You might have heard about Hong Kong in the news, recently they celebrated twenty years of “return to the motherland”. Before we discuss the HK50 index, it’s let’s briefly review the historical and political situation. You might be asking yourself, is Hong Kong a separate country or part of China? [caption id="attachment_57013" align="alignright" width="450"] Source: https://www.hsi.com.hk/HSI-Net/static/revamp/contents/en/dl_centre/factsheets/FS_HSIe.pdf [/caption] In the strictest sense, Hong Kong is part of China, her official name being Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.
Confusingly, Hong Kong has her own immigration policy, money, stock exchange, postage stamps, flag, etc. This peculiar arrangement is due to the fact that Hong Kong was a British colony from 1841 to 1997. The treaty on “return” stipulated that Hong Kong would continue to operate in a different fashion than most of China, known as “One country, two systems”.
The Hang Seng 50 (HK50 on the GoTrader MT4) has a market capitalization-weighted index of 50 of the largest companies that trade on the Hong Kong Exchange. These companies cover approximately 65% of its total market capitalization. Finance represents almost half of the index.
An additional quarter is weighted in information technology, properties, and telecommunications. As you can see in the weekly view below, HK50 recently broke the 25,000 point mark for the first time in nearly two years. From an all-time high in April 2015, it was last over 25,000 in July 2015.
Continuing a rally from January 2016 which saw the index drop to a five year low. [caption id="attachment_57014" align="alignleft" width="600"] Source: Go Trader MT4 HK50[/caption] Despite the fact that the index’s constituent companies are listed in Hong Kong, 55% of the companies are based in China. A meteoric rise from 5% in 1997, 25% in 2003 and an all-time high of 59% in 2009. HK50 is tied at the hip to the Chinese economy.
How tied is HK50 to mainland Chinese companies you ask? On Tuesday July 4 th shares suffered their worst day in 2017, falling 1.5%, representing the biggest one-day percentage fall since December 15 th. Tencent, one of the ten most valuable companies in the world, headquartered in nearby Shenzhen and making up nearly 11% of the composite.
Tumbled 4% relating to recent negative comments around its popular one-line game products, we should continue to see growth as China's first-quarter GDP growth hit 6.9%, the highest level since the fall. By: Samuel Hertz GO Markets
By
GO Markets
Os artigos são elaborados por analistas e colaboradores da GO Markets e baseiam-se na sua análise independente ou em experiências pessoais. As opiniões, pontos de vista ou estilos de negociação expressos são próprios dos autores e não devem ser considerados como representativos ou partilhados pela GO Markets. Qualquer conselho fornecido é de natureza “geral” e não leva em conta os seus objetivos, situação financeira ou necessidades pessoais. Antes de agir com base em qualquer conselho, considere se ele é apropriado para os seus objetivos, situação financeira e necessidades. Se o conselho estiver relacionado à aquisição de um produto financeiro específico, você deve obter a nossa Declaração de Divulgação (Disclosure Statement - DS) e outros documentos legais disponíveis no nosso site antes de tomar qualquer decisão.
In 2025, the S&P 500 traded around 6,835 and was up approximately 16% year to date (YTD). Market direction remained most sensitive to Federal Reserve expectations, inflation data and the earnings outlook, with returns also shaped by mega-cap tech leadership and the broader AI narrative. The index pulled back from earlier December highs, but it has so far held above key major moving averages (MA).
Key 2025 drivers included:
Fed expectations and inflation: Inflation cooled through the year but remained sticky around 2.5% to 3%. A Fed easing bias likely supported price to earnings (P/E) multiples and “risk-on” positioning. More recently, markets appeared increasingly rate-sensitive, with the decreased likelihood of an additional rate cut until March 2026.
Earnings and guidance: Corporate earnings remained strong quarter on quarter. Recent Q3 results reportedly saw over 80% of the S&P 500 beat earnings per share (EPS) expectations. For Q4, the estimated year-over-year earnings growth rate is 8.1%, despite ongoing concerns around import tariffs and potential margin pressure.
