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Short, verified market news summaries; every item names its source and publication date.
Global silver jumps more than 3% Tuesday to around $59, a one-week high
Silver climbed more than 3% in Tuesday's session (30 Tir 1405, 21 July 2026), reaching around $59 an ounce, and touched roughly $59.7 during the day, its highest in about a week. Some estimates put the daily gain at close to 5%. The main driver was a pause in the oil-price rally and market hopes that mediators could revive negotiations and a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, easing fears of energy-driven inflation and, in turn, the odds of a Federal Reserve rate hike, which supported precious metals. Technically, silver also broke the descending trendline of the past several weeks. Silver had fallen about 9% over the previous month but remains roughly 50% higher than a year ago. Tuesday's advance came alongside global gold's return above $4,000 an ounce.
FXStreet · Jul 21, 2026
Spot gold edges higher on Tuesday, holding above $4,000 but still near a nine-month low
Spot gold edged higher on Tuesday, 30 Tir 1405 (21 July 2026), trading in a roughly $4,020 to $4,045 range depending on the source, about half a percent to one percent above the previous day. Despite the small gain, gold remained close to its lowest level in nine months. The main pressure on gold comes from firming expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike: a jump in oil prices amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis has revived concerns about energy-driven inflation and pushed US Treasury yields higher. Gold pays no yield, so higher interest rates typically dim its appeal. Moves in the global ounce feed directly into domestic gold and coin prices in Iran, and from there into households' asset markets.
اقتصاد آنلاین · Jul 21, 2026
Bitcoin hit a two-week high near $65,500 on Tuesday; Ethereum topped $1,900
The cryptocurrency market rose on Tuesday, 21 July 2026. Bitcoin gained about 0.8 percent to a two-week high near $65,500, and Ethereum rose about 1.5 percent to move above $1,900. According to CoinDesk, the advance came alongside a rebound in Asian chipmaker stocks and improving risk appetite in markets. Despite the price gains, the crypto Fear and Greed Index remained in extreme fear territory at 25. U.S. spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds have logged five straight trading days of inflows totaling more than $600 million. Traders view the Federal Reserve's late-July meeting as the next test for the market. In Iran's domestic market, tether is the main reference for crypto trading and moves in step with the free-market dollar rate.
CoinDesk · Jul 21, 2026
Global gold slips to about $4,008 on Tuesday, near a nine-month low
Spot gold slipped to around $4,008 an ounce on Tuesday, 21 July, holding just above the $4,000 mark and near its lowest level in nine months. The metal is down about 4 percent over the past month. Even as the US-Iran war continues, the jump in oil prices has raised inflation concerns and strengthened expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher for longer, a factor that weighs on gold and has kept safe-haven buying tied to geopolitical tension from lifting prices. Silver held firmer than gold the same day. The global gold price is the main benchmark for Iran's domestic gold and coin market.
Mining.com · Jul 21, 2026
Brent slips toward $89 on Tuesday as mediation hopes ease war pressure on oil
Crude oil prices edged lower early on Tuesday, July 21, pulling back from the previous session's highest levels in over a month. Brent crude futures for September delivery fell about 35 cents, or 0.4 percent, to around $88.87 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate held near $82.47, little changed. On Monday, July 20, Brent had climbed above $90 as the intensifying U.S. and Iran conflict and disruption to Strait of Hormuz traffic tightened the supply outlook. The pullback was tied to reports that mediators are seeking a ten-day pause in the fighting and to Tehran's confirmation that it had received diplomatic proposals. Even so, reduced tanker traffic through Hormuz and a threatened naval blockade of Saudi Arabia by Yemen's Houthis kept a floor under prices. Swings in oil feed directly into Iran's export revenue, budget and currency expectations.
CNBC · Jul 21, 2026
Standard Chartered: 2026 is the year of Ethereum; renews $100,000 bitcoin year-end target
Standard Chartered said in a new report that it believes 2026 will be "the year of Ethereum" and expects ether to outperform bitcoin, citing Ethereum's role in stablecoins, tokenized real world assets and decentralized finance. The bank reaffirmed its $100,000 year-end 2026 target for bitcoin, but cut its end 2026 ether target to $7,500 from $12,000, while raising its longer term outlook and lifting its end 2030 target to $40,000. The comments circulated on 19 and 20 July 2026. The crypto market matters to Iranian traders through tether and bitcoin.
The Block · Jul 20, 2026
Asian LNG prices jump amid Hormuz crisis; JKM benchmark hits about $21
Spot prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Asia have risen sharply amid the Strait of Hormuz crisis and the continued force majeure on Qatar's exports. The Japan Korea Marker (JKM) rose 5.32% from the previous day to about $20.99 per million BTU on Friday, 17 July 2026. The benchmark is up roughly 37% over the past month and nearly 75% from a year ago. Qatar, one of the world's largest LNG exporters, has extended force majeure on part of its shipments. Higher Asian gas prices increase pressure on major importers such as China, Japan and South Korea and are tied to the energy crisis stemming from Iran US tensions.
Trading Economics · Jul 20, 2026
World Gold Council: central banks keep buying gold; gold becomes the world's largest reserve asset
According to the latest World Gold Council data in July 2026, official sector demand for gold has stayed strong in the opening months of the year, and the Council forecasts that the world's central banks will buy roughly 850 tonnes of gold in 2026. In its annual survey, 89% of reserve managers expect global central bank gold holdings to rise over the next 12 months, and a record 45% said their own institution's reserves would increase. In May, Poland added 18 tonnes (64 tonnes year to date), Kazakhstan 7 tonnes and Singapore 4 tonnes. Gold has now overtaken US Treasuries to become the world's largest reserve asset. This trend is a key pillar supporting the global gold price, which also drives Iran's gold and coin market.
World Gold Council · Jul 20, 2026
Global wheat prices hit a two-year high as fresh Black Sea attacks threaten grain exports
Global wheat prices rose on Monday, July 20, 2026, to their highest level since May 2024, accelerating after Russia and Ukraine intensified attacks on each other's commercial ships and ports in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, threatening grain exports. Market data showed wheat trading around 684 cents (near $6.84) a bushel on Monday, more than 14% higher over the past month and about 26% above a year earlier. Russian strikes on the ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa, and Pivdennyi have cut Ukraine's grain export capacity by roughly one-third. The jump matters for Iran, one of the world's largest wheat importers, because it can raise import costs and food-inflation pressure amid the war.
Reuters · Jul 20, 2026
Bitcoin holds near $64,600 on Monday as Iran's tether eases with the dollar
Bitcoin held near $64,600 on Monday, 29 Tir 1405 (July 20, 2026), trading in a narrow range with a small daily gain of about 0.2 percent. In Iran's domestic market, the price of tether eased alongside the retreat of the dollar in the open market, slipping to around 189,000 tomans, roughly 2 percent lower than the previous day. A calmer currency market has reduced selling pressure on widely used domestic cryptocurrencies such as tether. Iran's local crypto pricing remains tied more to the open market dollar than to the global trend.
اقتصادنیوز · Jul 20, 2026
Silver climbs even as gold slips, reaching about $57 an ounce
Global silver rose on Monday, July 20, unlike gold, reaching about $57 an ounce, a gain of roughly 1.5 percent from Friday, when silver had closed near $56. Gold, meanwhile, stayed below the $4,000 mark and near a nine-month low. The divergence between the two metals reflects silver's larger industrial role. Industrial demand in electronics, solar panels and medical equipment, along with silver's status as a cheaper safe haven, has made it more resilient to the pressure from expectations of a Fed rate hike that is weighing on gold. Silver has gained more than $18 over the past year. These prices are the global benchmark, and Iran's domestic silver price follows them once the exchange rate is factored in.
Fortune · Jul 20, 2026
Gold hovers near $4,000 and a nine-month low as the oil surge revives Fed rate-hike bets
Spot gold traded around $4,000 an ounce on Monday, 20 July 2026 (about $4,001, down roughly 0.4% on the day), near a nine-month low and about 28% below its late-January 2026 record of roughly $5,600. Contrary to the usual pattern, markets have read the US-Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz crisis as an inflation event rather than a flight-to-safety one: crude's jump above $90 has revived inflation fears and bets on a Federal Reserve rate hike, and that pressure has pushed gold lower. Markets now price meaningful odds of a Fed rate increase by September. In Iran the picture differs. As of Sunday evening, 19 July, the Emami coin stood near 189 million tomans (down about 0.5%), yet the coin's premium over melt value (the hobab) jumped about 6.8% in a single day to roughly 6.5 million tomans; a gram of 18-carat gold was about 18.8 million tomans (down about 2%). A weak rial and domestic demand have kept Iran's gold market close to record highs even as the global ounce falls.
