Commodities (Crude Oil & Copper) & Macro Outlook

Donald Trump waived sanctions from the Lindsey O. Graham Russia-Iran Sanctions Act on the 16th (local time), exempting tariffs and restrictions he signed into law last month. The White House notified Congress the decision serves US national interest but provided no explanation for how waiving the sa

According to Xinhua, International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said on October 16 that security conditions in the Hormuz Strait and surrounding waters continue to deteriorate, with shipping risks remaining elevated. Dominguez emphasized that shipping should not be

According to Guru Club, copper futures fell below $6.6 today (October 17), declining 0.5% intraday.

President Donald Trump waived Russia-related sanctions and tariffs authorized under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act on Oct. 16, invoking national interest authority granted by the law. The waiver, issued via executive order, came less than a month after Trump signed the Graham

On Oct. 16, President Trump issued an executive order waiving Russia-related sanctions and tariffs authorized under the recently enacted Graham Act, signed into law on Sept. 18. The waiver comes roughly a week after an administration diesel deal with Russia. The Graham Act allows the president to w

Bulgaria's Postbank plans to launch a digital-asset investment service early next year, according to an Oct. 17 report by Odaily. The bank will introduce the service through its mobile banking app in early 2027, enabling users to invest in digital assets alongside stocks, exchange-traded funds,

According to reports on October 17, India ordered state-owned fuel retailers to halt purchases of ethanol produced from sugarcane and sugar derivatives, effective from the new supply year beginning November 1. Five major state refiners—Indian Oil Corporation, Bharath

According to Odaily, Bulgarian bank Postbank plans to launch stock, ETF, crypto asset, commodity and metal investment features in its mobile banking app in early 2027. The service will be provided through a partnership with an international investment

In US Stock Market News, the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.14% on Friday, October 16, 2026 (10:14 PM IST), with the S&P 500 declining 1.09% as investors raised questions about mounting artificial intelligence debt and higher interest rates. The Nasdaq's weekly losses reached roughly 4.5%—its worst week si

South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance released its October edition of the Recent Economic Trends report on Oct. 16, stating the domestic economy continues a solid recovery driven by rising exports and investment. The ministry reported September exports jumped 83.5% from a year earlier, led b

According to Bloomberg, on October 17, quantitative trading firms Jump Trading and DRW deployed trading teams and committed capital to the emerging AI computing derivatives market. Jump Trading has established a dedicated team to provide market-making services for computing futures contracts

According to BlockBeats, Nasdaq-100 fell 5.5% this week on October 17, marking the largest weekly decline since April 2025, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index extended an eight-day losing streak—the longest since 2008—with losses around 16%. AI infrastructure provider CoreWeave's bond

According to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, a super tanker carrying over 2 million barrels of crude oil hit a mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz on October 17. The statement indicated the tanker had shut down its positioning and radar systems while attempting to transit an

According to CNBC, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio plans to visit Reliance Industries' Jamnagar refinery in India, the world's largest, amid surging American diesel prices and the upcoming midterm elections. The visit marks Rubio's second trip to India this year, during which he will meet with

According to two sources, a main unit at Russia's Ryazan refinery has halted operations since being struck by Ukrainian drones on October 15. The facility is a key part of Russia's oil production infrastructure. Meanwhile, Russian President Putin ordered military forces to conduct large-scale

According to a White House executive order issued on October 16, Trump exempted multiple sanctions and restrictive measures from the 2026 Lindsay Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act. The exemptions include a 500% tariff on Russian goods imported to the United States and a 100% tariff on major

According to Seeking Alpha, BofA Securities strategist Michael Hartnett shifted to a more risk-averse positioning, warning that market risks will increase over the next three to four weeks amid mounting economic, political, and credit market pressures. Hartnett cited multiple destabilizing

The USD-KRW 1-month non-deliverable forward (NDF) rose to 1,333.70 won (MID) on October 17, up 3.30 won from the Seoul foreign exchange market spot close of 1,331.40 won after adjusting for the 1-month swap point of -1.00 won, according to overseas brokers. The dollar weakened following Federal

According to Yonhapinfomax, on October 17, the dollar-won 1-month NDF rate rose to 1,333.70 won (mid-price), up 3.30 won from the previous day's Seoul spot close of 1,331.40 won after accounting for a -1.00 won swap point. The bid price was 1,333.50 won and the ask price was 1,333.90 won. The U.S.