“The most significant bearish risk to our view is a macro scenario where U.S. growth and employment remain buoyant but inflation continues to accelerate, solidifying a Fed hiking cycle this year,” said Shearer. “A Fed that feels emboldened by stronger employment momentum and crystallizes behind a need to fight higher for longer inflation could begin to crack investor demand.”
(J.P. Morgan subsequently forecast gold at $6,000/oz.)
https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/commodities/gold-prices
Linde stock enters a week with a scheduled Morgan Stanley conference. The event keeps investor focus on growth after 2025 sales of 34 billion US dollars.
Linde is scheduled to participate in the Morgan Stanley Global Chemicals & Agriculture Conference on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The date appears in the company's investor calendar, which also identifies Linde as a global industrial gases and engineering company.
Conference Sets the Week's Focus
The appearance is the next scheduled capital-markets event in Linde's calendar for the week of November 9 through November 15. Unlike a results release, the conference is not itself a new earnings publication. Its relevance for investors lies in the opportunity for management and market participants to discuss the company's industrial-gases and engineering activities against the backdrop of its latest business scale.
Linde says it generated 2025 sales of 34 billion US dollars. That figure gives investors a reference point for assessing the company's size as attention turns to the conference. The investor page also describes Linde's activities in gas-processing solutions and in supporting customer growth, efficiency improvements and emissions reductions.
Quote Offers a Sunday Reference
The real-time quote of Linde stock was 462.40 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 17:51 CET on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
Published 08.11.2026 16:05
Ukrainian forces struck several sites across Russia overnight on November 7, including an oil refinery in Saratov and a defence-related plant in Oryol, while a major warehouse fire was reported in Rostov-on-Don.
Rosneft refinery targeted in Saratov
The Saratov oil refinery, owned by Russian energy giant Rosneft, was targeted by Ukrainian drones in the early hours of Saturday. Videos circulating on social media showed a large fire and a column of smoke rising above the industrial area.
“Look at that! Look what's happening! So much smoke!” a person was heard saying in footage shared online.
The refinery has previously been targeted in Ukrainian attacks. The extent of the damage caused by the latest strike has not yet been independently established.
Missile strike reported at Oryol defence plant
In Oryol, a missile strike reportedly hit the Proton-Elektrotex plant, a manufacturer of semiconductors, LED diodes and electronic components.
The facility produces components used in Russian military equipment, including Iskander-M ballistic missiles and Pantsir-S1 air defence systems, according to reports on the attack.
Regional authorities confirmed damage to production facilities in the city, although the identification of the affected enterprise as Proton was reported by monitoring sources.
Large warehouse fire in Rostov-on-Don
In Rostov-on-Don, a fire engulfed a warehouse storing oils and polymer materials, covering approximately 8,000 square metres.
The warehouse was reported to be near the Almaz defence-industrial facility, which manufactures military communications systems and radio-electronic equipment. However, there has been no independent confirmation that the fire resulted from a Ukrainian strike or that Almaz itself was targeted.
Explosions reported in Belgorod
Explosions were also reported in Belgorod, where a drone crashed onto the roof of an apartment building, setting several flats on fire, according to local reports.
“The air raid siren goes off almost immediately. I open the window, and then explosions start going off nearby. The siren activates automatically,” a local resident said.
Russia's Defence Ministry claimed that its air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 411 Ukrainian drones overnight across 10 Russian regions, as well as over the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov and annexed Crimea. The figures have not been independently verified.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
https://moldova1.md/p/89694/ukraine-strikes-russian-refinery-and-defence-plant-in-overnight-raid
Last week, three out of every 10 listed companies on the stock market hit intraday year-to-date lows. On the 6th, when the KOSPI fell below the 5,000 mark intraday, shares in 720 listed companies dropped to their lowest levels of the year.
According to the Korea Exchange on the 8th, 844 (31.7%) of the 2,659 companies listed on the KOSPI and KOSDAQ set new year-to-date lows from the 2nd to the 6th. By market, 272 were KOSPI-listed companies and 572 were KOSDAQ-listed. Over the same period, the KOSPI fell 11.71% and the KOSDAQ 11.06%.New lows were concentrated in the latter half of the week. The number of stocks hitting intraday lows, which ranged from 13 to 53 per day from the 2nd through the 5th, surged to 720 on the 6th. A circuit breaker was triggered on the KOSPI that day, and sell-sidecars were activated in both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets. Based on closing prices, 806 stocks hit year-to-date lows over the week, 669 of them on the 6th.Hyundai Motor closed at ₩277,500 on the 3rd, while Hanwha Aerospace ended at ₩660,000 on the 6th, each posting its lowest closing price of the year. Doosan Enerbility (₩44,700), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (₩262,500), POSCO Holdings (₩265,000) and Hanwha Ocean (₩47,350) hit year-to-date lows both intraday and at the close.
