French and German and British foreign ministers to hold phone call with Iran minister.French, German and British foreign ministers to hold a phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister on Monday evening in an attempt to slow the progress of the aggressions.

Natural Gas News: Futures Gap 200-Day MA, Bulls Now Target 50-Day MA Breakout.Natural gas futures gap above 200-day MA as hot weather fuels demand; bulls now eye a breakout past $3.76 and $3.84 for further upside.

U.S. Dollar Retreats As Demand For Safe-Haven Assets Falls: Analysis For EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/CAD, USD/JPY.Demand for safe-haven dollar declined despite tensions in the Middle East.

Palladium futures rose to above $1,030 per ounce, trending near the recent high of $1,083 on June 9th and oscillating with an upward bias, driven by tight supplies and resilient industrial demand. Russian production, which historically accounts for a quarter of global supply, continues to be hampered by sanctions and logistical obstacles, limiting exports.In South Africa, the second-largest producer, major mine shutdowns for maintenance and adverse weather further limited global supply. Demand, although concentrated, remains firm, with about 90% linked to the automotive sector. However, rapid adoption of electric vehicles in China reduces catalytic converter use, with 7.2 million EVs sold in the 1st half of 2025, up 28% on the previous year. Additionally, Trump’s move to double tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50% has rekindled fears of future sanctions on Russian palladium via Section 232, which could increase price pressure and make investors cautious.

Platinum prices surged to $1,260 per ounce, hitting a four-year high and extending a 41% year-to-date rally. The bullish trend is driven by tight supply, rising jewellery restocking, and stronger investor sentiment post-London Platinum Week. A key catalyst has been the sharp drop in the gold/platinum ratio, historically a signal of platinum strength. With gold still firm amid Middle East tensions, particularly involving Israel and Iran, platinum continues to gain as a cheaper jewellery alternative. Demand has grown sharply in Asia, with fabrication and restocking gaining pace. Platinum’s industrial use in hydrogen energy, diesel catalysts, and electronics also supports its resilience. Unless gold corrects sharply, the falling gold/platinum ratio strengthens the case for further gains.

In Milan, the FTSE MIB Index rose 490 points or 1.24 percent on Monday. Leading the gains are Prysmian (3.55%), UniCredit (3.08%) and Telecom Italia (3.04%).

In Frankfurt, the DAX Index gained 183 points or 0.78 percent on Monday. Gains were led by Siemens Energy (4.57%), Sartorius (3.65%) and Daimler Truck Holding AG (2.49%). Biggest losers were Beiersdorf (-4.24%), Symrise (-3.64%) and BMW (-1.65%).

In Paris, the CAC 40 Index went up by 61 points or 0.80 percent on Monday. Top gainers were Kering (12.93%), Societe Generale (3.02%) and BNP Paribas (2.95%). Biggest losses came from Renault (-8.22%), Pernod Ricard (-1.20%) and Sanofi (-0.90%).

The FTSE MIB jumped 1.2% to close at 39,929 on Monday, outperforming other major European indexes, as an improvement in the inflation outlook supported banking stocks. Concerns of tensions in the Middle East eased after Iran reportedly reached out to the US to resume nuclear talks, suggesting it may be open to de-escalate hostilities and avoid wider involvement in the region, driving prices of energy commodities to fall sharply. Additionally, Italy's harmonized inflation was revised lower to support the outlook of more rate cuts by the ECB this year, compounding support from government bonds. Consequently, banks led the gains with UniCredit surging 3.4% and Intesa Sanpaolo and BPER Banca adding more than 2%. Prysmian, Telecom Italia, and Buzzi Unicem also rose sharply.

The FTSE 100 edged 0.3% higher on Monday, mirroring global market optimism as fears of a broader Middle East conflict eased. Still, the UK index underperformed European and US benchmarks, weighed down by losses in commodity-linked stocks. Oil majors like BP and gold miners such as Endeavour and Fresnillo slipped as oil and gold prices trimmed earlier spikes. However, strong gains in gambling group Entain helped offset the weakness, with shares surging 11% after raising guidance for its BetMGM unit. Meanwhile, the FTSE 250 was lifted by takeover speculation, with Metro Bank and Spectris among the top performers. Meanwhile, the property sector came under pressure as Rightmove data showed average UK home asking prices declined. Investors now shift focus to a key week for UK data, including inflation figures on Wednesday, the Bank of England’s policy decision Thursday, and retail sales on Friday.

