[MARKET ANALYSIS] Crude extends lower on US-Iran deal optimism; Dutch TTF dips beneath EUR 80/MWh before paring

Crude benchmarks are lower and extending declines after Monday's slump, as the mood between the US and Iran turned more constructive (see below for details). WTI Dec'26 trades within a USD 83.89-86.93/bbl range (vs Monday's USD 85.02-91.42/bbl range), while Brent Jan'27 moves within USD 89.21-92.84/bbl (vs Monday's USD 90.56-98.43/bbl range). Ahead, the EIA STEO is due later today. Dutch TTF is lower within a EUR 78.92-82.00/MWh range, having dipped beneath EUR 80/MWh and Monday's 79.00 low before paring, likely tracking the weakness in crude amid hopes of the Strait of Hormuz reopening. Spot gold is softer within a USD 4,081.22-4,146.70/oz range (vs Monday's USD 4,054.49-4,148.60/oz range), taking a breather after rallying yesterday alongside lower oil prices and as the USD benefits from hawkish comments from the Fed's Waller. 3M LME copper is softer, at the bottom of a USD 13,837.00-13,991.73/t range (vs Monday's USD 13,776.63-13,938.00/t range), having been underpinned by the constructive mood earlier, with the upside capped as participants digested the latest Chinese trade data, in which imports rose 41.6% Y/Y (exp. 32.0%) and exports 35.2% (exp. 33.5%), although the trade surplus narrowed more than expected. In geopolitics, meetings between US President Trump, VP Vance and the Qatari PM were described as positive, while Trump said the US is "locked and loaded" but that military action seems unlikely at this point. A rerun of yesterday's reports this morning reiterated that a Qatari-Pakistani proposal increases the likelihood of a preliminary agreement to reduce Iranian uranium enrichment, with the proposal that would immediately reopen the Strait of Hormuz and lift the US naval blockade, and the US proposal including the release of USD 6-9bln in Iranian assets if an agreement is reached. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Araghchi said there are no plans for a meeting between Supreme National Security Council chief Rezaei and US VP Vance. Ahead, geopolitics will likely dominate the tape (barring US CPI), with traders eyeing US-Iran and Russia-Ukraine mediation efforts, with the trilateral Russia-Ukraine-US meeting set to take place in Abu Dhabi today and tomorrow.