Yahoo Finance · Jul 20, 2026
Brent Crude Tops $90 for First Time Since June 11 as Hormuz Crisis Intensifies
Brent crude oil topped $90 a barrel on Monday, July 20 (29 Tir), rising about 3 percent to its highest level since June 11. Brent gained $2.69 (3.05 percent) to around $90.79 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose 2.65 percent to about $84.68, its highest since June 12. The jump came after the United States and Iran widened their attacks across the region over the weekend and tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted again. Brent had already climbed about 15.9 percent last week, its biggest weekly gain since April. Roughly a fifth of the world's oil supply moves through the Strait of Hormuz, and disruptions there feed directly into Iran's oil revenue and imported inflation.
CNBC · Jul 20, 2026
Baltic Dry Index falls 3.1 percent on Friday to lowest since July 3
The Baltic Exchange's dry bulk freight index fell 88 points, or 3.1 percent, to 2,752 on Friday, July 17, 2026, its lowest since July 3, driven mainly by weaker capesize rates. The capesize index, which ships cargoes of about 150,000 tonnes of iron ore and coal, lost 242 points, or 5.6 percent, to 4,097 and was down nearly 12 percent for the week. Average daily earnings for capesize vessels dropped $2,196 to $33,653. The dry bulk decline, in contrast with the surge in Persian Gulf tanker rates, shows the Hormuz crisis is weighing more on the energy market and oil routes than on dry bulk shipping.
Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide · Jul 19, 2026
Global copper falls under demand worries and the Hormuz crisis; Chile storm and Antofagasta output drop add supply concern
Global copper prices fell on Friday, July 17, 2026, as worries about weaker demand amid inflation and risks from the Strait of Hormuz crisis offset supply concerns. Copper eased about 1.2 percent on the day. On the supply side, a powerful storm in Chile, the world's largest copper producer, caused widespread power outages and damage, and Antofagasta said its copper output in the first half of 2026 fell 9.5 percent to 285,000 tonnes, factors that lent some support to prices but did not prevent the decline. The trajectory of global copper prices matters for Iran, because it shapes the revenue and valuation of Tehran-listed copper producers such as National Iranian Copper Industries, and feeds into domestic industrial-metal costs.
بیزنس رکوردر / Business Recorder · Jul 19, 2026
IMF Cuts 2026 Global Growth Forecast to 3% on the Iran War
In its July update to the World Economic Outlook, the International Monetary Fund cut its 2026 global growth forecast to 3%, down from 3.1% in April and its second reduction this year, citing the energy shock from the US-Iran war. The report says energy prices are now about 25% above pre-war levels; the fund assumes an average oil price of about $89 a barrel for 2026 and that the Strait of Hormuz begins reopening from mid-July. Earlier, the World Bank had cut its own 2026 growth forecast to 2.5%, calling it the worst hit to the global economy since the COVID-19 pandemic. Slower global growth can weigh on Iran's economy through oil demand and trade.
Al Jazeera · Jul 19, 2026
World Bank Warns on Food Prices; Wheat Climbs amid the Hormuz Crisis
According to the World Bank's Commodity Markets Outlook, the West Asia war and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz have pushed global food prices higher through rising energy, fertilizer and shipping costs. Grain prices rose about 5% in the first quarter of 2026, led by a 9% jump in wheat and a 4% rise in maize; more recent reports say wheat has climbed about 13% since the previous update. West Asia and the Persian Gulf are the world's largest importers of wheat and rice, making them highly sensitive to price shocks; in March, food inflation rose sharply in the Persian Gulf's import-dependent economies. Iran is also a major wheat importer, and the trend feeds into household costs.
World Bank · Jul 19, 2026
Container Freight Rates Hit Highest Since September 2024; War Surcharges on Persian Gulf Routes
The Hormuz crisis has sent container freight rates surging. Drewry's World Container Index reached $4,639 per 40-foot container on July 9, 2026, the highest since September 2024. On routes linked to the Persian Gulf, war-risk and emergency surcharges alone can add several thousand dollars to the cost of each container. According to reports, Asia-to-North-Europe rates have reached about $5,800 and Asia-to-Mediterranean about $7,200 per 40-foot container, roughly $3,000 more than six weeks earlier. Transpacific rates have also risen to about $7,500 (US West Coast) and more than $9,000 (East Coast).
Lloyd's List · Jul 19, 2026
Global Methanol Prices Climb; China's Reliance on Iranian Methanol in Focus
The Hormuz crisis and the US-Iran war have also caught up the methanol and petrochemical market. Industry reports through mid-July 2026 say higher freight, insurance and feedstock costs have lifted prices for methanol, sulfur and polymers, leaving import-dependent buyers with longer lead times. China sources more than 50% of its methanol from Iran, so any disruption to Iranian exports has a direct effect on the global market. According to these reports, non-sanctioned shipowners are refusing to carry Iranian-origin cargoes over fears of sanctions and blocked payments, a factor that could keep region-origin chemical prices elevated through the second half of 2026. Methanol is a major item in Iran's petrochemical exports.
Cyprus Shipping News · Jul 19, 2026
Aluminium Hits a Four-Year High as the Hormuz War Squeezes Persian Gulf Smelters
Aluminium on the London Metal Exchange reached a four-year high of about $3,655 to $3,707 a tonne in July 2026. The Strait of Hormuz is the only sea route for aluminium produced in the Persian Gulf to reach markets in Asia, Europe and the Americas, and its disruption, together with worries over power supply to smelters, has tightened availability. Primary aluminium output at Persian Gulf plants was reported about 35% lower year on year in April and at its lowest in more than a decade. The Persian Gulf and West Asia region accounts for roughly 9% of global primary aluminium production, a share that has gained strategic weight since Russian metal was pushed out of Western supply chains.
The Northern Miner · Jul 19, 2026
Urea Fertilizer Prices Jump amid Hormuz Crisis; Iran and Qatar Halt Ammonia Output
Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, the route for about a quarter of global urea exports, has put the fertilizer market under pressure. According to World Bank data, the global fertilizer index has risen about 12% during the Hormuz crisis, and the bank projects urea prices will climb close to 60% in 2026. Urea topped $850 a tonne in April, up about 80% from February and the highest since April 2022. The surge stems from a halt to ammonia production in Iran and Qatar's suspension of urea, ammonia and sulfur output during the war, alongside higher natural-gas prices (the main feedstock for nitrogen fertilizers) and rising freight and insurance costs. Iran is itself a significant exporter of urea and petrochemicals, making this market important for its domestic industry.
World Bank · Jul 19, 2026
ANZ raises its 2026 Brent forecast to above 90 dollars a barrel
Australian bank ANZ has raised its forecast for the average 2026 price of Brent crude to above 90 dollars a barrel, citing the loss of roughly 10 million barrels a day of global supply because of the war and the continuing US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Brent rose above 87 dollars on Friday, July 17, its highest in a month, and gained more than 10 percent over the week. The naval blockade was reimposed on Tuesday, July 14, and commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains very limited. Any sustained jump in global oil prices has two opposing effects for Iran: it lifts the value of its oil exports, while also adding to domestic inflation by making fuel and imported goods more expensive.
OilPrice · Jul 19, 2026
Central banks kept buying gold through its worst quarter since 2013
According to World Gold Council data, the world's central banks remained net buyers of gold through the second quarter of 2026 despite a sharp drop in the price (its steepest quarterly decline since 2013); net global purchases in May 2026 were reported at about 41 tonnes. Poland leads sovereign buyers with roughly 64 tonnes since the start of 2026, while China, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan also kept buying. The trend shows that official reserve demand for gold remains firm over the medium term, even as the oil surge and worries over US interest-rate policy have pushed the price lower in the short term. For Iran's domestic market, where gold and coin prices track the global price and the exchange rate, the long-term direction of central-bank reserves is an important variable.
Kitco News · Jul 19, 2026
IATA: jet fuel surge to halve global airline industry profit in 2026
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said regional disruptions and the surge in jet fuel prices will roughly halve the global airline industry's profit in 2026, cutting it from 45 billion dollars in 2025 to about 23 billion dollars, while the net profit margin falls from 4.2 percent to around 2 percent. Fuel's share of some carriers' operating costs has risen from about 25 to 30 percent to close to 45 percent. In response to this pressure, carriers such as Air France KLM have raised fuel surcharges on long-haul flights, with the charge exceeding 100 euros per ticket on some transatlantic routes. The root cause is the Strait of Hormuz crisis and the drop in refined-product supply, which has sharply lifted the global price of jet fuel.