Frankfurt's DAX gained ground to close about 0.8% firmer at 23,692 on Monday, snapping a six-day losing streak, mirroring the trend in regional peers. Market sentiment improved following media reports that Iran is ready to end hostilities with Israel and resume talks on its nuclear programs with the United States. Meanwhile, investors also turned their attention to monetary policy decisions ahead, with key announcements expected from both the Federal Reserve and the Bank of England, among others. Among key movers, Siemens Energy and Sartorius outperformed, climbing 4.6% and 4.1%, respectively. Daimler Truck Holding, Deutsche Bank, Heidelberg Materials, Vonovia, MTU Aero Engines, Deutsche Borse and Commerzbank also advanced firmly, with gains ranging between 2% and 2.5%.

European stocks closed firmly higher on Monday, halting five straight sessions of losses as softer concerns that hostilities between Israel and Iran would hamper the global economy lifted equities worldwide. Reports indicated that Tehran was willing to resume nuclear talks with the United States to signal its willingness to de-escalate the exchange of strikes with Israel, raising hopes that the conflict will refrain from hampering global economic activity and energy prices. Markets also positioned for major monetary policy decisions this week, headlined by the BoE, SNB, Riksbank, Norges Bank, and Fed and BoJ outside Europe. Banks led the gains as bond yields declined, with Santander, BNP Paribas, Intesa Sanpaolo, and UniCredit adding Between 2.5% and 3%. Tech also rallied, with Adyen and Nokia jumping between 2% and 3%. Lastly, Kering surged 12% on expectations that Renault's CEO de Meo may join the luxury giant.

Heating oil futures fell to $2.35 per gallon on Monday, easing from a 3-1/2-month high of $2.38 reached Friday, amid easing geopolitical tensions. The decline tracked broader energy markets after a report suggested Iran is seeking talks with the US and Israel to de-escalate hostilities. Iran reportedly sent messages via Arab intermediaries signaling openness to negotiate, provided the US refrains from joining the conflict. Although renewed strikes occurred over the weekend, markets were reassured by the lack of damage to Iran’s oil infrastructure and only minor declines in cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. As of June 15, 111 ships transited the Strait, slightly down from 116 on June 12. Meanwhile, warmer-than-usual weather forecast through June 26 may curb heating oil demand, adding further pressure on prices despite the ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.

Sugar futures edged up to around 16.3 cents per pound, but remained close to their lowest since April 2021, as the market remains attentive to the progress of global harvests. Brazil, India and Thailand have reported strong productivity, which maintains pressure on international prices of the sweetener. Meanwhile, dealers said that sugar production in Center-South Brazil was a stronger-than-expected 2.95 million metric tons in the second half of May, up 8.9% from the same period last year. In the meantime, two weather officials said that India's moonsoon has revived after stalling for more than a fortnight, and rains are set to cover central parts of the country this week, bringing relief from the heatwave in the grain-growing northern regions.

Sri Lanka's Services PMI eased to 57.0 in May 2025 from 60.6 in the previous month, marking the lowest reading in three months and indicating a slower pace of expansion in services activity, in line with seasonal patterns seen in the same period last year. New business growth moderated (54.0 vs 56.7) but stayed expansionary, led by financial services, while tourism-related sectors saw declines. Employment dropped sharply (44.0 vs 55.0), driven by retirements and resignations reported across several firms. Backlogs of work fell further (45.0 vs 47.5), and expectations for future activity also softened (73.7 vs 75.8).

Sri Lanka’s Manufacturing PMI surged to 55.5 in May 2025 from 40.1 in the previous month, signalling a robust expansion in manufacturing activity following a seasonal slowdown. Key sub-indices rebounded sharply, including new orders (56.5 vs 36.5 in April), production (55.5 vs 30), employment (56 vs 44.9), and stock of purchases (50 vs 41). Suppliers’ delivery time (56.7 vs 57) remained extended but eased slightly. Despite a positive industry outlook for the next quarter, concerns persist over rising electricity tariffs and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The Mexican peso strengthened past 18.90 per USD, hovering at the strongest levels since August, amid a broad-based sell-off in the greenback and hawkish expectations for the Bank of Mexico. Escalating Israel-Iran hostilities failed to ignite traditional safe-haven demand, instead driving the Dollar Index to three-year lows and fueling fresh expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts. At home, an unexpected rise in May’s headline inflation to 4.42% has led Bank of Mexico policymakers to advocate a data-dependent pause in their easing cycle, reinforcing the peso’s yield support. Meanwhile, progress in US-Mexico talks over steel and automotive tariff carve-outs has alleviated the risk of punitive levies on exports, further stabilizing medium-term capital flows. Offsetting these gains, April remittances plunged 12.1% year-on-year—the steepest decline since 2012, diminishing a key source of foreign-exchange inflows.

