Real-time News

France's final January CPI annual rate was 0.3%, in line with expectations and down from 0.30% previously.

France's final harmonized CPI annual rate for January was 0.4%, in line with expectations and down from 0.40% previously.

France's final harmonized CPI monthly rate for January was -0.4%, in line with expectations and down from -0.40% previously.

The chart shows that at 23:00 Beijing time on February 18th, there will be large foreign exchange option orders for EUR/USD, USD/JPY, EUR/GBP, and USD/CAD expiring, including four large orders with strike prices exceeding 1 billion. Please manage your risks.

The Petroleum Institute of Japan (PAJ) reported that the refinery operating rate was 84.5% from February 8 to February 14, down from 85.5% previously.

The Petroleum Institute of Japan (PAJ) reported that Japan's diesel inventory was 1.43 million kiloliters on February 14, compared to 1.46 million kiloliters on February 7.

The Petroleum Institute of Japan (PAJ) reported that Japan's crude oil inventory was 9.71 million kiloliters on February 14, down from 10.08 million kiloliters on February 7.

February 18th - UK inflation has fallen to its lowest level since March 2025, providing strong support for a Bank of England rate cut at its meeting next month. The Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday that the CPI rose 3% year-on-year in January, down from 3.4% in the previous month. The largest drop came from motor fuels, with the average price of petrol falling by £3.10 per liter between December 2025 and January 2026. Services inflation fell to 4.4%, slightly higher than the market expectation of 4.3%. The Bank of England had previously forecast 4.1%. Today's inflation data is the last set of data released by the Bank of England before its interest rate decision at its March 19th meeting. Doves on the Monetary Policy Committee may be optimistic about the inflation figures.

Market news: The number of tourists from South Korea to Japan increased by 22% in January.

Market news: The number of tourists entering Japan in January fell by 4.9% year-on-year, marking the first decline in four years.

February 18th - Official data released on Wednesday showed that the UK's annual CPI fell to 3.0% in January from 3.4% in December, largely in line with expectations. The Bank of England had earlier this month projected that overall inflation would fall to 2.9%. Currently, the UK's inflation rate is higher than that of the US and the Eurozone. In January, the US and Eurozone inflation rates were 2.4% and 1.7%, respectively. Investors expect the Bank of England to cut the benchmark interest rate to 3.5% at its next meeting in March, after a narrow vote to keep rates unchanged in February, despite some policymakers remaining concerned about potential inflationary pressures.

Preliminary results indicate that Glencore's oil trading volume will reach 4.2 million barrels per day in 2025 (compared to 3.7 million barrels per day in 2024).

February 18th - Sanae Takaichi, president of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, was elected as Japan's 105th Prime Minister on the 18th through the prime ministerial nomination election held by the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. Takaichi will now begin forming her new cabinet. That evening, the new cabinet will be formally established after the appointment ceremony at the Imperial Palace and the at attestation of the cabinet ministers.

February 18th - According to a report by Iran's Tasnim News Agency on February 17th, Iranian President Pezechzian reiterated that Iran will not seek nuclear weapons now, will never seek them, and is willing to cooperate with any form of inspection. Pezechzian also stated that Iran will not accept demands prohibiting its application of science and technology in medical, industrial, and agricultural development, and called on the world and the United States not to believe rumors and propaganda claiming that Iran is developing nuclear weapons.

February 18 - According to sources, the trilateral negotiations between Russia, the United States, and Ukraine on the Ukraine issue will continue in Geneva, Switzerland at 4:00 PM Beijing time on February 18.

February 18th Futures News: 1. WTI crude oil futures trading volume was 1,396,486 lots, an increase of 566,240 lots from the previous trading day. Open interest was 2,094,396 lots, an increase of 9,924 lots from the previous trading day. 2. Brent crude oil futures trading volume was 273,430 lots, an increase of 132,981 lots from the previous trading day. Open interest was 273,112 lots, an increase of 2,692 lots from the previous trading day. 3. Natural gas futures trading volume was 653,163 lots, an increase of 236,593 lots from the previous trading day. Open interest was 1,613,746 lots, an increase of 17,096 lots from the previous trading day.