EUR/USD
1.15783
-0.003%
Gold
4414.47
-0.047%
Oil
84.189
0.118%
USD/JPY
159.425
-0.023%
GBP/USD
1.35434
0.007%
GBP/JPY
215.922
-0.006%
Real-time News
August 18th - A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on August 17th showed that US President Trumps approval rating has dropped to 33%, a new low during his second term. The poll indicated that 64% of Americans disapprove of Trumps performance in the White House, and approximately 80% expect the conflict between the US and Iran to "last a long time." The survey was conducted online nationwide, collecting feedback from 1,166 American adults.On August 18th, international oil prices rose by about 3% on Monday due to the bleak prospects for US-Iran peace talks. Trump stated that he had no intention of extending the expiring agreement with Iran. The US-Iran memorandum of understanding, signed in June, technically expired on Monday. The two sides still have disagreements on many issues, including the Strait of Hormuz. Other officials suggested that the US is not in a hurry to end the conflict, which has lasted for nearly six months. The US Energy Secretary stated that the US is engaged in a long-term game with the Islamic Republic of Iran; while Trumps senior advisor, Kushner, said that Trump would remain patient in reaching an agreement.According to Iranian media Fars News, a fuel tank fire and explosion occurred in Sulaymaniyah, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.August 18th - According to three sources on Monday, the United States and Canada are in talks to potentially reduce U.S. auto tariffs from the current 25% to 15% (after deducting certain value components). The U.S. will impose high new tariffs on $20 billion worth of other Canadian goods after Wednesdays deadline. If an agreement is reached, the tariff level will be significantly lower than the 25% tariff currently imposed by Trump on auto imports. Sources indicated that U.S. officials have proposed deducting only U.S. value components from the current 15% tariff on Canadian autos, but Canadian officials want to deduct all North American components, including parts from Canada and Mexico. Automotive industry officials say that if a broader deduction of regional value components is implemented, the effective U.S. tariff rate on North American-made cars could fall to single digits. This rate is far lower than the current 15% tariff on North American cars imported from Japan, South Korea, and the European Union, and the 10% tariff on most British cars.Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told US President Donald Trump that Israel is attacking Palestinians in Gaza, when the second phase of the peace plan was supposed to take effect.