The yield on the 10-year Swiss government bond eased to below 0.31% on Monday from an intraday record of 0.32%, amid receding fears of a widening conflict in the Middle East. Sentiment improved after reports indicated that Iran is open to resuming negotiations on its nuclear program, contingent on the United States refraining from involvement in the attacks. Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold rates steady again this week, with traders tempering bets that the central bank will resume cuts soon following recent soft inflation data and amid an uncertain economic outlook. In Switzerland, the SNB is anticipated to lower rates by at least 25 basis points at its upcoming meeting, with negative rates still a possibility amid a resilient franc. Meanwhile, the Swiss government cut its growth outlook, now expecting 1.3% growth in 2025 and 1.2% in 2026, both well below the 1.8% long-term average, as the export-heavy economy faces headwinds from the global trade war.

Gold fell slightly below $3,400 per ounce on Monday after testing record highs at $3,465 earlier in the session as softer concerns over hostilities between Israel and Iran limited demand for safety. Reports indicated that Tehran is willing to restart nuclear talks with the US, signaling willingness to halt the exchange of missiles four days after the start of air strike exchanges. This extended risk-on sentiment as the conflict so-far avoided attacking essential infrastructure for global energy markets. In the meantime, the Federal Reserve is expected to hold its rates unchanged this week. Also, the Summary of Economic Projections will unveil how FOMC members balance risks of a rebound in inflation with a softening labor market amid the period of economic uncertainty. Recent economic data, particularly last week’s soft inflation report, has bolstered expectations that the central bank could begin easing policy as early as September.

Italy’s 10-year BTP yield declined toward 3.46%, retreating from a one-week high of 3.55%, as easing geopolitical tensions boosted demand for sovereign bonds following news that Iran is seeking to de-escalate hostilities with Israel and resume nuclear talks. On the monetary policy front, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday. However, investors will closely watch the updated economic projections and dot plot for guidance on the future rate path. In the Eurozone, money markets now price the ECB’s deposit rate at 1.79% by year-end, with the probability of a September rate cut slipping to 50%, down from 60%. ECB policymaker Joachim Nagel stressed the importance of flexibility amid “exceptional uncertainty” in the economic outlook.

Nigeria’s annual inflation rate eased for the second month to 22.97% in May 2025, from 23.71% in the prior month. This slowdown is largely a technical adjustment, supported by favorable base effects and a slight strengthening of the naira, which has helped cap the import costs. Food inflation, the largest component of the inflation basket, remained elevated but continued to decelerate to 21.14% in May from 21.26% in the month before. On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 1.53% in May, slowing from 1.86% in the prior month.

France’s 10-year OAT yield fell to 3.23% after briefly reaching a near one-month high of 3.30%, as easing geopolitical tensions supported demand for sovereign bonds. The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran is seeking to de-escalate hostilities with Israel and resume nuclear negotiations, signaling through Arab intermediaries. On the monetary policy front, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday. However, markets will closely examine the updated economic projections and dot plot for signals on the future policy path. In the Eurozone, money markets are pricing the ECB’s deposit rate at 1.79% by year-end, while the odds of a September rate cut have slipped to 50%, down from 60%. ECB policymaker Joachim Nagel emphasized the need for flexibility, citing “exceptional uncertainty” in the economic outlook.

Sunflower oil futures fell below $1,240 per tonne in June, marking a seven-month low as mounting supplies and cheaper alternatives eroded its premium. In the Black Sea, ample soybean-oil inventories, fueled by record US crush volumes that lifted stocks to a ten-month high, and weakening palm-oil quotes prompted buyers to switch away from sunflower oil, driving FOB values down. Concurrently, early-season harvest forecasts in the EU improved with recent rains, and Ukrainian farmers’ plans to expand sunflower plantings by 10–15% have bolstered anticipated output, leading domestic processors to curb purchases and push local prices lower. On June?11, India further relieved downward pressure by cutting its basic customs duty on crude sunflower oil from 20% to 10%, widening the duty gap to 19.25% and lowering landed costs for Asian importers, thereby undercutting global export premiums.

The yield on Germany’s 10-year Bund eased to 2.53% on Monday, after briefly hitting 2.59% — its highest level since June 9 — amid easing geopolitical tensions. The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran is seeking to de-escalate hostilities with Israel and restart nuclear negotiations, signaling its intentions through Arab intermediaries. On the policy front, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, with market focus turning to updated economic projections and the closely watched dot plot. In Europe, money markets are now pricing the ECB’s deposit rate at 1.79% by December. The probability of a September rate cut slipped to 50%, down from 60%, after ECB policymaker Joachim Nagel stressed the need for flexibility given “exceptional uncertainty” in the economic outlook.

