Real-time News

1. Domestic commodity futures markets closed mixed in overnight trading. Chemicals led the gains, with styrene rising 4.33%; energy products led the declines, with LPG falling 1.60%; all ferrous metals fell, with coking coal down 1.00%. Base metals all declined, with Shanghai aluminum down 2.88%, Shanghai zinc down 1.89%; Shanghai gold down 1.35%, and Shanghai silver down 1.63%. 2. The WTI crude oil futures contract closed up 5.64% at $78.87 per barrel; the Brent crude oil futures contract rose 3.22% to $84.02 per barrel. Continued tensions in the Middle East, with Iran launching missile and drone attacks on several Middle Eastern countries, exacerbated market concerns about oil supply disruptions. Saudi Arabia raised its April crude oil prices for Asia, further supporting higher oil prices. 3. International precious metals futures generally closed lower. COMEX gold futures fell 0.81% to $5093.30 per ounce, and COMEX silver futures fell 0.80% to $82.52 per ounce. The Federal Reserve's hawkish signals, coupled with inflationary pressures and strong employment data reinforcing expectations of interest rate hikes, and the European Central Bank's cautious policy, all contributed to suppressing precious metal prices. 4. London base metals fell across the board: LME lead fell 0.97% to $1943.5/ton, LME aluminum fell 1.50% to $3292.5/ton, LME copper fell 1.52% to $12859.0/ton, LME nickel fell 1.58% to $17215.0/ton, LME zinc fell 2.87% to $3230.0/ton, and LME tin fell 3.16% to $49405.0/ton. 5. The CME announced a reduction in the initial margin for COMEX 100 gold futures from 9% to 7%, and the initial margin for COMEX 5000 silver futures from 18% to 14%. 6. All three major U.S. stock indexes closed lower. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.61% to 47,954.74 points, the S&P 500 fell 0.56% to 6,830.71 points, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.26% to 22,748.99 points. Goldman Sachs and Caterpillar Inc. fell more than 3%, leading the Dow's decline. The Wind U.S. Tech Giants Index fell 0.05%, Facebook fell more than 1%, and Apple fell 0.85%. The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index fell 1.43%, Bilibili fell more than 7%, and Hesai Technology fell more than 6%. Tensions in the Middle East and soaring oil prices exacerbated market concerns about inflation and its impact on Federal Reserve policy, leading to a decline in investor risk appetite.

EU Trade Commissioner: Confident the US will lower new import tariffs on EU goods.

U.S. Defense Secretary Hergsays: If Iran believes that the United States cannot sustain a war, then it is a miscalculation.

U.S. Defense Secretary Hergsays: The timetable for the war with Iran is entirely up to us.

March 6 - US President Trump said on Thursday that further measures would be taken to ease pressure on the oil market, adding that Iran is actively seeking a deal as the US and Israel launch attacks. He also called on Iranian diplomats around the world to seek asylum and help shape a new, better Iran.

March 6 – US President Donald Trump stated that after the conflict with Iran subsides, the US will turn its attention to Cuba. “The situation in Cuba is amazing, and we hope to resolve this issue,” Trump said. “Let’s deal with Iran first.” Trump has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the Cuban government, and recently urged Cuba to reach an agreement, saying its poorly funded government “appears to be on the verge of collapse” under US sanctions.

March 6 – According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump stated that the conflict between the United States and Iran is "much ahead of schedule." He claimed that the United States has destroyed Iran's air defenses. Trump said, "The Iranian air force is gone, the air defense system is gone." He also stated that Iran is trying to restart negotiations with the United States, "They call and say, 'How are we going to make a deal?' I said, 'You're a little too late.'" Trump indicated that his administration will soon announce new measures to lower oil prices. "Oil prices are already low, but I still have to take a slightly roundabout approach," Trump said.

March 6 - It was learned early on the 6th local time that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the launch of the 21st "True Commitment 4" counterattack operation, which combines missile and drone strikes and launched the "Kheybar Shekan" ballistic missile to attack targets in the center of Tel Aviv.

US President Trump: We urge Iranian diplomats around the world to apply for asylum.

US President Trump: Calls on Iranian military to lay down its weapons.

US President Trump: Iran's air defense weapons are gone, its communication facilities and aircraft are gone.

The U.S. Department of Commerce stated that the newly introduced AI export rules will not replicate the Biden administration's AI proliferation rules, which were too stringent and difficult to follow.

Foreign central banks held -$9.333 billion in U.S. Treasury securities in the week ending March 6, compared with -$15.061 billion in the previous week.

March 6 - The Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) has lowered the initial margin requirement for COMEX 100 gold futures from 9% to 7% and for COMEX 5000 silver futures from 18% to 14%, effective from the close of trading on March 6, 2026 local time.

Peruvian Energy and Minerals Minister Alfaro stated that the country is currently not exporting natural gas due to the domestic energy crisis.

Market news: The United States is considering establishing rules to create four tiers for countries seeking US AI chips. The US is also considering a new framework to regulate the export of artificial intelligence chips. Exporting more than 200,000 US AI chips may require investment in US AI data centers or security.

According to Kurdish media RUDAW, the Kurdish SARSANG oil field, operated by the US-based HKN Energy, has ceased production following a drone attack.

The Israeli military says it has begun attacks on Hezbollah infrastructure in the southern suburbs of Beirut.