IATA · Jul 19, 2026
Global gold ETFs closed H1 2026 with US$8 billion of net inflows; physical holdings reached 4,047 tonnes
According to the latest World Gold Council report, global gold exchange traded funds (ETFs) closed the first half of 2026 with net inflows of about US$8 billion, a figure that stayed positive despite the sharp price swings of the period. Total assets under management reached roughly US$526 billion by the end of June, down about 6 percent since the start of the year on the lower gold price, yet the physical tonnage held rose by 18 tonnes to 4,047 tonnes. The picture diverged across regions: Asian funds recorded their strongest first half on record with US$12 billion of inflows, while North America was the only region to see outflows, posting its weakest first half since 2013 with US$7.7 billion withdrawn. Analysts tied those outflows to expectations that the US Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher to curb the energy-driven inflation of the Iran-US war. Global gold peaked at a record US$5,589.38 an ounce on January 28 before retreating during the Strait of Hormuz crisis, ending the first half near US$4,000 on June 30. Gold remains the reference asset for Iranian savers, and global capital flows into the metal also shape domestic expectations.
شورای جهانی طلا (World Gold Council) · Jul 19, 2026
Bitcoin near $64,900 as crypto trades like a risk asset amid the war and oil surge
Bitcoin traded near $64,900 on the morning of Sunday, July 19, 2026, slightly higher (about 0.3 percent) than the prior day. That level followed a volatile week in which bitcoin fell as US strikes on Iran resumed and oil prices jumped, dipping to the low $63,000s mid-week (around July 16 to 18). According to CoinDesk and Bloomberg, bitcoin behaved over the period more like a risk asset (moving with technology stocks) than a safe haven: as oil climbed and worries about sticky inflation and interest rates grew, cryptocurrencies fell alongside US equities (the Nasdaq dropped about 2.9 percent in the week to July 18), while gold held its ground. For an Iranian audience, cryptocurrencies and Tether in particular are a common channel for transferring and saving value under currency restrictions, so global bitcoin volatility together with a weakening rial shapes domestic demand.
CoinDesk · Jul 19, 2026
Global diesel refining margins hit a record; US diesel tops $5 a gallon again
As Strait of Hormuz traffic slowed to a near halt during the Iran-US war, a shortage of refined products has pushed the global market toward a fuel crisis and lifted refiners' margins to record highs. According to CNN Business, the refining-margin gauge known as the 3-2-1 crack spread rose to about $70 a barrel on Thursday, July 16, 2026, a record, while US diesel topped $5 a gallon the same day for the first time in three weeks. The key point is that most of the jump in product prices came not from crude itself (which rose about 5 percent over the period) but from tight refining capacity and disrupted product flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent traded in a range of $85 to $88 a barrel during the week. For Iran the significance is twofold: Iran is itself an importer of gasoline and diesel, so war damage to refineries and costlier products make domestic supply harder, while the global product price also shapes fuel export and smuggling dynamics.
CNN Business · Jul 19, 2026
Brent posts a third straight weekly gain, ending the week near $88 a barrel
Brent crude closed the week ending Friday, July 17, 2026, up nearly 12 percent, its third consecutive weekly gain, as the escalating US-Iran conflict and disrupted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz pushed the global oil supply-risk premium higher. During Friday's session, Brent jumped about 4.5 percent from its prior close near $84 to around $88 a barrel. Global oil markets are shut on Saturday and Sunday, and traders are waiting for clarity on the Strait of Hormuz at the start of the coming week. For Iran's economy the surge cuts both ways: it lifts the dollar value of oil exports, while adding to domestic inflation by making global fuel and transport more expensive.
گلفتودی (رویترز) · Jul 19, 2026
UN calls for restraint in the Strait of Hormuz crisis; IMO condemns attacks on ships
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, voicing deep concern over the escalating military confrontation in the Persian Gulf region, urged all parties to exercise "maximum restraint," refrain from further escalatory action and take immediate steps to de-escalate. He pointed to Iran's attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, US strikes on Iran and Iranian attacks on targets in neighbouring countries, and stressed the need to return to dialogue. Separately, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) condemned attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz that killed at least two seafarers. The statements came in mid-July 2026 as transits through the strategic waterway all but halted and global energy markets came under strain.
JURIST · Jul 19, 2026
IEA: The Strait of Hormuz shock is the largest oil supply disruption in the history of the global market
The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a fresh analysis that the disruption from the Strait of Hormuz crisis has become the largest oil supply loss in the history of the global market, exceeding both the 1973 oil embargo and the 1990 Persian Gulf War shock in combined volume and duration. According to the assessment, oil transiting the strait fell from about 20 million barrels a day before the war to an average of roughly 2.7 million barrels a day over March to May 2026, while cumulative supply losses from regional producers have passed 1.3 billion barrels. After hostilities resumed in July, tanker transits dropped below 10 percent of pre-war levels. The agency's head called it the greatest global energy security challenge in history. Before the crisis, the Strait of Hormuz carried about one-fifth of the world's oil and a large share of its LNG.
International Energy Agency · Jul 19, 2026
Global gold ends the week down more than 3 percent as the Hormuz-driven oil surge weighs on the metal
Global gold fell more than 3 percent in the week ending Friday, 17 July 2026, one of its largest weekly declines in about six months, with the metal trading near 4,000 dollars an ounce on Friday and at its lowest level since November 2025. Contrary to gold's usual safe-haven behavior, the escalating Iran-US military tensions and the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz worked against the metal this time by way of higher oil prices. Brent crude rose nearly 12 percent over the past week, lifting inflation expectations and the odds that the US Federal Reserve keeps rates higher for longer and firming bond yields, all of which pressure gold. The dynamic matters for Iran's domestic market, where local gold and coin prices track both the global ounce and the exchange rate.
Yahoo Finance · Jul 18, 2026
Reuters Report: Iran Tells Houthis to Prepare to Close Bab el-Mandeb if US Strikes Its Power Grid
Reuters reported on Thursday, July 16, 2026, citing three sources, that Iran has instructed Yemen's Houthis to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the southern end of the Red Sea to shipping if the United States attacks Iran's power network. According to the report, President Donald Trump had threatened in a July 14 interview to target Iran's electricity infrastructure. A source close to the Houthis said the group has positioned drones and missiles to potentially attack vessels in Bab el-Mandeb. Based on data from maritime-trade analytics firm Kpler, roughly 7 percent of global oil supply transited the strait in June, a route that has become an alternative corridor for the region's energy exports after disruption at the Strait of Hormuz, meaning its closure could add fresh pressure to the global oil market.
The Express Tribune (Reuters) · Jul 18, 2026
Ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz fall to a record low: about 3 vessels in 24 hours versus a pre-war average near 110
According to shipping tracking reports as of Friday, July 17, 2026, only about 3 commercial vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, roughly a 97 percent drop from the pre-war daily average of about 110 ships. No very large crude carriers (VLCCs) or LNG tankers are reported to have passed during this window, the second consecutive day without such movements. Traffic plunged after Tehran said the strait would stay closed until further notice. The Strait of Hormuz carries about one fifth of the world's oil, and much of Iran's own crude exports, including from Kharg Island, also move through Persian Gulf waters, so the halt weighs directly on both the global energy market and Iran's foreign-currency revenue.
The Times of Israel · Jul 17, 2026
Philadelphia chip index enters bear market; about $3.3 trillion in global chip value erased since June 22
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) fell as much as 5.7% on Friday, July 17, 2026, deepening its drop from a late-June record to more than 20% and pushing the gauge into bear-market territory. According to Bloomberg data, roughly $3.3 trillion in global chip-stock market value has been erased since June 22. Before this slide, the 30-stock benchmark had soared about 105% from its March low to last month's peak. Shares of Marvell, ARM and Intel have each fallen more than 30% over that span. Friday's decline followed worries that the heavy spending on artificial intelligence is becoming harder to justify, compounded by the unveiling of the "Kimi K3" model by Chinese startup Moonshot. By Friday midday US Eastern time, Wall Street's main indexes were also trading lower, and Netflix shares dropped about 11% after a weak sales outlook. The selloff has no direct bearing on Iran's markets, but it reinforces a broad risk-off mood that feeds through to oil, gold and crypto prices.
