International Brent crude oil futures were up 67 cents, or 1.1 percent, at $62.17 a barrel by 1230 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose by 51 cents, or nearly 1 percent, to $53.52.
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BREXIT PLANS IN 2019
The dollar held at a near three-week high as investors sought the relative safety of the U.S. currency.
Trump to focus on border ‘Crisis,’ seek support for wall in TV address
Gold Silver Reports (GSR) – Trump’s prime-time address, scheduled for 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday) will be his latest attempt to persuade Congress to fund construction of a huge barrier along the 2,000-mile (3,200-km) border.
Gold Backed ETFs Gained Globally in 2018, Even with North America Outflows
Gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) worldwide registered net inflows of $3.4 billion, a 3 percent annual rise and increased by 69 tonnes to 2,440 tonnes in the year.
China Poised to Buy More U.S. Soybeans
China bought U.S. soybeans for the first time in six months after U.S. President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met on Dec. 1 and set a 90-day negotiating window to resolve their trade differences.
U.S. Federal Reserve is Expected to Raise Interest Rates, But may cut the number of hikes in 2019
The central bank is due to announce its decision at 2 p.m. EST (1900 GMT) after its final two-day policy meeting of the year. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is scheduled to hold a press conference half an hour later.
OPEC Has Shown it can Reach Deal Despite Splits: Iran Oil Minister
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its Russia-led allies agreed on Dec. 7 to cut output by more than expected, despite pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to reduce the price of crude.