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 Market
Platinum futures rose to around $1,630 an ounce, tracking strength across the precious metals complex as oil prices dropped following a pause in the US-Iran conflict. The US suspended its nearly two-week campaign of strikes against Iran beginning late Friday, while Tehran said it had ended its retaliatory strikes and held talks with Oman regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Still, platinum prices remained near late-November lows due to prospects of higher interest rates and persistent inflation. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at its policy meeting this week, although some believe the central bank could move as early as this meeting. Prices were also weighed down by expectations for softer industrial and automotive demand despite the tight supply outlook. The ongoing shift toward electric vehicles, which do not require autocatalysts, has clouded demand prospects even as the platinum market is forecast to post a fourth straight annual supply deficit.