Bloomberg · Jul 17, 2026
Bitcoin slips to around $63,000 on Friday, roughly $1,100 below the previous day
Bitcoin traded at around $62,900 on the morning of Friday, July 17, 2026 (US Eastern time), roughly $1,100 below the previous morning. The world's largest cryptocurrency has fluctuated in the $60,000 to $65,000 range for more than a month. Friday's decline came alongside selling pressure in equity and precious-metals markets amid the intensifying US-Iran war. Several billion dollars' worth of bitcoin and ethereum options also expired on Friday. Tether, the cryptocurrency widely used in Iran's market, has traded inside the country above the free-market dollar rate this week.
Fortune · Jul 17, 2026
Global silver hits eight-month low as gold-to-silver ratio climbs near 72
Silver fell to about $55.80 an ounce in global trading on Friday, July 17, 2026, marking its lowest level in eight months. Silver is down more than 20% from a month ago. The drop came as global gold also stayed below $4,000 an ounce, but silver declined more sharply: the gold-to-silver ratio (the number of ounces of silver needed to equal the value of one ounce of gold) rose to about 72 on Friday, up from around 71.6 on Thursday. Analysts cite concerns that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates elevated, along with the US-Iran war that has pushed up oil prices and inflation worries, as pressures weighing on precious metals.
Yahoo Finance · Jul 17, 2026
China's Moonshot unveils Kimi K3 AI model as chip stocks tumble worldwide
Chinese startup Moonshot AI on Friday, July 17, 2026, unveiled its new AI model, Kimi K3. The company says the model, with 2.8 trillion parameters, is the world's largest open-weight model and trails only the most advanced US models on benchmark tests. The full model weights are due for public release on July 27. The launch triggered a wave of selling in semiconductor and AI stocks, with investors comparing it to the 2025 DeepSeek moment, when a Chinese lab released a model on par with US rivals at a fraction of the cost. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) fell about 24% from its late-June record on Friday, formally entering a bear market and heading for its worst week since spring 2025. Moonshot, backed by Alibaba, has been valued at around $31.5 billion in an ongoing funding round.
Yahoo Finance · Jul 17, 2026
Brent holds above $85 on Friday; oil up over 11% for the week, its best week since late April
Oil prices rose on Friday, July 17, 2026 (26 Tir 1405), keeping Brent above $85 a barrel. September Brent futures gained about 0.9% to around $85, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate for August delivery added about 1% to roughly $79.7. Both benchmarks are up more than 11% for the week, their best weekly performance since late April. The main driver is the intensifying U.S.-Iran conflict and fears of disruption to oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping traffic has fallen sharply since the escalation began. For Iran the rally cuts both ways: higher prices lift the value of oil exports, yet the U.S. naval blockade and the halt in loadings at the Kharg Island terminal limit its ability to fully capitalize on them.
CNBC · Jul 17, 2026
Gold holds below $4,000 on Friday, set for its biggest weekly loss in six weeks
Spot gold held below $4,000 an ounce on Friday, July 17, 2026, trading around $3,986. The metal was on track for a weekly decline of about 3.4%, its biggest weekly loss in six weeks and near its lowest level since November 2025. Higher oil prices, driven by escalating US-Iran tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, have revived inflation worries and strengthened the case for the Federal Reserve keeping interest rates elevated, adding selling pressure on gold. On the other side, softer US inflation data that has trimmed the odds of a rate hike at the upcoming meeting has offered the metal some support.
CNBC · Jul 17, 2026
Bitcoin near $64,000 Thursday as crypto holds up against falling gold
The crypto market held up on Thursday, 16 July 2026, even as global gold slid. Per Yahoo Finance, bitcoin opened the day near $64,720 (about 0.4% below Wednesday) and eased to around $64,066 by morning US trading. By Thursday evening Tehran time it was trading near $64,085, roughly 1.4% below the prior day. Ethereum outperformed, opening near $1,917, about 1.5% higher. That resilience came as spot gold fell nearly 2% the same day to below $4,000 and silver stayed under $58. Crypto analysts attribute this week's steadiness to softer US inflation data, which opened more room for risk assets. For Iranian savers, Tether is the main gateway to the global crypto market, and moves in bitcoin and stablecoins track this dollar-denominated market.
Yahoo Finance · Jul 16, 2026
IEA Warns the World Has Just Weeks to Reopen the Strait of Hormuz
Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, warned on Thursday, July 16, 2026 that the global economy will face renewed difficulty unless the Strait of Hormuz crisis is resolved within the next few weeks. He stressed that "it is not months, it is weeks" and said the waterway must be reopened "fully and unconditionally." Noting that roughly 20 percent of the world's oil and gas normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, Birol said markets are nervous and grappling with "big uncertainty." Disruption to Persian Gulf energy and petrochemical feedstock shipments has already hit economies such as South Korea and Japan, he said, while countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are far more vulnerable to a cutoff. The remarks came on the sixth day of the Iran-US military confrontation over control of Hormuz, as Brent crude steadied near 85 dollars after four days of gains.
Business Standard · Jul 16, 2026
Spot Gold Slid Below $4,000 on Thursday as the Oil Jump Revived Inflation Concerns
The price of an ounce of spot gold fell on Thursday, July 16, 2026, dropping below the $4,000 mark. Based on Sahmino data, spot gold reached about $3,992 by Thursday evening, roughly 1.8% below the previous day and a marked decline from the mid-week $4,060 zone. Earlier the same day, gold had eased about 0.6% and traded near $4,034. The main driver was the jump in oil prices from the escalating regional conflict, which has revived concerns about a return of inflation and, with it, the chance of a Federal Reserve rate hike. Despite a softer US June producer price reading, traders are still pricing in roughly a 73% chance of a rate hike in December, an outlook that weighs on the non-yielding metal. In the domestic market, 18-karat gold also slipped about 0.6% on the day. The latest prices are available on the Sahmino prices page.
CNBC · Jul 16, 2026
Oil steadies near one-month high on Thursday as profit-taking caps four-day rally
Oil prices eased slightly on Thursday, July 16, 2026, after four straight sessions of gains, steadying near their highest level in a month. Brent crude slipped about 0.2 percent to around $84.8 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate to about $79.5, as some traders took profits following a rally of more than 11 percent over the prior three sessions. Even so, concern over supply disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, after intensified US strikes on Iran and the reimposition of a naval blockade of Iranian ports, kept a floor under prices. The strait carries roughly a fifth of the world's oil, and swings there feed directly into Iran's oil revenue and the global energy market.
HDFC Sky · Jul 16, 2026
Global wheat climbs to highest since late May; futures near $6.50 a bushel
Wheat futures rose to around $6.50 a bushel in mid-July 2026, their highest level since about May 20, as investors weighed geopolitical risks and their potential impact on global grain flows. Renewed US-Iran tensions and concerns over higher fertilizer and fuel costs following disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, along with a drone strike on the Sea of Azov route (which handles about a quarter of Russia's grain exports), were among the drivers. The US government also cut its 2026/27 wheat production forecast to 41.8 million tonnes, the lowest since 1970. Global wheat prices matter for Iran, a major wheat importer, in terms of food security and import costs.
Trading Economics · Jul 16, 2026
Global silver slips below $58; gold-to-silver ratio climbs to about 70
Spot silver fell about 1.5 percent in Wednesday, July 15, 2026 trade, sliding to near $57.68 an ounce, while gold held roughly steady near $4,060 an ounce. As silver's drop outpaced gold, the gold-to-silver ratio rose to about 70, its highest in recent weeks. The main drag on silver was persistently high oil prices amid US-Iran tensions and worries that inflation would linger, keeping the prospect of tighter Federal Reserve policy alive; higher interest rates weigh on non-yielding precious metals. Silver also matters for Iran's market: the global ounce feeds through to domestic silver and precious-metal prices, and several silver investment funds have launched on the Iran Mercantile Exchange in recent weeks.
Kitco · Jul 16, 2026
Hormuz Crisis Squeezes the Fertilizer and Petrochemical Chain; World Bank Warns of Urea Price Jump
The disruption at the Strait of Hormuz, which flared again this week with the escalation between the United States and Iran, is also keeping the global fertilizer market under pressure. Nitrogen fertilizers (urea), whose production depends on natural gas, have roughly doubled since the Hormuz disruption began in late February, and in April 2026 urea passed 850 dollars per tonne, the highest level since April 2022. Persian Gulf and West Asian countries supply close to one-quarter of the world's urea exports, and Hormuz is the main route for those shipments. During the war, Iran has halted its ammonia production, and Qatar has suspended production of urea, ammonia and sulfur after damage to facilities. The World Bank has warned that, if the Hormuz disruption persists, global fertilizer prices could rise by more than 30 percent in 2026. The relevance for Iran cuts both ways: Iran is a significant exporter of urea and petrochemical products, and the production halts and export disruption affect both the country's foreign-currency revenue and its listed petrochemical companies.
