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Forexlive Americas FX news wrap 13 Jun: Markets are in flux as Israel and Iran lob bombs

  • Japan PM in call with Trump, reiterated Japan's use on US tariffs
  • The S&P, NASDAQ and Dow have worst day since May 21
  • Central bank meetings will dominate the economic calendar next week
  • Israel warns that Iran will pay a heavy price for its missile attack on populated areas
  • Crude oil futures settle at $72.98
  • Israel military: Identify missiles launched from Iran. Iran's response has begun
  • Israel Army: We destroyed a Iranian facility for producing uranium
  • Kremlin. Putin tells Netanyahu that nuclear issues must be solved through diplomacy
  • Iran's Khamenei: Iranian Armed Forces will leave Israel hopeless
  • Iran will not participate in nuclear talks on Sunday with the US
  • Baker Hughes oil rig count -3 at 439
  • Major European indices close lower for the day as a geopolitical risks weigh on sentiment
  • New York Times: Israel has resumed attacks on Iran
  • Netanyahu: US knew of the attack ahead of time
  • University of Michigan consumer sentiment preliminary for June 60.5 vs 53.5 estimate
  • Iran tells UN Security Council they will respond decisively/proportionally
  • Canada wholesale trade for April - 2.3% versus -0.9% estimate
  • Canada manufacturing sales for April by -2.8% versus -2.0% expected
  • Canada Q1 capacity utilization rate 80.1% vs 79.8% expected
  • The USD has moved higher after Israel's strike on Iran nuclear facilities. What next?
  • ForexLive European FX news wrap: Dollar gains as Israel and Iran tensions run high
  • Trump: Iran has perhaps a second chance

The U.S. dollar moved higher overnight (and coming into the US session), driven by classic flight-to-safety flows following Israel's strike on Iran. However, U.S. yields did not follow the usual script—instead of falling amid geopolitical stress, they moved higher.

This divergence from the typical Pavlovian response raises questions. It may reflect rising oil prices and the renewed threat of inflation, which can put upward pressure on yields. Alternatively, it could be a technical retracement, with yields rebounding after recently dipping below key benchmarks—4% for the 2-year, 4.5% for the 10-year, and 5% for the 30-year—that had served as rough markers for the yield curve in recent weeks.

Or perhaps it’s something broader: investor fatigue with the constant swings in policy tone from the Trump administration and escalating global tensions. Whatever the reason, markets are behaving less predictably—adding another layer of complexity for traders and policymakers alike.

Regardless of the reason, today yields moved higher.

Looking at the near-closing levels in the US debt market:

  • 2 year yield 3.952%, +4.6 basis points.
  • 5-year yield 4.008%, +4.9 basis points
  • 10 year yield 4.408%, +5.2 basis points.
  • 30 year yield 4.901%, +5.9 basis points

The U.S. dollar initially rose on the back of flight-to-safety flows, but those gains began to fade as the day progressed. While the greenback is still closing higher against all major currency pairs, it has pulled back significantly from its intraday highs.

Despite the late-day retracement, a look at end-of-day levels shows the dollar posted gains across the board, finishing stronger versus each of the major currencies.

  • EUR 0.38%
  • GBP 0.39%
  • JPY +0.39%
  • CHF +0.15%
  • CAD +0.06%
  • AUD +0.72%
  • NZD +0.96%

For the trading week, although the USD was higher for the day, it was lower for the week:

  • EUR -1.79%
  • GBP -0.26%
  • JPY -0.53%
  • CHF -1.26%
  • CAD -0.70%
  • AUD unchanged
  • NZD -0.06%

US stocks fell in trading today and that helped to push the major indices negative for the week:

  • Dow -1.79% for the day and -1.32% for the week
  • S&P -1.13% for the day and -0.39% for the week.
  • NASDAQ index -1.30% for the day and -0.63% of Week.

Looking ahead, geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran are expected to keep markets on edge, fueling ongoing uncertainty. At the same time, a packed central bank calendar will shape the direction of global monetary policy, with the Federal Reserve taking center stage on Wednesday.

While the Fed is widely expected to keep rates unchanged, the market’s attention will be firmly on the policy statement, economic projections, and the dot plot outlining future rate expectations. This comes on the heels of cooler-than-expected inflation data, which has eased some pressure. However, the potential inflationary impact of tariffs remains a concern, as does the risk of softening labor markets.

Other key central banks will also be in the spotlight. The Bank of Japan will announce its decision on Tuesday—no change is expected as policymakers remain firmly dovish. On Thursday, the Bank of England is also expected to hold rates steady, while the Swiss National Bank is anticipated to deliver a 25 basis point rate cut, potentially lowering its policy rate to 0.00%.