Index leadership and breadth: Returns were heavily influenced by mega-cap tech and AI beneficiaries, even as broader market breadth appeared less consistent at points through the year.
Policy headlines and volatility: Trade and tariff headlines drove sharp moves, particularly earlier in the year. Some investors pointed to the “TACO” trade, with rapid recoveries after policy proposals were softened. Over time, similar shocks appeared to have less impact as the market became somewhat desensitised.
Valuations and sensitivity: The forward 12-month P/E ratio for the S&P 500 is 22, above the 5-year average (20.0) and above the 10-year average (18.7). That gap kept valuation sensitivity, especially in AI-linked names, firmly in focus.
Current state
The S&P 500 is about 1% below record highs hit earlier in December. That could indicate the broader uptrend remains in place, with a move back toward the recent highs one possible scenario if momentum improves. Despite the recent retracement, the index remains above all key major moving averages (MA). The latest bounce followed lower than expected CPI numbers earlier this week, alongside continued, and to some, surprising optimism about what may come next.
What to watch in January
Q4 earnings from mid-January: Results and guidance may help clarify whether valuations are being supported by forward expectations.
AI narrative and positioning: With AI-linked mega-caps carrying a large share of market capitalisation, changes in sentiment or expectations could have an outsized impact on index performance.
US jobs and CPI data: The latest US jobs report reportedly points to the highest headline unemployment rate since 2021. Cooling inflation this week may keep markets alert to shifts in rate cut timing, particularly around the March decision.
S&P 500 daily chart
Source: TradingView
Major FX pairs
Source: Adobe Images
AUD/USD
AUD/USD has been choppy in 2025. Since the “redemption day” drop in April, the move has looked more like a steady grind higher than a clean upside trend.
Key levels Recent peaks in early September and mid-December highlight resistance near 0.6625. Support has been evident around 0.6425, where price bounced over the last month.
What is supporting the bounce That support test coincided with stronger than expected jobs and inflation data, lifting expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) may raise rates during 2026 rather than cut again. The latest pullback looks contained so far, with buying interest already visible and price still above key longer-term moving averages.
What could drive a breakout The pair remains range-bound, but the tilt is still constructive. If Chinese data stays firm, metals prices hold up, and the central bank outlook remains relatively hawkish, a break above resistance could gain more traction.
AUD/USD daily chart
EUR/USD
After early 2025 euro strength, EUR/USD has mostly consolidated since June in a roughly 270 pip range. This month tested 1.18 resistance, reaching highs not seen since September.
What price is doing now The recent pullback still lacks strong downside conviction. Some technical analysts refer to the 1.17 area as a near-term reference level.
What could come next If price holds 1.17 and buyers step back in, another push toward 1.18 is possible. One view is that the European Central Bank (ECB) could be less inclined to ease in 2026, which could be consistent with a firmer EUR/USD scenario. Broader analyst commentary also suggests the euro may stall rather than collapse against the US dollar, although outcomes remain data and policy dependent.
EUR/USD daily chart
USD/JPY
Year-to-date picture USD/JPY is close to flat overall for the year. After US dollar weakness in Q1, the pair reversed higher and now sits just below resistance near 158.
Rates remain the main driver Rate differentials still favour the US dollar. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) held steady for much of the period despite expectations it might act, and the recent rate increase was modest. Policy has only moved marginally away from zero.
What could shift the balance Rate differentials remain a key influence. Without a clearer shift in BOJ policy, the JPY may find it difficult to sustain a rebound. Some market commentators cite 154.20 as a chart reference level.
2025 has seen a material decline in the fortunes of the greenback. A technical structure breakdown early in the year was followed by a breach of the 200-day moving average (MA) at the end of Q1. The index then entered correction territory, printing a three-year low at the end of Q2.
Since then, we have seen attempts to build a technical base, including a re-test of the end-of-June lows in mid-September. However, buying pressure has not been strong enough to push price back above the technically critical and psychologically important 100 level.