Fertilizer Daily · Jul 16, 2026
Global Gold Steadies on Thursday as Fed Rate-Hike Odds Fall; Near 4,060 Dollars
Global gold steadied on Thursday, 16 July 2026, after a week of sharp swings, rebounding to around 4,060 dollars an ounce after touching an intraday low near 4,017 dollars. The recovery was driven by softer US inflation data: the June Producer Price Index fell 0.3 percent, with the annual rate easing to 5.5 percent from 6 percent a month earlier. The data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will hold rates steady at its July meeting. According to the CME FedWatch tool, the probability of a rate increase at the coming meeting fell to about 10.2 percent, from around 16.6 percent before the release. On the other side, the jump in oil prices and the inflation risk it carries have capped gold's room to climb further. Global gold is the main pricing reference for coins and gold in Iran's domestic market.
FXStreet · Jul 16, 2026
Hormuz Crisis Reaches the Gas Market: European Gas and Asian LNG Rise as Qatar Exports Are Disrupted
The US-Iran military confrontation and the slowing of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz spread to the global gas market this week. Europe's benchmark natural gas (the front-month Dutch TTF contract) rose about 3 percent in mid-July 2026 trading to near 50 euros per megawatt-hour, while Asia's JKM LNG benchmark climbed above 18.5 dollars per million BTU. The main driver is the disruption to Qatar's LNG exports. Qatar, alongside Australia and the United States one of the world's largest LNG exporters, ships almost all of its cargoes through the Strait of Hormuz. About one-fifth of the world's LNG passes through the strait, and Europe sources roughly 12 to 14 percent of its LNG from Qatar. Qatar had already curbed part of its maritime activity after a projectile struck one of its LNG carriers, the Al Rekayat, on 7 July. The relevance for Iran lies in that same chokepoint: the Strait of Hormuz, which also carries Iran's oil exports, is now throttling Persian Gulf energy flows, and the surge in global energy prices feeds through to Iran's economy and domestic markets.
OilPrice · Jul 16, 2026
Brent holds near $85 for a fourth session, at a one-month high as the Hormuz crisis deepens
Oil prices held at elevated levels in Thursday, July 16, 2026 trading, staying near a one-month high for a fourth straight session of gains. During the day's Asian session, Brent crude traded around $85 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate around $80. The main drivers are the resumed naval blockade of Iran's ports, continued US strikes, and the IRGC's threat to cut off the region's energy exports, which has revived fears of supply disruption through the Strait of Hormuz. Reports put Brent more than 15% above its level before the renewed blockade began. Higher global oil prices also feed indirectly into Iran's gold and currency markets.
Yahoo Finance · Jul 16, 2026
Global gold holds near $4,066 on Wednesday, struggling to advance despite continued strikes on Iran
Spot gold traded near $4,066 an ounce on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, unable to make meaningful headway even as US strikes on Iran and Strait of Hormuz tensions persisted. The level was slightly below Tuesday's price of about $4,070. Soft US producer and consumer inflation data for June, which has trimmed the odds of a Federal Reserve rate hike at its upcoming meeting, has supported bullion, but a relatively steady dollar has capped further gains. In Iran's domestic market, where gold prices track the exchange rate, prices have meanwhile set fresh records.
سیانبیسی / CNBC · Jul 15, 2026
Bitcoin and ethereum rally Wednesday after softer US inflation data; bitcoin back near $65,000
The cryptocurrency market rose on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Bitcoin opened Wednesday's trading at about $64,975, roughly 4.4% above Tuesday's open, and traded near $64,622 as of 8:07 a.m. US Eastern time. Ethereum also opened the day near $1,890, about 6.6% higher. According to Yahoo Finance, the main driver was Tuesday's softer-than-expected US inflation report, which showed the largest monthly decline in consumer prices since April 2020. A Japan bitcoin ETF bill clearing a committee in the country's Upper House also supported sentiment. Total crypto market capitalization rose about 3.2% over 24 hours to roughly $2.3 trillion.
Yahoo Finance · Jul 15, 2026
Refined-products crunch: US and European diesel refining margins hit record highs
As tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz slowed to a near halt amid the US-Iran conflict, the supply squeeze has shifted from crude oil to refined products, unsettling markets on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. According to reports, the US diesel refining margin (crack spread) hit a record of about 64.5 dollars per barrel and the European diesel margin climbed above 60 dollars per barrel, the highest in several years. Diesel prices are up roughly 58 percent year on year and jet fuel more than 100 percent, while US distillate inventories sit near a five-year low. The International Energy Agency has warned of a continuing shortage of diesel and other products. In contrast to the surge in products, Brent crude traded around 85 dollars the same day.
CNN · Jul 15, 2026
Trump says US strikes on Iran will continue "until I say it's enough," threatens power plants and bridges
US President Donald Trump said in a Fox News interview on Tuesday that US strikes on Iran would continue until he says "it's enough." He claimed Iran's military had been degraded "to a very low level" and added that the United States would strike hard "tonight," "tomorrow night" and "the night after." Trump also threatened that next week the United States would target "all the power plants" and "all the bridges" in Iran unless Tehran returned to the negotiating table. The remarks came as the Strait of Hormuz crisis escalated and the naval blockade of Iranian ports was reinstated, adding to market concerns over oil supply and the outlook for the rial.
Fox News · Jul 15, 2026
Oil Rises for a Third Day; Brent Nears $86 on Wednesday
Oil prices rose for a third straight day on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, as the US reinstatement of the naval blockade of Iran's ports and continued strikes by both sides around the Strait of Hormuz kept concern over global energy supply disruption alive. In Asian trading, September Brent gained about 1.2% to near $85.77 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate for August rose about 1% to around $80. Brent, which had surged roughly 11% over the previous two sessions, is now trading at its highest level in a month.
CNBC · Jul 15, 2026
Bitcoin ends Tuesday down about 3.5% near $62,000
Bitcoin fell about 3.5% on Tuesday, 14 July, ending near $61,900, below its level at the start of the day. The cryptocurrency, which had opened the session near $62,500, traded between roughly $62,000 and $64,000 before settling lower. Selling pressure on crypto has continued alongside worries over the military tensions between Iran and the United States and as traders await the Federal Reserve's rate path.
Fortune · Jul 15, 2026
Global silver climbs about 3 percent toward $59 after soft US inflation data
Spot silver rose about 3 percent on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, climbing toward $59 an ounce, a rebound after the previous day's sharp fall. The main driver was the softer-than-expected US June inflation report and reduced expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike, which weakened the dollar and supported precious metals. Silver rose alongside gold, the same channel whose effect feeds through to Iran's domestic gold and coin market.
Kitco · Jul 14, 2026
Global Gold Climbs Back Above $4,000 After Soft US Inflation Data
Spot gold climbed back above $4,000 an ounce on Tuesday, July 14, after three straight sessions of declines. The rebound followed the release of June US inflation data that came in softer than expected, easing some concern about a Federal Reserve rate hike. According to Sahmino data, gold traded near $4,076 an ounce during Tehran afternoon hours, up about 1.9% from the previous day. On Monday, gold had slipped below $4,000 to its lowest level since July 1. A softer dollar and higher oil prices also supported the metal. Swings in the global ounce, together with a weaker rial, are the main drivers of gold and coin prices in Iran's domestic market.
Invezz · Jul 14, 2026
Brent Crude Hits One Month High, Up Over 4 Percent After Trump's 20 Percent Strait of Hormuz Toll Plan
Brent crude oil jumped more than 4 percent on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, reaching about $86.9 a barrel, its highest level in a month. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) also rose about 2.8 percent to near $80.4 a barrel. The main driver was Donald Trump's announcement of a 20 percent toll on all cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz and the reinstatement of a naval blockade of Iranian ports. Estimates put the toll at roughly $32 million for a supertanker, far above the previous charge of up to $2 million. Fears of a supply disruption intensified after Hormuz transits fell to 57 from Friday through Sunday, a drop of more than 50 percent versus the prior week. The Strait of Hormuz is the main export route for Iranian and Persian Gulf oil, and swings in global crude prices feed directly into Iran's foreign-currency earnings and domestic markets.