On the KOSDAQ, the four largest stocks by market capitalization all set new year-to-date closing lows on the 6th. Alteogen closed at ₩200,500, EcoPro at ₩66,200, EcoPro BM at ₩83,100 and Rainbow Robotics at ₩321,000.
Semiconductor-related stocks such as Leeno Industrial and Wonik IPS, as well as biotech stocks including LigaChem Biosciences and ABL Bio Inc., also hit year-to-date lows.Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix fell intraday to ₩179,200 and ₩1,089,000, respectively, on the 6th, hitting seven-month lows. Although they recouped some of their intraday losses, their 20-day disparity ratios—comparing closing prices with the average over the past 20 trading days—stood at 87.59 for Samsung Electronics and 86.96 for SK hynix.
Both stocks closed 12–13% below their 20-trading-day averages.Kang Jin-hyuk, a senior researcher at Shinhan Investment & Securities, emphasized, “The recent sharp drop in stock prices reflects the possibility of a slowdown in the pace of data center investment rather than a structural crisis in the artificial intelligence (AI) industry,” adding, “The fallout from liquidation-driven panic selling may continue, so it is necessary to watch out for volatility through early in the week.”
https://en.fnnews.com/news/202611081514308869
China’s special envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun, met with Ali Bagheri, deputy secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, during a visit to Iran.
Zhai Jun affirmed China’s readiness to push for further progress in bilateral relations with Tehran, stressing that the ongoing and expanding conflict in the Middle East cannot be resolved through force.
According to a statement issued by China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday, the meeting took place in Iran as part of a regional tour by the Chinese envoy this month, which also includes visits to Oman and Saudi Arabia.
https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-111/All/China-Says-Its-Middle-East-Envoy-Visited-Iran-58667
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted incoming missiles targeting the kingdom's capital and other regions on Sunday, with falling debris damaging a building belonging to the state-owned oil giant Aramco in Riyadh's financial district.
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates said it rescued 22 crew members after a fire broke out aboard a cargo ship in the Sea of Oman, as risks to commercial shipping in the region remain high. And in Israel, opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot formally got the first chance to form a new government.
Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Sunday.
Aramco building in Riyadh damaged after missile interceptions
Witnesses in Riyadh said they heard a loud explosion Sunday morning and described damage across multiple floors of an Aramco building in the King Abdullah Financial District. The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.
The Saudi-led coalition said its air defenses intercepted two ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles targeting Riyadh and other regions early Sunday, accusing the Iran-backed Houthis of launching the weapons.
The Saudi Energy Ministry said there were no casualties at the Aramco facility. The coalition also said it intercepted a ballistic missile overnight targeting Saudi Arabia's southern region, which borders Yemen and has repeatedly come under Houthi attacks.
The Houthis' military spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, claimed in a statement Sunday that they had hit Riyadh's financial district and other targets in response to attacks in recent days on a village and a market in Yemen, which he said left dozens dead or wounded and blamed on Saudi Arabia.
— By Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut
The UAE rescues 22 crew members after a cargo ship fire
The UAE National Guard said the crew members — all of Arab nationalities — were in stable condition after receiving first aid following a rescue when their cargo ship caught fire in the Sea of Oman.
The National Guard did not identify the vessel nor specify the cause of the fire.
The British military organization that monitors maritime security incidents said Sunday that a tanker caught fire on Saturday northwest of Khasab, Oman, prompting the evacuation of its crew. It was unclear whether it was the same incident.
Israel's president gives Eisenkot first chance at forming the next government
Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Sunday evening formally gave opposition politician Gadi Eisenkot the first chance to form the next government.
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/saudi-arabia-intercepts-missiles-aramco-144756565.html
NasdaqGS:FANG Earnings & Revenue Growth as at Nov 2026
Diamondback Energy is a US oil and gas producer focused on unconventional, onshore reserves in the Permian Basin in West Texas, an area closely watched for shale output trends. As a roughly $50.0 billion operator, its capital choices often influence how investors interpret the wider shale sector.
How Diamondback Energy's higher dividend fits its cash return story
The investment story for Diamondback Energy rests on the idea that Permian scale and low well costs keep free cash flow robust enough to fund both measured growth and generous cash returns. This dividend increase, delivered while drilling stays disciplined, goes straight to that Narrative.
"Anticipated balance sheet strengthening, supported by rapid net debt reduction of around US$1.6b in a single quarter and an accelerated path toward the US$10b net debt objective, increases financial flexibility that can reduce interest expense and leave more capacity for future buybacks and dividends, which in turn can support earnings per share..."