What the levels suggest from here
As things stand, the index remains more than 10% lower for 2025. On this technical view, the index may revisit the 96 area. However, technical levels can fail and outcomes depend on multiple factors.
US dollar index
Source: TradingView
The key question for 2026
The key question remains: are we likely to see further losses in the early part of next year and beyond, or will current support hold?
We cannot assess the US dollar in isolation and any outlook is shaped by internal and global factors, not least its relative strength versus other major currencies. Many of these drivers are interrelated, but four potential headwinds stand out for any US dollar recovery. Collectively, they may keep downside pressure in play.
Four headwinds for any US dollar recovery
1. The US dollar as a safe-haven trade
One scenario where US dollar support has historically been evident is during major global events, slowdowns and market shocks. However, the more muted response of the US dollar during risk-off episodes this year suggests a shift away from the historical norm, with fewer sustained US dollar rallies.
Instead, throughout 2025, some investors appearedto favour gold, and at other times, FX and even equities, rather than into the US dollar. If this change in behaviour persists through 2026, it could make recovery harder, even if global economic pressure builds over the year ahead.
2. US versus global trade
Trade policy is harder to measure objectively, and outcomes can be difficult to predict. That said, trade battles driven by tariffs on US imports are often viewed as an additional potential drag on the US dollar.
The impact may be twofold if additional strain is placed on the US economy through:
a slowdown in global trade volumes as impacted countries seek alternative trade relationships, with supply chain distortions that may not favour US growth
pressure on US corporate profit margins as tariffs lift costs for importers
3. Removal of quantitative tightening
The Fed formally halted its balance sheet reduction, quantitative tightening (QT), as of 1 December 2025, ending a program that shrank assets by roughly US$2.4 trillion since mid-2022.
Traditionally, ending QT is seen as marginally negative for the US dollar because it stops the withdrawal of liquidity, can ease global funding conditions, and may reduce the scarcity that can support dollar demand. Put simply, more dollars in the system can soften the currency’s support at the margin, although outcomes have varied historically and often depend on broader financial conditions.
4. Interest rate differential
Interest rate differential (IRD) is likely to be a primary driver of US dollar strength, or otherwise, in the months ahead. The latest FOMC meeting delivered the expected 0.25% cut, with attention on guidance for what may come next.
Even after a softer-than-expected CPI print, markets have been reluctant to price aggressive near-term easing. At the time of writing, less than a 20% chance of a January cut is priced in, and it may be March before we see the next move.
The Fed is balancing sticky inflation against a jobs market under pressure, with the headline rate back at levels last seen in 2012. The practical takeaway is that a more accommodative stance may add to downward pressure on the US dollar.
Current expectations imply around two rate cuts through 2026, with the potential for further easing beyond that, broadly consistent with the median projections shown in the chart below. These are forecasts rather than guarantees, and they can shift as economic data and policy guidance evolve.
Source: US Federal Reserve, Summart of Economic Projections
The “Magnificent Seven” technology companies are expected to invest a combined $385 billion into AI by the end of 2025.
Microsoft is positioning itself as the platform leader. Nvidia dominates the underlying AI infra. Google leads in research. Meta is building open-source tech. Amazon – AI agents. Apple — on-device integration. And Tesla pioneering autonomous vehicles and robots.
The “Big 4” tech companies' AI spending alone is forecast at $364 billion.
With such enormous sums pouring into AI, is this a winner-take-all game?
Or will each of the Mag Seven be able to thrive in the AI future?
Microsoft: The AI Everywhere Strategy
Microsoft has made one of the biggest bets on AI out of the Mag Seven — adopting the philosophy that AI should be everywhere.
Through its deep partnership with OpenAI, of which it is a 49% shareholder, the company has integrated GPT-5 across its entire ecosystem.