Al Jazeera · Jul 14, 2026
Global gold holds below $4,000 for a third straight session, weakest since July 1
Spot gold held below the $4,000 mark on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, trading around $3,996 an ounce in Asian morning hours, its third consecutive session lower and the weakest level since July 1. The move followed Monday's slide of nearly 3 percent. The jump in oil prices amid renewed US and Iran tensions over the Strait of Hormuz has lifted inflation worries and reinforced market expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates elevated, which dims the appeal of non-yielding gold. The drop in the global ounce is also weighing on domestic gold and coin prices in Iran (the latest figures are available in Sahmino's prices section).
The Nation (Thailand) · Jul 14, 2026
OPEC cuts 2026 oil demand growth forecast for a third straight month, to 800,000 bpd
In its monthly oil market report published on Monday, July 13, OPEC lowered its 2026 global oil demand growth forecast for a third consecutive month, to about 800,000 barrels per day. The report attributed the bulk of that growth, roughly 740,000 barrels per day, to non-OECD countries. OPEC also put 2027 demand growth at 1.94 million barrels per day. OPEC+ crude output rose by about 3 million barrels per day in June to average 36.28 million barrels per day. OPEC's demand outlook and supply policy carry direct significance for the oil-reliant economy of Iran, a member of the organization.
Zawya · Jul 14, 2026
Brent rises 2% to $85 on Tuesday as US-Iran strikes enter a third night and Hormuz traffic falls
Crude oil rose further on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, as tensions between the United States and Iran escalated. Brent gained about 2% to $85 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 2.3% to $80, extending Monday's near 9% jump, which was Brent's biggest single-day gain since 2020. US forces struck Iranian military targets, coastal air-defense systems and missile and drone capabilities for a third consecutive night in a roughly five-hour mission. Ship-tracking data showed confirmed crossings of the Strait of Hormuz fell about 52% week on week over July 10 to 12 as vessels shifted to more defensive routing. The strait carries roughly one fifth of the world's oil and gas trade, so disruptions feed directly into global prices and inflation expectations.
CNBC · Jul 14, 2026
Bitcoin falls to around $62,000 as crypto joins Monday's risk-off selloff
Bitcoin dropped below $63,000 on Monday, July 13, 2026, sliding to around $62,000, a decline of nearly 3% over 24 hours. The world's largest cryptocurrency, which had held up near $63,800 earlier in the day despite the escalating US-Iran conflict, lost that resilience in evening trade and joined a broad risk-off selloff alongside falling equities and precious metals. Traders attributed the drop to a mix of geopolitical tension and concern over US consumer inflation data due Tuesday, along with expectations that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates elevated. The total crypto market capitalization also fell about 3%.
Crypto Times · Jul 13, 2026
Global gold falls for a second straight day; silver drops more than 4%
The global spot gold price fell for a second straight day on Monday, July 13, 2026, dropping more than 2% to around $4,020 an ounce. The decline deepened in later trade, with the metal sliding to about $3,990 (down more than 3% from the previous day). Silver fell alongside gold, losing more than 4% to below $58 an ounce. Escalating US-Iran military tensions and rising inflation concerns, together with a stronger dollar and higher odds of a September Federal Reserve rate hike (markets now price the chance near 70%), have intensified selling pressure on the non-yielding precious metals. In Iran's domestic market, despite the drop in the global ounce, 18-carat gold held near 17,682,000 tomans per gram, little changed, supported by the weaker rial.
Yahoo Finance · Jul 13, 2026
Bitcoin ETFs snap a 10-day outflow streak with $221 million of inflows as ether and XRP fall
US spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds ended a 10-day run of outflows on Friday, drawing about 221.7 million dollars in net inflows, their largest single-day haul in two months. The figure, covering the last US trading session before the weekend, is read as a partial return of institutional demand, even as the broader crypto market opened the week under the shadow of renewed US-Iran tensions. In Monday trading on 13 July 2026, ether fell about 2.9 percent over 24 hours to near 1,736 dollars and XRP dropped about 2.9 percent to near 1.09 dollars. Bitcoin proved more resilient to the selling pressure, hovering in the area near 63,000 dollars.
CoinDesk · Jul 13, 2026
Bitcoin stays muted against the war, near $63,400 while gold and oil swing
Bitcoin traded near $63,400 on Monday, July 13, 2026, down about 1 percent, while Ethereum sat around $1,807. Unlike gold, oil, equities and bonds, which swung sharply after a fourth round of US strikes on Iran, the crypto market held in a narrow range. According to CoinDesk, Bitcoin's muted reaction to the war headlines marks a shift in the asset's behaviour; per the analysis, Bitcoin now moves more with dollar liquidity and the technology-equity cycle than with West Asia military tensions. The point matters for Iranian tether and crypto traders, as it shows the global market's swings on tense days do not necessarily follow war news.
CoinDesk · Jul 13, 2026
IEA: return of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz lifted global supply by 4.1 million barrels a day in June
In its monthly Oil Market Report published this week, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said global oil supply jumped by 4.1 million barrels a day in June to 98.8 million barrels a day, driven mainly by the resumption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz after the interim US-Iran ceasefire. Even so, world output remains about 9.4 million barrels a day below pre-war levels. According to the report, total Persian Gulf oil exports rose by 6.5 million barrels a day in June to 16.1 million barrels a day, still far below the pre-war average of about 24 million barrels a day. The agency warned that the escalation in fighting on July 7 and 8 clouds the outlook and could upend its forecast of the market flipping to a surplus in 2027. Global oil demand is projected to fall by about 1 million barrels a day across 2026 and to rise by about 2 million barrels a day in 2027.
International Energy Agency · Jul 13, 2026
Global platinum nears lowest since November 2025; palladium also falls
On Monday, July 13, 2026, global platinum fell about 0.5% to around $1,621 an ounce, near its lowest level since November 2025. Platinum futures traded near $1,630. Palladium held above $1,240 an ounce, close to its lowest level since early October. The pressure on both metals was part of a broad weakening across precious metals that day, driven by a jump in oil prices amid US-Iran tensions and a firmer dollar.
Trading Economics · Jul 13, 2026
Global silver drops below $59, down about 1.7% on Monday
Global silver fell below the $59 an ounce mark on Monday, July 13, 2026. Spot silver traded in a range of roughly $58.5 to $59 an ounce, down about 1.7% from the previous day. The decline was part of a broader weakening across precious metals that day. A jump in oil prices following the escalation of military tensions between the United States and Iran fuelled worries about inflation and the prospect of interest rates staying higher for longer which, along with a firmer dollar, pressured both gold and silver. Silver also matters for the Iranian market: subscription to the country's first silver investment fund, trading under the symbol Neqrat, opened on the same day, Monday, July 13.
Fortune · Jul 13, 2026
US and Iran trade fresh strikes on Monday; dispute over Strait of Hormuz status persists as Brent nears $79
The United States and Iran traded fresh strikes in the early hours of Monday, July 13, 2026, and oil prices jumped on fears of a prolonged disruption to the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude rose about 4 percent in early Monday trading to around $79 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate gained close to 2.7 percent to about $73. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its latest wave of strikes hit dozens of targets in Iran and used one way attack sea drones for the first time. Iranian state media reported retaliatory attacks on US linked facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. Iran declared that passage through the Strait of Hormuz was "not possible," while US President Donald Trump said the waterway remained open to commercial traffic. The renewed exchange casts further doubt over the interim 60 day agreement signed last month to end the war. About a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas passes through the strait.
CNBC · Jul 13, 2026
Tesla delivers 480,000 vehicles in Q2 but BYD keeps the EV crown
Tesla said in a release on 2 July that it delivered about 480,126 vehicles in the second quarter of 2026, up 25 percent from a year earlier and ahead of market expectations. Even so, China's BYD retained its position as the world's largest seller of fully electric vehicles, with 557,090 battery-electric sales over the same period; BYD's lead was roughly 77,000 vehicles.
Mitrade · Jul 13, 2026
Ethereum ETFs draw 84 million dollars, their best week since April
Spot Ethereum ETFs recorded about 84 million dollars in net inflows in the week ending 11 July, their best week since April and the end of an eight-week outflow streak. Ether climbed past the 1,700 dollar area on the back of the inflows. Over the same week, XRP funds saw about 7 million dollars in outflows, signaling a rotation of institutional capital toward Ethereum.
crypto.news · Jul 13, 2026
Copper slips toward a two-week low
Copper fell to about 6 dollars per pound (near 13,100 dollars a tonne) on Friday, 10 July, its lowest in two weeks. A stronger dollar and concern over demand in China, the world's largest copper consumer at more than half of global usage, drove the decline. Copper is a base metal that influences the steel and construction industries.