Beyond central banks, the economic calendar is also active, featuring U.S. retail sales, Australian employment figures, and the latest reading on UK GDP—all of which could provide further insight into the global growth outlook.

This article was written by Greg Michalowski at www.forexlive.com.

Crude oil holds firm despite mounting supply glut fears

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Key points:

 

  • WTI and Brent crude oil continue to trade within a relatively wide USD 10 range, established after the sharp selloff in early April.
  • A rapid roll back of voluntary production cuts from eight OPEC+ members is so far being offset by several short- and medium-term supply-side issues
  • Tariff-related growth and demand worries combined with rising OPEC production has in recent weeks helped attract increased short-selling interest, which is now being reduced, thereby adding support. 
  • Overall, we see limited upside potentials amid ongoing concerns about a supply glut and softening demand growth
WTI and Brent crude oil continue to trade within a relatively wide $10 range, established after the sharp selloff in early April. This slump followed renewed concerns over President Trump’s trade war policies and an OPEC+ announcement to accelerate the unwinding of 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) in voluntary production cuts. The move, seen as a response to overproduction by some members, was also aimed at gradually regaining market share from high-cost producers.

Since then, eight OPEC+ members have agreed to incrementally increase output at a pace of 410,000 bpd per month through at least July. This strategy has raised concerns about a potential supply glut, especially as global stockpiles begin to build. However, prices have remained relatively resilient amid uncertainty over the broader economic impact of Trump-era trade tensions and their effect on global demand for fossil fuel-based products.

On the demand side, rising consumption of gasoline and distillates ahead of the peak summer season for driving and air conditioning has helped underpin the market. Meanwhile, several supply-side risks are offering additional short- to medium-term price support. These include recent wildfires in Canada threatening production, the possibility of supply disruptions in Libya due to political unrest, and the recent revocation of Chevron’s license to operate in Venezuela—potentially impacting around 220,000 bpd of output. Additionally, persistent geopolitical tensions, including the Russia-Ukraine war and the looming threat of renewed U.S. sanctions on Iran if nuclear talks break down, are keeping a firm floor under oil prices.

Brent crude, currently trading around USD 65.50, remains confined within a broad USD 58.50 to USD 68.50 range. In addition to the short-term supply risks previously mentioned, the recent price uptick has also been driven by buying activity from speculators who were caught off guard by the market’s resilience—more on that below. However, once this momentum-driven buying exhausts itself, further upside is likely to remain capped, particularly as OPEC+ continues to add supply incrementally on a monthly basis.

 

Brent crude oil, first month cont. - Source: SaxoTraderGO

The US-focused WTI crude contract, meanwhile, is trading approximately USD 1.50 below the upper end of its current USD 55 to USD 65 range. It remains supported by strong refinery demand, low inventory levels, and the disruption to Canadian production caused by ongoing wildfires. Market expectations for another weekly drawdown in U.S. crude stockpiles are also lending support. A notable factor is the situation at Cushing, Oklahoma—the delivery point for CME WTI futures—where inventories have dropped to a ten-year seasonal low of 23.5 million barrels, compared to a ten-year average of 35.1 million barrels. This tightness is helping to sustain elevated time spreads at the front end of the futures curve, reflecting robust near-term demand.

WTI crude oil futures, first month cont. - Source: SaxoTraderGO

Despite these supportive factors, the broader macroeconomic outlook remains clouded. Uncertainty fueled by President Trump’s shifting stance on tariffs has intensified fears of a global economic slowdown, leading to increased short-selling activity. Some of this bearish positioning has come from macro-focused hedge funds using oil as a proxy hedge against weakening global growth.

According to the latest CFTC Commitment of Traders report, speculative short interest peaked during the week ending May 27, when managed money accounts held a gross short position of 257,000 contracts across the three major Brent and WTI crude contracts. This equates to more than 250 million barrels and marks the highest level in eight months—a level only briefly exceeded five times since 2020. Overall, as illustrated in the chart below, the net speculative position remains relatively muted at 226,000 contracts relative to a five-year average at 420,000 contracts, suggesting balanced sentiment.

However, total open interest—the combined sum of long and short positions—remains near a three-year high. This elevated activity from hedgers, swap dealers, and speculators highlights a high degree of market participation despite the ongoing rangebound price action, underscoring the broader uncertainty surrounding the near-term direction of the oil market.

Managed money positions and open interest
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Ole HansenHead of Commodity StrategySaxo Bank
Topics: Commodities Inflation Federal Reserve ETF Trump Version 2 - Traders Crude Oil Gas Oil Heating Oil Oil and Gas Oil OPEC China USA