Key initiatives:
GPT-5 integration across consumer, enterprise, and developer tools through Microsoft 365 Copilot, GitHub Copilot, and Azure AI Foundry
Azure AI Foundry for unified AI development platform with model router technology
Copilot ecosystem spanning productivity, coding, and enterprise applications with real-time model selection
$100 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
Microsoft’s centrepiece is Copilot, which can now detect whether a prompt requires advanced reasoning and route to GPT-5's deeper reasoning model.
This (theoretically) means high-quality AI outputs become invisible infrastructure rather than a skill users need to learn.
However, this all-in bet on OpenAI does come with some risks. It is putting all its eggs in OpenAI's basket, tying its future success to a single partnership.
Elon Musk warned that "OpenAI is going to eat Microsoft alive"[/caption]
Google: The Research Strategy
Google’s approach is to fund research to build the most intelligent models possible. This research-first strategy creates a pipeline from scientific discovery to commercial products — what it hopes will give it an edge in the AI race.
Key initiatives:
Over 4 million developers building with Gemini 2.5 Pro and Flash
Ironwood TPU offering 3,600 times better performance compared to Google’s first TPU
AI search overviews reaching 2 billion monthly users across Google Search
DeepMind breakthroughs: AlphaEvolve for algorithm discovery, Aeneas for ancient text interpretation, AlphaQubit for quantum error detection, and AI co-scientist systems
Google’s AI research branch, DeepMind, brings together two of the world's leading AI research labs — Google Brain and DeepMind — the former having invented the Transformer architecture that underpins almost all modern large language models.
The bet is that breakthrough research in areas like quantum computing, protein folding, and mathematical reasoning will translate into a competitive advantage for Google.
Today, we're introducing AlphaEarth Foundations from @GoogleDeepMind , an AI model that functions like a virtual satellite which helps scientists make informed decisions on critical issues like food security, deforestation, and water resources. AlphaEarth Foundations provides a… pic.twitter.com/L1rk2Z5DKk
Meta has made a somewhat contrarian bet in its approach to AI: giving away their tech for free. The company's Llama 4 models, including recently released Scout and Maverick, are the first natively multi-modal open-weight models available.
Key initiatives:
Llama 4 Scout and Maverick - first open-weight natively multi-modal models
AI Studio that enables the creation of hundreds of thousands of AI characters
$65-72 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
This open-source strategy directly challenges the closed-source big players like GPT and Claude. By making AI models freely available, Meta is essentially commoditizing what competitors are trying to monetize. Meta's bet is that if AI models become commoditized, the real value will be in the infrastructure that sits on top. Meta's social platforms and massive user base give it a natural advantage if this eventuates.
Meta's recent quarter was also "the best example to date of AI having a tangible impact on revenue and earnings growth at scale," according to tech analyst Gene Munster.
H1 relative performance of the Magnificent Seven stocks. Source: KoyFin, Finimize
However, it hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Meta. Their most anticipated release, Llama Behemoth, has all but been scrapped due to performance issues. And Meta is now rumored to be developing a closed-source Behemoth alternative, despite their open-source mantra.
Amazon: The AI Agent Strategy
Amazon’s strategy is to build the infrastructure for AI that can take actions — booking meetings, processing orders, managing workflows, and integrating with enterprise systems.
Rather than building the best AI model, Amazon has focused its efforts on becoming the platform where all AI models live.
Key initiatives:
Amazon Bedrock offering 100+ foundation models from leading AI companies, including OpenAI models.
$100 million additional investment in AWS Generative AI Innovation Center for agentic AI development
Amazon Bedrock AgentCore enabling deployment and scaling of AI agents with enterprise-grade security
$118 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
The goal is to become the “orchestrator” that lets companies mix and match the best models for different tasks.
Amazon’s AgentCore will provide the underlying memory management, identity controls, and tool integration needed for these companies to deploy AI agents safely at scale.
This approach offers flexibility, but does carry some risks. Amazon is essentially positioning itself as the middleman for AI. If AI models become commoditized or if companies prefer direct relationships with AI providers, Amazon's systems could become redundant.