Trading Economics · Jul 13, 2026
Soybeans rise 1.5 percent to about 11.97 dollars a bushel in Chicago
Soybean futures rose 1.5 percent to about 11.97 dollars per bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade on Friday, 10 July. December-delivery corn traded around 4.61 dollars a bushel. USDA crop reports, weather in the US Midwest growing regions and trade developments with China were cited as key drivers.
Trading Economics · Jul 13, 2026
US natural gas falls over 6 percent to a six-week low
US Henry Hub natural gas fell more than 6 percent to 3.01 dollars per million Btu on Thursday, 9 July, its lowest in six weeks. Freeport LNG said maintenance at its pre-treatment and liquefaction facilities would begin on 10 July and run through late August; the resulting drop in demand from the export plant weighed on prices.
Trading Economics · Jul 13, 2026
Cocoa drops over 6 percent to about 6,065 dollars a tonne
Cocoa fell 6.04 percent from the prior day to about 6,065 dollars per tonne on Saturday, 11 July. The market has seen sharp swings in recent months, driven by supply volatility in West African producing countries and shifting demand from processors.
Trading Economics · Jul 13, 2026
Arabica coffee retreats about 8 percent from a five-month high
Arabica coffee futures fell 3.92 percent to about 334.25 cents per pound on Friday, 10 July. The pullback followed a rally to a five-month high near 3.50 dollars on 6 July, bringing the total decline from that peak to roughly 8 percent. Profit-taking was cited as the main driver of the retreat.
Trading Economics · Jul 13, 2026
OPEC cuts its 2026 global oil demand growth forecast for a second straight month to 970,000 b/d
In its July 2026 Monthly Oil Market Report, OPEC cut its forecast for 2026 global oil demand growth to about 970,000 barrels per day, down from a previous estimate of 1.17 million b/d and the second consecutive monthly downgrade. OPEC attributed part of the cut to a 60,000 b/d reduction in India's demand growth and a roughly 40,000 b/d fall in West Asia consumption. The report estimates that West Asia oil demand in March, the first month of the Iran war, was about 500,000 b/d lower than a year earlier. For 2027, however, OPEC is more optimistic, projecting demand growth of about 1.7 million b/d, an upward revision of roughly 0.2 million b/d from the previous month, driven mainly by China and India.
Argus Media · Jul 13, 2026
Spot gold slips to about $4,081 on Monday as markets await US inflation data
Spot gold slipped nearly 1% to about $4,081 an ounce on Monday, July 13, 2026, down 0.96% from the previous day and a second straight session lower, even as oil prices jumped. Investors stayed cautious ahead of the US June consumer price index, due Tuesday, July 14, a reading that could shape the path of Federal Reserve interest rates and the value of the dollar. Spot gold is down about 5.3% over the past month but still up roughly 22% from a year ago. Gold and coin prices in Iran are set by both the global ounce and the rial exchange rate, which makes the direction of the global ounce a key driver of the domestic market.
Trading Economics · Jul 13, 2026
Brent crude jumps more than 3% past $78 on Monday as Strait of Hormuz tensions escalate
Brent crude jumped more than 3% past $78 a barrel on Monday, July 13, 2026, reaching about $78.8, a gain of nearly 3.7% from the previous day that snapped a two-day losing streak. The move was attributed to renewed escalation between Iran and the United States and an exchange of strikes around the Strait of Hormuz. About one-fifth of the world's traded oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, and vessel-tracking data show large-ship traffic on the southern lane has effectively halted since the middle of last week. Despite Monday's jump, Brent is still down about 5.3% over the past month and up roughly 14% from a year ago. Swings in the global oil price reach Iran's markets through two channels: government oil revenue and exchange-rate expectations.
Trading Economics · Jul 13, 2026
Bitcoin holds little changed near $63,800 despite third round of US strikes on Iran
Bitcoin was little changed in trading on Sunday, 12 July 2026, holding near $63,800 despite the start of a third round of US military strikes on Iran and the IRGC's declaration that the Strait of Hormuz was closed. It was down about 0.3% over 24 hours and up about 2% on the week. Ether traded near $1,794, up about 2.9%, and XRP near $1.10, up about 1%. With oil, stock and bond markets shut for the weekend, crypto was one of the few markets pricing the escalation in real time. Analysts say investors no longer treat West Asia risk as a crypto-specific event but as a rates event: the main worry is that a jump in oil prices reignites inflation and keeps interest rates elevated. Tether's price inside Iran typically follows these global crypto levels.
CoinDesk · Jul 12, 2026
US Launches Third Round of Strikes on Iran This Week in Response to Hormuz Ship Attack
US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that its forces began a third round of strikes this week against targets in Iran in the early hours of Sunday, July 12, 2026 (7:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday). CENTCOM said the strikes were carried out in response to the IRGC's attack on the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship, in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that Iran had "once again" failed to demonstrate adherence to the memorandum of understanding. Iran has rejected this account, saying it only fired a "warning shot" at a vessel on an unapproved route. The renewed tensions between Tehran and Washington in recent days have pushed Brent crude above 76 dollars and cast a shadow over regional markets and Iran's currency market.
ANI News · Jul 12, 2026
IRGC Declares Strait of Hormuz Closed Until Further Notice; US Says Cyprus-Flagged Container Ship Struck
The naval force of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday, July 11, 2026 that the Strait of Hormuz is closed until further notice, saying it had fired a "warning shot" at a commercial vessel transiting an "unapproved route" and halted it. US Central Command (CENTCOM) gave a different account, stating that the IRGC attacked the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship, in the Strait of Hormuz. According to CENTCOM the attack sparked a fire and damaged the ship's engine room, one civilian crew member is missing, and the vessel can no longer continue its journey. The development came just after the expiry of a US deadline for Iran to publicly affirm that the Strait of Hormuz is open. Roughly one-fifth of the world's oil passes through the strait each day, and any disruption there directly affects oil and gold prices and Iran's currency market.
CNN · Jul 12, 2026
Aluminum Falls Nearly 2 Percent on the London Metal Exchange on Friday
Aluminum on the London Metal Exchange fell about 1.95 percent on Friday, July 10, 2026, to near 3,146 dollars per ton. The decline extended the volatility in base metal markets, which have been moving between concern over global demand and geopolitical developments. Global base metal prices affect export focused aluminum producers listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange, since their product pricing is typically tied to global benchmarks and the exchange rate.
Trading Economics · Jul 11, 2026
Global Wheat Hits a Six Week High as Kerch Strait Closure and Lower US Stocks Drive Gains
Global wheat prices climbed past 6 dollars a bushel on Friday, July 10, 2026, reaching their highest level in about six weeks. Two main drivers lifted prices: the closure of the Kerch Strait, the narrow passage between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, amid Russia-Ukraine tensions, and US Department of Agriculture data showing lower wheat stocks. Roughly a third of the wheat exports of Russia, the world's largest exporter, flow through the Sea of Azov. The move matters for Iran, a major importer of wheat and animal feed: costlier global grain can feed through to import costs and domestic food inflation.
Trading Economics · Jul 11, 2026
Global Urea Price Jumps on Thursday to About 416 Dollars a Ton
The global urea price rose about 8 percent from the previous day on Thursday, July 9, 2026, to near 416.5 dollars per ton. The increase came amid concern over supply disruption and higher transport costs stemming from West Asia and Strait of Hormuz tensions, which have pressured the global fertilizer and petrochemical markets. The move matters directly for Iran, one of the world's largest exporters of urea and methanol: higher global prices can support the revenue of export focused petrochemical companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange, although shipping and export constraints remain a risk.
Trading Economics · Jul 11, 2026
US Bitcoin ETFs Return to Net Inflows With About 90 Million Dollars on Friday
US spot bitcoin exchange traded funds recorded about 90 million dollars of net inflows on Friday, July 10, 2026, with BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) the largest contributor at nearly 87 million dollars. US ether ETFs added roughly 18 million dollars the same day. The inflows followed a June in which US bitcoin ETFs saw close to 4 billion dollars of net outflows, the largest monthly withdrawal since the funds launched in January 2024. Bitcoin was trading near 64,200 dollars at the time. The return of institutional demand, even amid renewed US-Iran military tensions, was read as a sign of resilience in the crypto market, a trend that matters for Iran's own tether and crypto market, which tracks global sentiment.
Cryptobriefing · Jul 11, 2026
Iron ore climbs toward $99 as an Australian mine-port strike and Chinese curbs lift prices
Global iron ore rose a slight 0.15 percent to about $98.7 a tonne on Thursday, July 10. The commodity is down roughly 2.8 percent over the past month. Iron ore futures rebounded from near one-year lows to above 740 yuan after news that workers at BHP's Port Hedland iron ore terminal in Australia will stage an eight-hour strike on July 16, and as China broadened restrictions on miner Fortescue. The gains came despite Chinese port inventories reaching a record of about 160 million tonnes. Swings in iron ore prices affect the input costs and export competitiveness of Iranian steelmakers.
