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Gulf on Edge as UAE Oil Hub Blaze Fuels Iran–US Tensions

  Smoke rises in the Fujairah oil industry zone, caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defences. A surge in regional tensions has followed a major fire at a UAE oil hub, sparked by debris from intercepted drones, as Iran vows retaliation for a recent U.S. strike on its Kharg Island oil facilities. The incident has intensified fears of broader conflict across the Gulf, with Iran warning that parts of the UAE could be considered legitimate targets.  A significant fire erupted at a major oil hub in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, after debris from intercepted drones fell onto the facility, disrupting operations and sending plumes of smoke across the region. The blaze occurred amid escalating hostilities following a U.S. strike on Iran’s Kharg Island—Tehran’s primary oil export terminal. Iran responded with sharp warnings, declaring that U.S. “hideouts” within the UAE could be targeted as legitimate military sites. The threat came as Iran continued missile and d...
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Dow hits new peak as energy sector surges; investors await inflation report





The Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a new all-time high on Monday, boosted by strong gains in the energy sector amid rising oil prices and a major acquisition deal. The blue-chip index closed at 38,797.38, up 0.3% from the previous session.

Energy stocks led the rally, as Diamondback Energy Inc (NASDAQ: FANG) soared 9.2% after announcing it would buy private oil producer Endeavor Energy for $26 billion, creating the second-largest operator in the Permian Basin. Other energy companies, such as APA Corporation (NASDAQ: APA), Schlumberger NV (NYSE: SLB), and EQT Corporation (NYSE: EQT), also rose more than 1%.

The energy sector was also supported by higher crude oil prices, which climbed above $80 a barrel for the first time since 2014, driven by tight supply and strong demand. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, known as OPEC+, agreed last week to stick to their plan of gradually increasing output, despite calls from the U.S. and other major consumers to pump more oil to ease the pressure on inflation.

Inflation will be in focus this week, as the U.S. will release its consumer price index (CPI) for January on Tuesday, followed by the producer price index (PPI) on Wednesday. Economists expect the CPI to show a 0.4% monthly increase and a 7% annual increase, the highest since 1982. The PPI is forecast to rise 0.6% month-over-month and 9.5% year-over-year, the highest on record.

Investors will also pay close attention to the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting on Wednesday, where the central bank is expected to announce the end of its bond-buying program and signal the timing of its first interest rate hike since 2018. Several Fed officials have recently expressed their concern about the persistent inflation and the need to tighten monetary policy sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, the earnings season will continue this week, with more than 60 companies in the S&P 500 scheduled to report their quarterly results. Some of the notable names include Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), Shopify (NYSE: SHOP), Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: KHC), Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), and Coinbase (NASDAQ: COIN). So far, about 75% of S&P 500 companies have beaten analysts’ earnings estimates and 65% have topped revenue expectations, according to FactSet.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite also closed higher on Monday, but below their record levels. The S&P 500 edged up 0.1% to 5,048.56, while the Nasdaq gained 0.3% to 15,432.49. The tech-heavy index was lifted by the rally in cryptocurrencies, as Bitcoin ( BitfinexUSD) surpassed $50,000 for the first time in more than two years.

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