Nvidia: The Infra Strategy
Nvidia is the one selling the shovels for the AI gold rush. While others in the Mag Seven battle to build the best AI models and applications, Nvidia provides the fundamental computing infrastructure that makes all their efforts possible.
This hardware-first strategy means Nvidia wins regardless of which company ultimately dominates. As AI advances and models get larger, demand for Nvidia's chips only increases.
Key initiatives:
Blackwell architecture achieving $11 billion in Q2 2025 revenue, the fastest product ramp in company history
New chip roadmap: Blackwell Ultra (H2 2025), Vera Rubin (H2 2026), Rubin Ultra (H2 2027)
Data center revenue reaching $35.6 billion in Q2, representing 91% of total company sales
Manufacturing scale-up with 350 plants producing 1.5 million components for Blackwell chips
With an announced product roadmap of Blackwell Ultra (2025), Vera Rubin (2026), and Rubin Ultra (2027), Nvidia has created a system where the AI industry must continuously upgrade to Nvidia’s newest tech to stay competitive.
This also means that Nvidia, unlike the others in the Mag Seven, has almost no direct AI spending — it is the one selling, not buying.
However, Nvidia is not indestructible. The company recently halted its H20 chip production after the Chinese government effectively blocked the chip, which was intended as a workaround to U.S. export controls.
Apple: The On-Device Strategy
Apple's AI strategy is focused on privacy, integration, and user experience. Apple Intelligence, the AI system built into iOS, uses on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute to help ensure user data is protected when using AI.
Key initiatives:
Apple Intelligence with multi-model on-device processing and Private Cloud Compute
Enhanced Siri with natural language understanding and ChatGPT integration for complex queries
Direct developer access to on-device foundation models, enabling offline AI capabilities
$10-11 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
The drawback of this on-device approach is that it requires powerful hardware from the user's end. Apple Intelligence can only run on devices with a minimum of 8GB RAM, creating a powerful upgrade cycle for Apple but excluding many existing users.
Tesla: The Robo Strategy
Tesla's AI strategy focuses on two moonshot applications: Full Self-Driving vehicles and humanoid robots.
This is the 'AI in the physical world' play. While others in the Mag Seven are focused on the digital side of AI, Tesla is building machines that use AI for physical operations.
Tesla’s Optimus robot replicating human tasks
Key initiatives:
Plans for 5,000-10,000 Optimus robots in 2025, scaling to 50,000 in 2026
Robotaxi service targeting availability to half the U.S. population by EOY 2025
AI6 chip development with Samsung for unified training across vehicles, robots, and data centers
$5 billion projected AI infrastructure spending for 2025
This play is exponentially harder to develop than digital AI, and the markets have reflected low confidence that Tesla can pull it off.
TSLA has been the worst-performing Mag Seven stock of 2025, down 18.37% in H1 2025.
However, if Tesla’s strategy is successful, it could be far more valuable than other AI plays. Robots and autonomous vehicles could perform actual labour worth trillions of dollars annually.
The $385 billion Question
The Mag Seven are starting to see real revenue come in from their AI investments. But they're pouring that money (and more) back into AI, betting that the boom is just getting started.
The platform players like Microsoft and Amazon are betting on becoming essential infrastructure. Nvidia’s play is to sell the underlying hardware to everyone. Google and Meta compete on capability and access. While Apple and Tesla target specific use cases.
The $385 billion question is which of the Magnificent Seven has bet the right way? Or will a new player rise and usurp the long-standing tech giants altogether?
You can access all Magnificent Seven stocks and thousands of other Share CFDs on GO Markets.
Ahead of the US nonfarm payrolls (NFP) release (Friday, 9 January, 8:30 am ET/ Saturday, 10 January, 12:30 am AEDT), major US equity indices have been trading near recent highs (as at 9 January 2026).
Next week, attention is likely to shift to inflation data, any change in expectations for Federal Reserve (Fed) policy, and the start of US earnings season. Together, these may support or challenge current valuations.
Quick facts:
US inflation: The consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI) releases will test whether inflation is showing signs of persistence.
