Bank of America: Storage cycle bids farewell to “J-shaped” growth, but fundamental upside remains vast; chip shortage may persist until 2027

Spot gold has just surpassed the $4,130.00/oz mark, last quoted at $4,129.92/oz, down 0.23% on the day; COMEX gold futures main contract last quoted at $4,157.60/oz, down 0.11% on the day.

Brent crude oil fell by 1% during intraday trading, currently quoted at $101.21 per barrel. Recently, international crude oil prices have experienced significant fluctuations due to multiple factors, including geopolitical tensions, global oil supply and demand expectations, and monetary policies of major economies. The future price trend remains highly uncertain.

Euro exchange rate falls to its lowest point in 17 months amid lingering political and economic concerns in France, and reports of a possible early election in Spain The euro has dropped to its lowest level since May 2025. According to sources, Spanish government officials are preparing for a possible early election, which has further exacerbated investor concerns over political and fiscal risks in Europe. During Asian trading hours, the euro/dollar exchange rate fell as much as 0.8%, reaching 1.1161. Traders revealed that Asian hedge funds sold euros against the dollar in the spot market, triggering additional sell-offs after reaching certain key option levels and amplifying this round of declines. Three people close to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez disclosed that, after the ruling party’s heavy defeat in last week’s parliamentary elections, some cabinet ministers as well as senior figures in the government and the ruling Socialist Party believe that an early election is the best solution. As discussions are still confidential, these individuals requested anonymity. Before this news, concerns in the market were also rising over France's political stability and budget outlook. Homin Lee, Senior Macro Strategist at Lombard Odier Singapore Ltd., noted that current trends in the bond and foreign exchange markets clearly reflect investor anxiety about the continued decline in the stability of the French government and the gradual loosening of fiscal constraints ahead of the 2027 election.

Vietnam Oil and Gas Group is seeking to purchase 1.1 million MMBtu of spot liquefied natural gas for delivery between October 15 and 30.