MONEY MASTER

Oil prices nudged higher early Thursday, with  Brent crude at US$67.80  and  WTI at US$65.12 , following a bullish inventory report from the US. Key Drivers US crude inventories fell by 5.8 million barrels , far exceeding forecasts of a 797,000-barrel draw. Gasoline stocks also dropped  by 2.1 million barrels despite expectations of a build, with demand hitting its highest level since December 2021. Geopolitical Watch Market sentiment remains cautious due to ongoing uncertainty around the  Iran-Israel ceasefire . While a tentative peace holds, traders are watching for developments. Opec+ in Focus Rosneft's CEO hinted that  Opec+ may advance its production hikes , which could cap gains in the medium term. Outlook & Forecast Economists like Nomura's Yuki Takashima project  WTI could stabilize between US$60-US$65 , assuming Middle East tensions remain contained. MoneyMaster Take — Key Insights: Stronger-than-expected US demand  is boosting crude ...

Defense stocks surged Friday as markets reacted swiftly to Israel’s military air strikes on Iranian nuclear and missile sites — a move that has significantly raised the risk of a wider war in the Middle East. The sudden escalation sent investors rushing into defense and aerospace names, betting on heightened demand for weapons systems, surveillance tech, and military support. Missile Strikes, Market Moves With Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu warning of more attacks to come and U.S. President Trump pushing Iran to agree to a new nuclear deal, the defense sector lit up green across the board. Topping the leaderboard were U.S. defense giants: Lockheed Martin (LMT)  +3.6% Northrop Grumman (NOC)  +3.5% RTX Corp. (RTX)  +3.2% All three have deep supply ties to Israel via U.S. military contracts and were among the top 15 gainers in the S&P 500 on Friday. Broader Rally in the Sector Momentum wasn’t limited to the big three. Other beneficiaries of the rising geopolitical tens...

Oil markets roared to life on Friday as crude prices logged their sharpest single-day gains since 2022, driven by a sudden spike in geopolitical tensions. The trigger? Israel launched air strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, marking a serious escalation in Middle East conflict risk. A Sharp Repricing of Risk Front-month WTI crude (CL1:COM) surged +7.2% to close at $72.98/bbl — its highest settlement since February 11 and the biggest one-day jump in more than three years. Brent crude (CO1:COM) wasn’t far behind, climbing +7% to $74.23/bbl. Traders had been pricing in a supply surplus for most of the year, with OPEC+ relaxing output cuts and production climbing in Brazil and Guyana. But that narrative flipped quickly. The latest strikes — although sparing oil infrastructure — have forced markets to consider worst-case scenarios, including potential disruptions at the vital Strait of Hormuz. What Analysts Are Saying J.P. Morgan warned that crude could hit $120/bbl if confli...

Asian stocks fell sharply on Wednesday, reacting to the significant sell-off on Wall Street following Iran's ballistic missile strike on Israel , which has heightened fears of a broader regional conflict. This geopolitical tension also led to an increase in crude oil prices as investors worry about potential supply disruptions . In the face of uncertainty, investors turned to safer assets, pushing US Treasury bond yields down during Asian trading hours, while gold remained near an all-time high. The safe-haven dollar traded close to its strongest level in three weeks against the euro, buoyed by a resilient US job market that supports the case for a smaller Federal Reserve interest-rate cut in November. Meanwhile, eurozone inflation trends are bolstering expectations for easing by the European Central Bank this month. Japan's Nikkei fell 1.5%, South Korea's Kospi dropped 1.3%, and Australia’s benchmark lost 0.3%. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares slipped ...