Earnings season: Major US banks report first, providing an early read on financial conditions and whether current valuations can hold up.
Gold futures: Gold futures remain close to record levels, with US dollar (USD) moves after key data a potential swing factor.
Geopolitics: Ongoing tensions remain on the radar and could influence risk sentiment.
US inflation data: could CPI and PPI shift rate-cut expectations?
Timing:
CPI: Wednesday 14 January, 12:30 am AEDT
PPI: Thursday 15 January, 12:30 am AEDT
CPI and PPI are the major scheduled macro events for the week. The updated inflation prints across consumer and producer prices will help markets assess whether disinflation is continuing or whether inflation is showing signs of persistence.
Market impact:
A softer outcome could support risk sentiment and weigh on Treasury yields and the USD. However, reactions can vary depending on positioning and broader macro headlines, including how confidently markets price a March Fed rate cut.
A stronger-than-expected reading may pressure equities and reinforce caution in bond markets.
US earnings season begins with the banks
Timing:
JPMorgan Chase (JPM): Tuesday, 6:35 am ET
US earnings season begins with results from major banks, providing an early snapshot of financial conditions and economic momentum. Investor attention is likely to extend beyond headline earnings to guidance and management commentary.
Market impact
Strong results versus earnings per share (EPS) and revenue expectations could support sentiment, particularly within financials.
Cautious forward guidance may pressure share prices and could weigh on broader indices if it becomes a common theme.
Early bank prints can shape expectations for the wider season. Watch how the first reporters in each sector influence related stocks.
Gold futures to retest record highs?
After a recent pullback, gold futures are trading within striking distance of record highs again. The backdrop remains a mix of geopolitical uncertainty and the potential for data-driven moves in the USD.
Market impact
Continued strength could support a retest of late December highs around US$4,585.
The short-term US$4,500 area may act as a short-term technical resistance in determining whether upside momentum can hold.
Another pullback may occur if yields rise or the USD strengthens following key data releases.
All gold futures prices quoted were captured as of 9 January 2026, 10:30 am AEDT (source: TradingView).
Geopolitics remains in focus
Geopolitics remains a background market consideration, with headlines and broader policy messaging sometimes influencing risk sentiment. Markets have shown resilience to date, but sensitivity may rise if developments escalate.
Market impact
Escalation could influence energy prices, defence stocks, and hedging assets such as gold.
A cooling in the narrative may reduce volatility and allow markets to refocus on macro data and earnings.
Venezuela commands the world's largest proven oil reserves at 303 billion barrels. Yet political turmoil, global sanctions, and recent US intervention show that being the biggest isn’t always best.
Quick facts:
Venezuela holds 18% of the world's total proven oil reserves despite producing less than 1% of global consumption.
Just four countries (Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Canada) control over half the planet's proven reserves.
Saudi Arabia dominates crude oil production contributing to over 16% of global exports.
US shale technology has enabled America to lead in production despite ranking ninth in reserves.
Top 10 countries by proven oil reserves
1. Venezuela – 303 billion barrels
Controls 18% of global reserves, primarily extra-heavy crude in the Orinoco Belt requiring specialised refining.
Heavy crude trades $15-20 below Brent benchmarks due to high sulphur content and complex processing requirements.
Output crashed 60% from 2.5 million bpd in 2014 to less than 1.0 million bpd last year.
Approximately 80% of exports flow to China as loan repayment, with export revenues dwarfed by reserve potential.
2. Saudi Arabia – 267 billion barrels
Majority light, sweet crude oil requires minimal refining and commands premium prices, contributing to world-leading exports of $191.1 billion in 2024.
Maintains 2-3 million bpd of spare production capacity, providing market stabilisation capability during supply disruptions.
Oil comprises roughly 50% of the country’s GDP and 70% of its export earnings.
Production decisions significantly impact international oil prices due to market dominance.
Heavy Western sanctions severely limit the country’s ability to monetise and access international markets.
Production estimates vary significantly (2.5-3.8 million bpd) due to sanctions, limited transparency, and restricted international reporting.
