Geopolitics And Regional Stability News

Oil prices fell below $60 a barrel on Tuesday, the lowest since May, as prospects for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal appeared to strengthen, raising expectations sanctions could be eased.Brent crude futures fell $1.03, or around 1.7%, to $59.53 a barrel at 1340 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was trading at $55.76, down $1.06, or 1.9%."Brent has dropped this morning to below $60 per barrel for the first time in months, as the market assesses a potential peace deal resulting in additional Russian volumes becoming available and oversupplying the market further…

China said on Friday it had driven away a Philippine aircraft and multiple vessels near disputed atolls in South China Sea, in the latest in a series of confrontations in the strategic waterway in recent years.The Chinese military said it issued strong warnings and "expelled" a Philippine aircraft that "invaded" airspace above the Scarborough Shoal, without giving a date for the incident.China claims almost the entire South China Sea, overlapping the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Oil prices fell more than $1 on Thursday as investors shifted focus back to Russia-Ukraine peace talks and monitored potential fallout from a U.S. seizure of a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.Brent crude futures were down $1.1, or 1.8%, at $61.11 a barrel at 1408 GMT, hovering near the lowest since Oct. 21.U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell $1.07, also around 1.8%, to $57.39 a barrel, its lowest in over two weeks.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that a visit to Moscow this month by U.S.

Oil prices steadied on Tuesday after falling 2% in the previous session, with investors keeping a close eye on peace talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine, concerns about ample supply and a looming decision on U.S. interest rates.Brent crude futures edged 3 cents higher to $62.52 a barrel at 1317 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude gained 4 cents at $58.92 a barrel.Both contracts fell by more than $1 a barrel on Monday after Iraq restored production at Lukoil's West Qurna 2 oilfield, one of the world's largest.Ukraine will share a revised peace plan with the U.S.

Oil prices slipped more than $1 on Monday after Iraq restored production at one of its oilfields which accounts for 0.5% of world oil supply, while investors weighed ongoing talks to end the war in Ukraine.Brent crude futures were down $1.07, or 1.68%, at $62.68 a barrel by 11:05 p.m. EDT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $59.07, down $1.01, or 1.68%.Iraq restored production at Lukoil's West Qurna 2 oilfield, one of the world's largest, after a leak on an export pipeline slashed its output…

Oil prices fell over 2% on Tuesday after Ukraine hinted that an intense diplomatic push by the U.S. administration to end Russia's war against it could be yielding fruit.An end to the war in Ukraine could pave the way for the unwinding of Western sanctions against Moscow's energy trade, potentially adding more supply at a time when prices have been battered by expectations of a glut next year.Brent crude futures fell $1.45, or 2.3%, to $61.92 a barrel by 11:19 a.m. ET (1619 GMT), while U.S.

Chinese cruise operators are scrambling to avoid Japanese ports as Beijing and Tokyo engage in a diplomatic dispute, which is expected to spur demand for tourism in South Korea, according to sources and cruise schedules reviewed by Reuters.Tour and port agents said tensions, sparked by recent remarks from Japan's new prime minister, could cause Chinese tourists to be redirected to South Korea from Japan. Earlier this month, Sanae Takaichi told Japanese lawmakers that a Chinese attack on Taiwan threatening Japan's survival could trigger a military response.Adora Magic City…

In this moment of heightened trade tensions, the International Chamber of Shipping co-hosted a second Global Maritime Trade Summit in Hong Kong to explore geopolitics and trade realignment, building resilient supply chains, and financing a dynamic and robust maritime economy. The summit was co-hosted by the Transport and Logistics Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong, SAR and the Hong Kong Shipowners Association.The theme of this year’s summit was Building Resilience, Driving Growth and Investment.“The maritime industry is at a pivotal moment.

Global oil and gas demand could grow until 2050, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday, departing from previous expectations of a speedy transition to cleaner fuels following U.S. criticism about its climate focus.The Paris-based energy security watchdog also predicted in its annual outlook that the world will likely fail to meet its goal to cap the rise in temperatures to as close as possible to 1.5 degrees (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times to avoid the most devastating effects of climate change.The IEA has been under pressure from the U.S.

Oil prices rose on Tuesday on the impact of the latest U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and optimism that the U.S. government shutdown could end soon, although oversupply concerns limited gains.Brent crude futures were up $1.14, or 1.78%, to $65.2 a barrel at 11:50 a.m. ET (1650 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $61.16 a barrel, up $1.03 cents, or 1.03%.Investors continue to assess the fallout from the U.S. sanctions on Russia, and their impact on both crude oil and refined fuel markets.Lukoil declared force majeure at an Iraqi oilfield it operates…

The Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group has moved into the Latin America region, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, dramatically escalating a military buildup that has deepened tensions withVenezuela.President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of the Ford last month, adding to the eight warships, a nuclear submarine and F-35 aircraft already in the Caribbean.The Ford, which was commissioned in 2017, is the United States' newest aircraft carrier and the world's largest, with more than 5…

