EUR/USD
1.16966
0.075%
Gold
5332.42
0.204%
Oil
70.279
-0.615%
USD/JPY
157.233
-0.075%
GBP/USD
1.34101
0.039%
GBP/JPY
210.855
-0.029%
Real-time News
Japans unemployment rate was 2.7% in January, below the expected 2.60% and the previous reading of 2.60%.1. International oil prices rose across the board, with the WTI crude oil futures contract rising 5.98% to $71.03 per barrel and the Brent crude oil futures contract rising 6.82% to $77.85 per barrel. The joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran triggered a sharp escalation of tensions in the Middle East, raising market concerns about shipping safety in the Strait of Hormuz and potential retaliatory production cuts by Iran. 2. International precious metals futures closed mixed. COMEX gold futures rose 1.68% to $5335.90 per ounce, while COMEX silver futures fell 3.95% to $89.61 per ounce. Escalating tensions in the Middle East disrupted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, increasing geopolitical risks and boosting safe-haven demand. This heightened the importance of gold as a strategic neutral reserve asset, coupled with increased expectations that the Federal Reserve would maintain interest rates, all contributing to the rise in gold prices. 3. Most London base metals fell. LME aluminum rose 1.43% to $3185/ton, LME lead fell 0.05% to $1961/ton, LME zinc fell 0.29% to $3307.5/ton, LME copper fell 1.94% to $13084.5/ton, LME nickel fell 3.58% to $17205/ton, and LME tin fell 8.38% to $52890/ton. 4. The three major U.S. stock indexes closed mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.15% to 48904.78 points, the S&P 500 rose 0.04% to 6881.62 points, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.36% to 22748.86 points. Home Depot and 3M fell more than 2%, leading the Dow Jones decline. The Wind U.S. Tech Big Seven Index rose 0.56%, with Nvidia rising nearly 3%. The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index fell 1.08%, Kingsoft Cloud fell nearly 5%, and Zai Lab fell over 4%. 5. European stock indices all closed lower: the German DAX fell 2.42% to 24,672.4 points, the French CAC40 fell 2.17% to 8,394.32 points, and the UK FTSE 100 fell 1.2% to 10,780.11 points. Escalating military conflict in the Middle East led to a surge in oil prices, reigniting inflation concerns and prompting investors to sell risky assets for safety. 6. Most major Asia-Pacific stock indices closed lower: the Nikkei 225 fell 1.35% to 58,057.24 points, and the Indian SENSEX 30 fell 1.29% to 80,238.85 points. The South Korean KOSPI was closed for a holiday.The Israel Defense Forces stated that they are currently conducting strikes against Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities in Beirut.Japans January unemployment rate will be released in ten minutes.March 3 – Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Claude Bullock said on Tuesday that the RBA could raise interest rates this month if it determines that inflation expectations are at risk of spiraling out of control, and the market should remain vigilant. Bullock emphasized that the RBA may not wait until late April to receive complete first-quarter inflation data before deciding whether to tighten policy. “Action is possible at every meeting,” Bullock said, referring to the next meeting on March 18, “where the committee will examine whether the pace of policy adjustments needs to be accelerated.”