Significant crude volumes flow to China through discount arrangements and sanctions-evading mechanisms.
Sanctions relief could rapidly boost production toward 4-5 million bpd, though domestic consumption (12th globally) reduces export potential.
4. Canada – 163 billion barrels
Approximately 97% of reserves are oil sands (bitumen) requiring steam-assisted extraction and significant upfront capital investment.
Political stability and regulatory frameworks position Canada as a secure source compared to volatile producers, with direct pipeline access to US refineries.
Supplied over 60% of U.S. crude oil imports in 2024, making Canada America's top source by far.
5. Iraq – 145 billion barrels
Decades of war and sanctions have prevented optimal field development and infrastructure modernisation.
Improved security conditions since 2017 have enabled production recovery, but pipeline attacks and aging facilities continue to constrain output.
Oil revenue comprises over 90% of government income, creating extreme fiscal vulnerability.
Exports flow primarily to China, India, and Asian buyers seeking a reliable Middle Eastern supply, with most production from super-giant southern fields near Basra.
6. United Arab Emirates – 113 billion barrels
Produces primarily medium-to-light sweet crude commanding premium prices, ranking fourth globally in export value at $87.6 billion.
Has successfully diversified its economy through tourism, finance, and trade, reducing oil's GDP share compared to Gulf peers.
Strategic location near the Strait of Hormuz and openness to international oil companies help facilitate efficient global distribution.
7. Kuwait – 101.5 billion barrels
Reserves are concentrated in aging super-giant fields like Burgan, which require enhanced recovery techniques.
Favourable geology enables extraction costs around $8-10 per barrel, with proven reserves providing 80+ years of supply at current production rates.
Oil comprises 60% of GDP and over 95% of export revenue.
8. Russia – 80 billion barrels
World's third-largest producer despite ranking eighth in reserves.
Post-2022 Western sanctions redirected crude flows from Europe to Asia, with China and India now absorbing the majority at discounted prices.
Despite export restrictions and G7 price cap at $60/barrel, it posted the second-highest global export value at $169.7 billion in 2024.
Russian Urals crude typically trades $15-30 below Brent due to quality, sanctions, and logistics, with November 2024 revenues declining to $11 billion.
9. United States – 74.4 billion barrels
The shale revolution through horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing has made the U.S. the world's #1 oil producer despite holding only the 9th-largest reserves.
The Permian Basin accounts for nearly 50% of production, with shale/tight oil representing 65% of total output.
Achieved net petroleum exporter status in 2020 for the first time since 1949, with crude exports growing from near-zero in 2015 to over 4 million bpd in 2024.
The U.S. government maintains a 375+ million barrel strategic reserve.
10. Libya – 48.4 billion barrels
Holds Africa's largest proven oil reserves at 48.4 billion barrels, producing light sweet crude commanding premium prices.
Rival bordering governments compete for oil revenue control, causing production to fluctuate based on political conditions.
Oil facilities face blockades, militia attacks, and political leverage tactics, preventing consistent returns.
Favourable geology enables extraction costs around $10-15 per barrel, with geographic proximity making Libya a natural supplier to European refineries.
What does this mean for oil markets?
The concentration of reserves among OPEC members (60% of the global total) ensures the organisation has continued influence over pricing, even as US shale provides a production counterweight.
Venezuela's potential return as a major exporter post-U.S. occupation could eventually ease supply constraints, though most analysts view significant production increases as years away.
Sanctions could create a situation where discounted crude seeks buyers willing to navigate compliance risks. Refiners with heavy crude processing capability may benefit from price differentials if Venezuelan barrels increase.
While reserves appear abundant, economically recoverable volumes depend on sustained high prices. If renewable adoption accelerates and demand peaks sooner than projected, stranded assets become a material risk for reserve-heavy producers.
FX markets enter the month influenced by uncertain growth momentum, inflation dynamics and central bank policy, yield sensitivity, and shifts in how markets are pricing geopolitical risk.