Pirates have boarded a Malta-flagged products tanker off Somalia, maritime security sources said on Thursday, while the vessel's manager said the ship's 24 crew members were safe.Attacks on vessels by armed assailants in recent days have raised concerns for shipping lanes in a region across which critical energy and goods are transported to global markets.The Hellas Aphrodite, which was carrying gasoline, was en route from India to South Africa when a "security incident" took place on Thursday morning…

Russian oil major Lukoil is struggling to keep operations running at its sprawling foreign businesses as Western sanctions disrupt oil loadings in Iraq, pump stations in Finland and trading in Switzerland, sources said.The United States and the United Kingdom last month imposed sanctions on Russia's second-largest oil company, complicating how it carries out its normal operations.The U.S. Treasury Department issued a licence giving companies until November 21. to wind down any…

Small importers for large U.S. retailers rushed in China-made strollers and wares meant for spring and are storing the goods in their own warehouses to avoid the big tariff bills that had been threatened over the next month.Before Sino-American talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur eliminated the threat of U.S. President Donald Trump's 100% tariffs on Chinese imports starting November 1, importers were expecting to shoulder the staggering levies.In response…

Descartes has released its September Global Shipping Report, which analyzes the latest economic and logistics trends shaping U.S. imports and global trade.According to data from Descartes’ global trade intelligence platform, Descartes Datamyne:U.S. container imports declined 8.4% from August, reaching over 2.3M TEUs in September – representing the third-highest September on record. Its volumes are 1.9% ahead of the same period in 2024, demonstrating resilience in demand despite trade uncertainty.Imports from China fell 12.3% month-over-month and 22.9% year-over-year.

Europort 2025 is gearing up for conversations around ship finance for specialized vessels, at a time when rapid change and widespread uncertainty in the offshore wind market are undermining the case for the newbuildings the industry needs to fulfill its current commitments.An undersupply of purpose-built vessels has driven demand for new builds in specialized parts of maritime and offshore energy industries in recent years. In the offshore wind sector in particular, the expansion…

Global markets are getting too comfortable with risks like trade wars, geopolitical tensions and yawning government deficits, which, combined with already overpriced assets, increase the chance of a "disorderly" market correction, the International Monetary Fund said on Tuesday.Underscoring the IMF's warning, President Donald Trump's revived threats on Friday to hike tariffs on China stoked investor fears of a major asset price correction. The comments sparked a sell-off in U.S.

Canada's merchandise trade deficit widened in August to C$6.32 billion ($4.53 billion), its second highest on record, as exports both to the U.S. and the rest of the world fell, data showed on Tuesday.The August data had been expected to show a more permanent impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, after exports increased earlier in the year to beat the tariffs and then dropped off sharply.Total exports dropped by 3% in August from July while imports increased 0.9%, Statistics Canada said.

Italy and Spain have deployed naval ships to assist an international aid flotilla that has come under drone attack while trying to deliver aid to Gaza, potentially ratcheting up tensions with Israel, which strongly opposes the initiative.The Global Sumud Flotilla is using about 50 civilian boats to try to break Israel's naval blockade of Gaza. Many lawyers, parliamentarians and activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg, are on board.The Italian defence ministry said a frigate that was dispatched on Wednesday…

The shipping industry is experiencing major volatility amid rising geopolitical tensions and disruptions caused by a wave of new tariffs, according to a report published on Wednesday by the U.N. Trade and Development agency.Due to an increasingly complex and uncertain global trade environment, subdued industrial activity in major economies and weak Chinese demand for bulk commodities, UNCTAD has revised down its maritime trade growth forecast for 2025.It now projects overall maritime trade volume to expand 0.5% annually…

The United States is committed to deepening military cooperation with Finland, Finnish Defence Minister Antti Hakkanen said on Thursday, despite U.S. plans to scale back its operations elsewhere on NATO's eastern flank in Europe.Finland, which joined NATO in 2023 in response to Russia's 2022 invasion of its other neighbour Ukraine, has a bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement with the U.S., granting the U.S. military unimpeded access to 15 facilities and areas in Finland."We are very pleased that the U.S. is prepared to deepen their cooperation with us," Hakkanen told Reuters onboard the U.S.

Oil prices eased on Wednesday after data showing an increase in U.S. diesel stockpiles stoked worries about demand, while investors awaited the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates.Brent crude futures lost 25 cents, or 0.37%, to $68.22 a barrel by 1:20 p.m. EDT (1720 GMT) while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 21 cents, or 0.33%, at $64.31.U.S. crude inventories fell sharply last week with a jump in exports and a sharp decline in imports, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.

Poland has urged European Union member states that are still buying Russian energy to end those imports by the end of 2026 and will offer them help towards that effort, Energy Minister Milosz Motyka said on Wednesday.The Druzhba oil pipeline delivers Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, which continue to buy energy supplies from Russia after other EU nations cut ties following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.The European Commission will propose speeding up the phasing out of Russian fossil imports…