Geopolitics
As of December 17, 2025, the global financial markets are grappling with heightened uncertainty following former President Donald Trump's declaration of a "total and complete blockade" on sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. This aggressive escalation, building on years of stringent sanctions, has immediately sent
Oil Prices
Global oil markets are once again grappling with heightened volatility as former President Donald Trump, in a dramatic escalation of his long-standing pressure campaign against Venezuela, has reportedly ordered a "total and complete blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving the South American nation. This aggressive
US politics
The intricate web of global metals markets is currently undergoing a profound transformation, significantly influenced by a series of assertive U.S. presidential policies. From protectionist tariffs designed to bolster domestic industries to ambitious infrastructure spending plans and targeted sanctions against geopolitical rivals, Washington's actions are sending ripple
US Crackdown
The United States has dramatically escalated its offensive against the "shadow fleet" of tankers engaged in illicit oil transport, culminating in the recent physical seizure of a vessel off the coast of Venezuela. This bold move, alongside a barrage of new sanctions, signals a significant hardening of Washington&
Russian Stock Market
As December 2025 draws to a close, the Russian stock market, particularly the MOEX Index, presents a complex narrative of resilience and adaptation in the face of persistent geopolitical pressures and a fundamentally restructured economy. Despite a challenging year marked by international sanctions and a pivot to a war-driven economic
Oil Prices
Crude oil prices saw an upward swing on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, as high-stakes talks in Moscow between U.S. envoys and Russian President Vladimir Putin concluded without a breakthrough on a peace deal for Ukraine. Despite a five-hour meeting described as "very useful" by the Kremlin, no
Russian Stock Market
The Russian stock market, as reflected by the MOEX Index, is exhibiting a mixed and volatile performance in November 2025, largely influenced by evolving geopolitical tensions, stringent international sanctions, and fluctuating oil prices. While the index has shown modest growth over the past month and year, it remains significantly below
Sanctions
As of early November 2025, the global energy landscape is undergoing a significant upheaval, driven by an intensified wave of U.S. and U.K. sanctions targeting Russia's vital oil sector. These punitive measures, spearheaded by the Trump administration, aim to throttle Russia's oil revenues and
India
As late 2025 draws to a close, India finds itself at a critical juncture in its energy procurement strategy, facing intensified pressure from Western nations over its continued substantial imports of Russian crude oil. Recent announcements by the US, including fresh sanctions targeting major Russian oil corporations and steep tariffs
Oil Tanker Market
As of October 2025, the global oil shipping and tanker market is experiencing a period of extraordinary dynamism, marked by surging freight rates, record volumes of oil in transit, and a complex web of geopolitical tensions. This robust environment is creating significant opportunities for tanker operators, reminiscent of past market
Russian Stock Market
As the trading day concluded on October 7, 2025, at 17:59 MSK, the MOEX Russia Index (IMOEX) registered at 2659 points, marking a modest 0.40% gain from the previous session. This slight uptick, however, belies a more challenging period for the Russian stock market, which has seen an
Cryptocurrency
September 26, 2025 – A bombshell report released today by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic reveals that a vast network of crypto wallets tied to Russian state-linked entities has channeled over $8 billion in digital assets, predominantly Tether's (USDT:USDT) stablecoin, to systematically bypass Western sanctions. This sophisticated operation, uncovered