S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico MarketCoal prices retreated toward $130 per ton after surging to as high as $150 earlier in the week, as falling oil prices eased fears of prolonged global energy supply disruptions. Oil prices dropped back below $90 per barrel as the US and other major economies moved to curb energy costs. However, hostilities in the Middle East continued with no clear end in sight and the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively shut. Meanwhile, the largest LNG export plant in Qatar has halted shipments for five consecutive days, the longest stretch since 2008, raising the risk of further gains in fuel prices. Supply shocks in oil and gas typically increase demand for fuel switching in the power sector. With many Asian economies reliant on Qatari LNG, the region may be forced to ramp up coal-fired power generation if the disruption persists. Coal resources are also gaining strategic importance for China, both as an energy buffer and as a key feedstock for the chemical industry.