Quick facts:
USD remains primarily responsive to inflation data, and this may have overtaken growth as the main driver.
JPY sensitivity to potential Bank of Japan (BOJ) action remains high, creating asymmetric responses to global rate moves and policy communication.
EUR and AUD continue to trade reactively to global events and commodity price moves.
Volatility may be episodic, clustering around key data releases rather than a single sustained directional trend.
With central bank expectations still evolving into the first quarter (Q1), key releases and policy communication are likely to stay central to near-term FX pricing. In this environment, moves may cluster around scheduled events and headline risk, rather than build into a single dominant trend.
USD performance remains closely tied to inflation data and what it could mean for Federal Reserve policy expectations. Market pricing can shift quickly around CPI and labour-market outcomes, particularly where outcomes affect how investors perceive the timing and pace of any policy changes.
Jobs data and GDP numbers will be watched as gauges of growth momentum. The start of the US earnings season may also influence FX indirectly through its impact on equity performance, risk sentiment, and yield expectations, rather than acting as a direct currency driver.
Key chart: US dollar index (DXY) weekly chart
Periods of market uncertainty can support USD demand around prior support areas near 97, while the 100 region may continue to act as a reference point for resistance, including where it aligns with commonly watched moving averages (noting technical indicators can fail).
A break in either direction may reflect shifting expectations about how different central banks will respond to the next run of inflation and growth data.
Euro (EUR)
Key data and events:
CPI (Euro area HICP, Dec 2025 reference period): 19 January 2026 European Central Bank
European Central Bank (ECB) messaging on policy direction and inflation remains key. A prolonged hold is one scenario market participants continue to debate, but outcomes are likely to remain data-dependent and sensitive to changes in the growth and inflation backdrop.
The geopolitical situation in Ukraine will also remain in focus.
Key chart: EUR/USD weekly chart
Differences in likely central bank direction could support a test of the top end of the current multi-month range near 1.18. A sustained break above that level would be technically significant.
For now, price may stay range-bound until there is clearer guidance on policy direction on both sides of the Atlantic.
Japanese yen (JPY)
Key data and events:
BOJ policy decision: 22–23 January 2026 Bank of Japan
Tokyo core CPI (Ku-area of Tokyo, preliminary; Dec 2025 reference month): 23 January 2026 Statistics Bureau of Japan
What to watch:
Following the BOJ’s December rate rise, markets appear to be weighing the likelihood of further action in Q1. Whether the January meeting delivers another move remains uncertain and may depend on incoming inflation and wage signals, as well as BOJ communication.
Data released ahead of the decision may be important in shaping expectations.
Key chart: GBP/JPY daily chart
As of 7 January 2026, GBPJPY has traded around the 211.50 area, near levels last seen in 2008. Continued consolidation may suggest fresh drivers are needed to extend gains.
If the cross can’t push higher, some traders will start watching for a pullback toward 210.00, where support has shown up before. And if expectations for BOJ action build, selling could accelerate, with price potentially drifting down through those previously tested support zones and toward the more established support near 208.00.
RBA rate decision: 3 February 2026 (Monetary Policy Board meeting 2–3 February) Reserve Bank of Australia
AUD continues to behave as a proxy for global growth sentiment and commodity demand.
Stabilisation in Chinese data, firmer commodity prices, and expectations around the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) policy path may be providing relative support for AUD. Sensitivity to broader risk conditions remains high.
Key chart: EUR/AUD daily chart
Moves in commodity prices have coincided with a sharp fall in EURAUD since the 31 December close, breaking down out of the prior range. The next key level to the downside sits at 1.7305.
The area around 1.7305 may help indicate whether selling pressure is continuing or whether momentum is fading for now. Near-term commodity price moves are likely to remain important.
Bottom line
FX conditions this month may remain reactive, with volatility clustering around key data releases rather than a sustained directional trend. With Q1 central bank expectations still forming, price moves may be sharper around the calendar, policy communication, and geopolitical headlines.
