Finance

Crude oil futures experienced noticeable gains, with both Brent and West Texas Intermediate firmly settling above the $100 per barrel threshold. The price surge follows supply chain anxieties caused by the shutdown of a major East-West pipeline in Saudi Arabia alongside geopolitical escalation from Houthi attacks. While a sudden build in U.S. commercial inventories slightly cooled early trading gains, supply vulnerabilities in the Gulf shipping routes continue to underpin global energy markets.

Spot gold prices fell below key structural benchmarks, sliding beneath $4,300 per ounce to print its weakest level in over a month. The non-yielding precious metal came under selling pressure as market participants unwound defensive positions in anticipation of a potential quarter-percentage-point interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve. Rising oil prices have reinforced sticky inflation metrics, lowering near-term investor demand for safe-haven assets.

The cryptocurrency market faced downward pressure, pulling Bitcoin prices toward the $76,000 range. Sentiment shifted heavily into the red after the U.S. Senate blocked a highly anticipated market structure bill aimed at providing regulatory frameworks for digital assets. The legislative standstill triggered an immediate selloff across prominent tokens, interrupting the digital currency's broader momentum.