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Oil dips, stocks mixed on US-Iran truce hopes

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– Stock markets were mixed while oil prices fell again on Friday (May 29) on investor optimism that the United States and Iran would reach a deal to extend their ceasefire – despite Washington and Tehran offering conflicting views on the state of negotiations.

Oil markets have been up and down this week as investors assess the chances of a breakthrough deal that could potentially resume shipping through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

Those hopes had been briefly dashed by new US military strikes on Iran on Wednesday, countered by the Revolutionary Guard’s targeting of an American airbase in the region.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump held a meeting during which he said he would make a “final determination” on a peace deal. Iran’s foreign ministry said negotiations were ongoing and there was no final agreement.

Nevertheless, the reports of progress sent the S&P 500 to a record high before it pared those gains slightly at the close. Other Wall Street indices also rose on Friday, while Europe’s main markets were flat ahead of the weekend.

While details of the possible agreement are scarce, “oil traders are taking an optimistic view that the end could be in sight for disruption in the region,” said Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown.

However, “the market’s patience may be tested if a deal is not agreed by early June, and this could have big ramifications for the oil price and the global stock market rally,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB.

Art Hogan of B. Riley Wealth Management told AFP the tech sector was continuing to drive equity markets.

“It looks like we’ll wrap up a ninth consecutive week of higher markets, largely driven by some new names coming out to be beneficiaries of artificial intelligence today,” he said, citing Dell, Micron and SanDisk among individual companies that have delivered big gains.

EUROPEAN INFLATION

In Europe, French data showed Friday that its economy contracted 0.1 per cent in the first quarter, while inflation in May accelerated to 2.4 per cent, above the ECB’s target of two percent.

Germany saw inflation slow in May to 2.6 per cent, though analysts still expect an interest rate hike for the eurozone, possibly at the next ECB meeting on June 11.

Still, “recession risks are easing as oil prices moderate and the probability of worst-case scenarios fades,” wrote Matthew Martin of Oxford Economics.

“While reduced risks from the war have helped, the improvement in equity prices is mostly because of a robust earnings season. The driver is overwhelmingly AI-related capital expenditure,” he said.

Global AI bullishness has driven a historic rally recently, this week pushing the market capitalizations of chipmakers Micron and SK hynix across the US$1 trillion threshold.

Seoul’s stock market led the charge in Asia on Friday, surging 3.6 per cent while Tokyo’s Nikkei closed at a record high.

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Petrol price cut by Rs2.71, diesel drops 30 paisa per litre

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Motorists have suffered another blow with the latest gasoline price review, which has once again seen petrol and diesel prices drop.

Petrol has seen a reduction of Rs2.71 per litre, while diesel has become 30 paisa cheaper.

According to the fuel price information provided, the new prices will come into force on Wednesday (14 October 2026).

New fuel prices

The petrol price has been cut by Rs2.71 per litre to Rs392.66 per litre.

The company announced that the price of high-speed diesel was decreased by 30 paisa per litre and the new pricing is Rs396.82 per litre.

Daily pricing mechanism

The latest revision comes after the government shifted to daily fuel price evaluations, allowing petroleum rates to respond more often to fluctuations in overseas markets.

Under the new mechanism, pricing will be determined based on international market rates averaged over seven days, among other things, such as benchmark prices, premiums and charges.

It is a scheme designed to ensure that changes in world oil prices are passed on to consumers more quickly.

According to the price information, fuel prices would not change on public holidays, Saturdays and Sundays.

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Dollar languishes as focus turns to CPI, Fed speakers

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The dollar was down on Wednesday as traders anticipated further clues on timing of interest rate hikes to tackle stubborn inflation.

The dollar retreated from an 18-month high in the last session, as oil prices slipped and investors reviewed the AI-driven surge that has bolstered demand for U.S. assets. The euro clung to gains, with budget worries in France keeping regional bond yields high and markets on edge.

Attention now turns to the release of US consumer price index data and speeches by Federal Reserve governors that could provide clues on the interest rate outlook.The danger is that the core CPI surprises to the upside due to strong consumer demand and higher expenses, driving up market pricing of an October Fed hike and the USD’, Carol Kong, a currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said in a note.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, was down 0.02% at 102.16 after down 0.35% on Tuesday. The euro was up 0.04% at $1.1203.

The dollar was last barely changed at 158.32 yen and sterling was last up 0.03 percent at $1.3256.

The dollar continued losses on Tuesday as New York Fed President John Williams said he still expects one more rate hike this year, but sees no need for any increases in 2027.

The US Labour Department is set to issue its ⁠CPI for September, which is predicted to have increased by 0.6% month-on-month after a 0.4% rise in August, while annual inflation is expected to rise to 3.6% from 3.4%. Also set to be released is the Fed’s Beige Book.

Traders priced in a 77% likelihood the Fed will keep rates steady at its October 27-28 ​meeting, compared with 51% ​a month earlier, according to CME Group’s FedWatch Tool, while ⁠pricing in around 75 basis points of tightening to late 2027.

Bets on a Fed rate hike later this month were dumped after two members urged for gathering more evidence before judging whether additional tightening is needed, while Fed Governor Christopher Waller said inflation expectations remained “well anchored.”

Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin is slated to take part in a fireside chat in Virginia and Federal Reserve Vise Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman is to take part in discussions in Bangkok.

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank are holding their annual meetings in Bangkok, with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde likely to appear multiple times on Wednesday.

The Australian dollar advanced 0.06% to $0.6984 against the greenback and New Zealand’s kiwi rose 0.09% to $0.5614.

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Oil prices up after escalation in Middle East tensions

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The report said the weekend attacks on two oil tankers and strikes by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement on Saudi Arabia fueled investor concerns about future regional oil supply disruptions.

Brent crude prices jumped 76 cents, or 0.73%, to $105.48 a barrel at 7:04 p.m. EDT Sunday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures increased 59 cents, or 0.64%, to $92.44 a barrel.

Houthi fighters claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Riyadh’s international airport Saturday that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300 others.

Saudi police announced another death and further injuries Sunday in a second attack on the airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cautioned U.S. airlines on Sunday to exercise extreme caution flying in or above Saudi airspace, citing increased security threats stemming from the ongoing military conflict and disruptions to navigation systems, Reuters reported.

A notification to airmen (NOTAM) by the FAA, effective through Dec. 10, comes after a series of strikes on Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, including a new wave over the weekend.”Threats could pose a potential risk to aircraft during all phases of flight, including overflight, arrival and departure,” the FAA said.

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