Cotton futures remained relatively stable at 65.4 cents per pound as traders evaluated the latest supply and demand outlook. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in its June report revealed a downward revision for US cotton production in 2025–26, now estimated at 14 million bales, down from 14.5 million bales in May and 14.4 million bales in 2024–25. This marks the second-lowest production level in the past decade. Along with this decline, ending stocks for 2025–26 are forecast to fall to 4.3 million bales, a significant drop from the May projection of 5.2 million bales. On the global front, cotton production for 2025–26 has been revised down to 116.99 million bales, from 117.81 million bales in May, largely due to declines in key producers like India, the US and Pakistan, despite a 1-million-bale increase in China. Global cotton consumption has also been revised down, with the 2025–26 forecast reduced by more than 300,000 bales to 117.76 million bales, signaling weaker demand.

US stocks extended gains on Monday, with the S&P 500, Dow, and tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 each rising more than 1%, buoyed by easing geopolitical tensions. The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran is seeking to de-escalate hostilities with Israel and resume negotiations over its nuclear program, signaling its intentions through Arab intermediaries to both Israel and the US. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady this week, with markets closely watching the updated Summary of Economic Projections for insights into how fiscal uncertainty and potential tariffs may influence the policy outlook. Tech stocks led the rally, with Meta, Palantir and Tesla rising more than 3% on increased investor interest tied to its military-related business. US Steel climbed as much as 5% after President Trump formally approved Nippon Steel’s $14.1 billion acquisition of the company. Meanwhile, Roku soared 10% following news of a new partnership with Amazon Ads.

The yield on the 10-year US Treasury note eased to 4.41% on Monday, down from an intraday high of 4.46%, as concerns diminished over the potential for Israel's conflict with Iran to escalate into a broader regional war. Sentiment was further supported by reports that Iran is signaling a willingness to resume nuclear negotiations, which contributed to a decline in oil prices. The drop in energy costs helped alleviate inflationary pressures, reducing strain on the bond market. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is expected to maintain the fed funds rate unchanged on Wednesday. Policymakers had already stated that uncertainty in the US economic outlook due to the unclear future for trade and fiscal policy will prevent them from clear policy pivots. Rate futures show that markets expect two rate cuts for the year, and the Summary of Economic Projections released with the Fed's rate decision will offer clues on how policymakers' view contrast with those of Wall Street.

The dollar index extended losses to 97.8 on Monday, back again to 2022-lows, as traders dialed back some risk-off positioning while closely watching developments in the Israel-Iran conflict. Sentiment further improved following reports that Iran is signaling a willingness to resume negotiations over its nuclear program. The Wall Street Journal reported that Tehran has informed Arab officials that it is open to resuming negotiations, provided the United States refrains from participating in the attacks, citing officials. The news come as Israel and Iran continued to exchange attacks for a fourth consecutive day. Meanwhile, attention is turning to a busy week of monetary policy decisions, with a particular focus on the Fed. The Fed is widely expected to hold the federal funds rate steady, but markets will be closely analyzing the central bank’s updated economic projections, especially for insights into how policymakers view the broader economic impact of President Trump's policies.

US gasoline futures fell 2% to below $2.20 per gallon on Monday, retreating from a 10-week high of $2.237 hit Friday, as fears of an Israel-Iran escalation eased. A report said Iran is signaling readiness to restart nuclear talks and sent messages to the US and Israel via Arab intermediaries, provided the US stays out of the conflict. This helped reduce geopolitical risk premiums. Meanwhile, cargo traffic through the Strait of Hormuz showed only a slight dip, and no major oil infrastructure damage has occurred, further calming markets. Despite renewed strikes over the weekend, investors believe the conflict may remain contained. Still, the Strait remains critical, handling nearly 20% of global oil flows. On the demand side, US gasoline usage fell sharply to 8.26 million b/d from 9.45 million, according to the EIA. Inventories rose by 5.2 million barrels to 228.3 million, while production slipped to 9 million b/d, adding to bearish sentiment despite the summer driving season.

Brent crude oil futures dropped by over 4% to $71.1 per barrel on Monday, reversing some of Friday’s 7% surge, as fears of a broader Israel-Iran war eased. A report indicated Iran is signaling interest in ending hostilities and restarting nuclear talks, provided the US stays out of the conflict. Tehran reportedly sent messages via Arab intermediaries to both Washington and Tel Aviv. This softer tone helped ease market concerns, leading investors to unwind some risk-off positions. Meanwhile, traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz showed only a slight decline, as 111 ships passed on June 15 vs 116 on June 12, suggesting no major disruption to oil flows. Still, the strait remains a critical chokepoint, handling roughly 20% of global oil trade.