Finance

Crude oil benchmarks surged on Monday, with Brent crude climbing above the $90 per barrel mark due to intensified military confrontations between the United States and Iran. Nine consecutive nights of U.S. airstrikes have severely restricted maritime transit through the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor. The mounting geopolitical turmoil has renewed anxieties regarding global energy flows, driving both Brent and West Texas Intermediate futures significantly higher.

Spot gold values consolidated near the $4,000 per ounce mark as investors weighed safe-haven demands against growing macroeconomic pressures. The recent spike in energy costs has stoked fresh inflation anxieties, prompting multiple Federal Reserve policymakers to hint at further potential interest rate hikes. Because higher interest rates lift the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding bullion, gold prices faced technical resistance despite ongoing geopolitical volatility.

Bitcoin prices stabilized around $64,680 as overall cryptocurrency market momentum weakened amid shifting macroeconomic conditions. Digital asset investors are heavily focused on upcoming corporate earnings reports from major institutions like Tesla and Alphabet, which could trigger volatility due to corporate Bitcoin holdings and AI infrastructure capital expenditures. While long-term whales have continued to accumulate assets, near-term sentiment remains cautious as traders navigate broader geopolitical shocks.