Trading Economics · Jul 11, 2026
Global silver ends the week below $60 an ounce, down about 4%
Silver fell below $60 an ounce at Friday's close on July 10 and ended the week down about 4 percent. The gold-to-silver ratio stood at roughly 68.9 that day. The pullback came even as oil rose about 5 percent over the same week amid escalating US-Iran tensions and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, while expectations of a higher-for-longer Federal Reserve policy weighed on precious metals. Even so, silver remains nearly 65 percent higher than it was a year ago.
Yahoo Finance · Jul 11, 2026
Brent crude ends the week up about 5% near $76.5 as Strait of Hormuz tensions drive gains
Brent crude ended the week to Friday, July 10, 2026 near $76.5 a barrel, up about 5% over the week, its biggest weekly gain in months. On Thursday Brent had risen roughly 0.7% to $76.56 a barrel. The main driver was renewed exchanges of strikes between Iran and the United States and disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which lifted supply risk; about a quarter of the world's seaborne oil and LNG passes through the strait. Oil prices matter directly for Iran, whose crude exports are the main anchor of its foreign-currency earnings and state budget.
Fortune · Jul 11, 2026
Global gold ends the week down about 1.5% near $4,100
Spot gold ended the week to Friday, July 10, 2026 in the $4,100 to $4,120 an ounce range, down about 1.5% from the previous week. On Friday the metal traded near $4,104 an ounce, off roughly 0.4% on the session. The main drag was an almost 5% weekly surge in global crude prices after renewed Iran and US tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, which revived inflation fears. Markets are now pricing a near 60% chance of a Federal Reserve rate hike at the September meeting, and higher rates weigh on non-yielding gold. Sahmino's latest tracked spot price is $4,121 an ounce (updated early Saturday, July 11). The global ounce is the primary anchor for gold and coin prices in Iran's domestic market.
Kitco News · Jul 11, 2026
HSBC Cuts 2026 Gold Price Forecast to $4,560, Diverging From Bernstein's Upgrade
HSBC lowered its average 2026 gold price forecast from $4,864 to $4,560 an ounce on Thursday, July 9, 2026 (18 Tir 1405), and trimmed its 2027 forecast from $5,000 to $4,925. The bank cited a hawkish tilt from the Federal Reserve under new Chair Kevin Warsh and a stronger US dollar as the reasons for the cut. The revision contrasts with Bernstein, which raised its 2026 gold target to $4,533 last week. The diverging analyst calls highlight uncertainty in the gold market amid ongoing US-Iran tensions.
Kitco News (Reuters) · Jul 11, 2026
Fed's Semiannual Report to Congress: US Inflation Still Notably Above 2% Target
The US Federal Reserve submitted its first semiannual Monetary Policy Report to Congress under Chair Kevin Warsh on Friday, July 10, 2026 (19 Tir 1405). The report states that US inflation has remained notably above the Fed's 2% target over the past year, though trimmed-mean inflation gauges have eased somewhat. The Fed attributed part of the inflation rise to the Iran war and US trade tariffs. It described economic growth as "solid" and productivity as "strong," and assessed banking-system risk as low. The Fed pledged to "deliver price stability." The report sets the stage for Warsh's congressional testimony next week.
Federal Reserve Board · Jul 11, 2026
Tether Moves to Relaunch USDT Natively on Bitcoin via RGB Protocol
Tether is preparing to relaunch USDT natively on the Bitcoin network using version 0.11.1 of the RGB protocol, which recently went live on Bitcoin's mainnet, Cryptobriefing reported July 7, 2026. The rollout is being led by UTEXO, a Bitcoin native settlement layer that raised $7.5 million in seed funding in March 2026, primarily from Tether, and is intended to compete with Tron, which currently handles the bulk of USDT settlement. According to the report, the new version is expected to go live within weeks.
Cryptobriefing · Jul 11, 2026
Tether Burns $2.5 Billion in USDT on the Ethereum Network
Tether burned $2.5 billion worth of USDT on the Ethereum network on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 (16 Tir 1405), its largest single reduction in circulating supply since February 2026, cutting roughly 1.3 percent of USDT's circulating supply. The move brought total USDT supply to approximately $189.6 billion. Reports described the burn as routine cross-chain treasury rebalancing rather than a strategic move to shrink supply, and the stablecoin's peg to the dollar held steady.
Cryptonews.com · Jul 11, 2026
Dollar Index Nears 101 as Fed's Waller Reaffirms Commitment to 2% Inflation Target
The US Dollar Index (DXY) traded around the 101 level in the week to July 10, 2026 (19 Tir 1405), near its highest since May 2025. Fed Governor Christopher Waller described the central bank's commitment to its 2 percent inflation target as "credible," saying monetary policy risks have "flipped around" as the labor market stabilizes while inflation has risen. The dollar's strength has come alongside renewed Iran-US tensions and could weigh on gold and emerging-market currencies.
FXStreet · Jul 11, 2026
Bernstein Raises 2026 Gold Price Target to $4,533 an Ounce
Investment bank Bernstein raised its 2026 gold price target to $4,533 an ounce in a research note dated July 9, 2026 (18 Tir 1405), up from its prior call, and set an H2 2026 target of $4,375. The bank cited expectations that the Federal Reserve will hold rates steady or deliver at most one to two hikes over the next 12 months, along with continued central-bank gold buying, as the drivers behind the upgrade.
Investing.com · Jul 11, 2026
Trump Says Iran Ceasefire "Over" But Talks Continue; Tehran Denies Requesting New Negotiations
US President Donald Trump wrote on Friday, July 10, 2026, that the Islamic Republic of Iran had asked to continue "talks" and that Washington had agreed, while stating explicitly that the ceasefire between the two countries "is over." Hours later, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman denied the claim, saying Tehran had only agreed to a visit by a Qatari delegation and had not made a formal request to resume negotiations. The exchange comes as tensions between the two countries have escalated again since July 7, following an attack on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
Bloomberg · Jul 11, 2026
Iran's Floating Oil Stockpile Swells to 68 Million Barrels as Discount to China Widens to $5
Following Washington's revocation of its 10-day window for Iranian oil sales on July 7, 2026 (16 Tir 1405), the volume of Iranian crude idling or without a confirmed buyer in Asian waters has climbed to between 58 and 68 million barrels, according to tracking firms Kpler and Vortexa. Bloomberg reported that more than 20 million barrels of that crude have been idling for at least seven days, up nearly 18 percent from the prior week. At the same time, discounts on Iranian Light crude cargoes for July delivery to Chinese buyers widened to 2.50 to 5 dollars a barrel below Brent, compared with about a 1 dollar discount before the short-lived US-Iran arrangement.
Bloomberg · Jul 11, 2026
WGC Survey: Record 45% of Central Banks Plan to Boost Gold Reserves Over Next Year
The World Gold Council's annual Central Bank Gold Reserves Survey, conducted between February 5 and May 19, 2026, with a record 76 central banks participating, found that 45 percent of respondents plan to increase their own gold reserves over the next 12 months, up from 43 percent in 2025 and a record in the survey's nine-year history. Separately, 89 percent of respondents said they expect global central bank gold holdings overall to rise over the coming year. The report, published on June 16, 2026, noted that central banks have bought an average of 1,000 tonnes of gold annually over the past four years, double the pace of the prior decade, while 74 percent of respondents expect a moderate or significant decline in the US dollar's share of global reserves over the next five years.
World Gold Council · Jul 11, 2026
BitMine's Ethereum Treasury Reaches 4.8% of Total ETH Supply
BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) said in an official release on Monday, July 6, 2026, that it had bought 42,197 ETH for about 74 million dollars over the prior week, lifting its total Ethereum holdings to 5,742,237 tokens, about 4.8 percent of Ethereum's roughly 120.7 million circulating supply. The release put the company's total crypto and cash holdings at 11.1 billion dollars. BitMine chairman Tom Lee has dubbed the accumulation campaign the Alchemy of 5%, targeting ownership of 5 percent of Ethereum's total supply. According to CoinDesk and The Block, on-chain trackers identified two further transfers worth about 71.6 million dollars combined to the company's wallets on July 7 and 8, which had not yet been confirmed in a new official disclosure as of publication.
PR Newswire (BitMine Immersion Technologies) · Jul 10, 2026