[MARKET ANALYSIS] Crude rangebound for the most part, but under pressure most recently; XAU awaits PPI

Crude contained, as the overnight updates were pertinent but not sufficient to move the dial vs the intervention by US President Trump via Truth on Thursday. Now, we await a US response to the latest Iranian action, and an update on the touted Vance-Rezaei talks post-Trump’s post. Brent was essentially unchanged, in USD 95.06-96.81/bbl parameters. Upside was seen overnight and then again in the early hours on Iran targeting a radar site, and an energy tanker hitting a mine in Hormuz, respectively. However, neither update has been sufficient to move the benchmark out of the range that has held since mid-APAC trade. More recently, some modest pressure has emerged sending Brent back towards the mentioned low, but without a specific driver behind it. Dutch TTF supported, eclipsed EUR 97/MWh overnight, but has since faded back towards the EUR 93/MWh handle, though still firmer. Upside on the above geopols, lack of concrete Ukraine-Russia progress as Russia places the onus on the EU to pick a single representative to speak for the bloc, and as the region’s forecasts turn colder once again. XAU firmer, holding around USD 3.9k/oz. Benefitting from the breather seen in the USD, but capped by the ongoing climb in global yields. Awaiting the US PPI data and session’s Fed speak for insight into the December Fed. Otherwise, the general risk tone is mixed/tepid.