change…
August 5, 2026, 3:53 AM EDT.IPOs such as SpaceX and ChangXin Memory Technologies have generated worldwide interest, particularly across the tech and AI sectors. Still, with founders trying to maximize returns and invest…
July 21, 2026, 3:50 AM EDT. The U.S. dollar traded near a one-week peak as investors tracked Middle East hostilities affecting energy supply chains and weighing on ceasefire prospects. The greenback was flat against the…
COPPER (HG) — REVERSAL SCENARIOCopper continues its bullish expansion toward the key Fibonacci POI between 1.414 and 1.618. I expect price to first reach the 6.69–6.74 area, where I will be looking for confirmation of a…
The Israel-US war on Iran and its cascading effects have pushed the world into uncertain territory. Attacks on oil facilities and the closure of the key sea route – the Strait of Hormuz – have nearly choked off vital fu…
Gold retreats 5% while platinum and palladium post double-digit losses in volatile end-of-year trading.