The 7.3% lift in the base dividend to US$1.18 a share slots cleanly into the cash generator angle of the Diamondback Energy story. Management is signaling that recent earnings of US$1.6b for the quarter and strong free cash flow can support a higher recurring payout rather than just one off specials.
The bear side is that Simply Wall St's risk checks flag an unstable dividend history and large one off items in results. This can make payout ratios harder to read. Holding production growth modest while ExxonMobil and Devon Energy watch the same oil price backdrop also underlines how reliant this income pitch is on keeping unit costs low and the balance sheet stronger.
https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/diamondback-energy-fang-raises-dividend-080848730.html
By Charles Kennedy - Nov 08, 2026, 6:00 PM CST
Iraq's campaign for a larger OPEC production allocation has taken a complicated turn after Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair said the country is already producing more than 5 million barrels per day, more than half a million barrels above its current OPEC+ requirement.Khudair’s statement raises a basic question over Iraq’s current production as OPEC prepares to set production levels for 2027. Just six days earlier, Baghdad joined six other OPEC+ producers in agreeing to maintain current production requirements for December, leaving Iraq at 4.431 million bpd. Shortly after Khudair put Iraqi production above 5 million bpd, the Oil Ministry reaffirmed Iraq's commitment to the 4.431 million bpd ceiling, saying October production had increased but giving no figure.
Baghdad has spent months trying to persuade OPEC to recognize substantially more Iraqi production capacity. Iraq is seeking a future baseline based on capacity of around 6 million bpd, while OPEC is independently assessing members' maximum sustainable production capacity as it prepares its 2027 production framework. Iraq reported production of 4.399 million bpd to OPEC in September, before the Oil Ministry reported a further increase in October without providing a figure.
The OPEC Word Game
Khudair said Iraq remained compliant with OPEC because its exports were within what he described as the group’s “export ceiling.” But Iraq’s 4.431 million bpd OPEC+ requirement is a production target, not an export target.
OPEC’s rules are explicit on this point. Compliance is assessed using crude oil production, based on estimates from independent secondary sources. As Bloomberg’s Javier Blas has explained, OPEC+ has occasionally allowed individual countries to make commitments based partly on exports, most notably Russia, creating an increasingly complicated collection of cuts and targets. But that is not how Iraq’s current 4.431 million bpd requirement is defined: it applies to crude production.
For Iraq, exports and production can differ significantly. Crude produced in Iraq can be exported, domestically refined, directly consumed for power generation or moved into storage. Iraq’s OPEC+ requirement, however, is measured against crude production rather than the volume ultimately exported.
That is why Khudair’s explanation does not resolve the problem created by his own production figure. Iraq could export less than 4.431 million bpd and still produce more than its OPEC+ requirement. And if Khudair’s figure of more than 5 million bpd refers to crude production as OPEC defines it, it would put Iraqi output at least 569,000 bpd above the nominal requirement.
OPEC does not simply use Baghdad’s reported production number when assessing compliance. It uses estimates from independent secondary sources, and those estimates can differ substantially from Iraq’s own figures. Khudair’s statement therefore does not establish that OPEC itself will record Iraqi production above 5 million bpd. But his reference to exports does not explain how production above that level would comply with Iraq’s production requirement.
Has the Iran War Changed the Rules?
Khudair’s choice of words, however, deserves a closer look.
The U.S.-Iran war has radically changed the relationship between production and exports across the Gulf. For months, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have been producing below their OPEC+ allowances as the closure of Hormuz and continuing shipping disruptions restricted Gulf exports.
That raises an obvious question as to whether OPEC has quietly become more interested in how much oil its members can actually export than how much they produce.
So far, there is no direct indication that it has. OPEC’s Joint Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) directly addressed the disruption to international maritime routes in October, but continued to assess members using crude oil production data and adherence to production adjustments. OPEC ministers returned to the Hormuz problem on October 12, saying unprecedented shipping and insurance costs were impeding crude and product flows, without announcing any change in the way compliance is measured.
On November 1, with Gulf exports still severely constrained by the war, OPEC+ maintained its existing production requirements for December and again called for full conformity. Reuters reported that the group was still struggling with export disruptions caused by the war even as it kept those production targets unchanged.
Is Iraq Really Producing 5 Million BPD?
Khudair’s production figure is also difficult to reconcile with the independent data available so far.
Iraq reported crude production of 4.399 million bpd to OPEC in September, meaning output would have had to rise by at least 601,000 bpd in October or early November to reach the level Khudair described. The IEA estimated September production considerably lower, at 4.10 million bpd.
The IEA also estimated Iraq’s sustainable production capacity at 4.87 million bpd, below the level Khudair now says the country is actually producing.
Exports certainly recovered. Iraq shipped about 3.5 million bpd in October, according to Iraqi energy officials cited by Reuters, up from 2.65 million bpd in September. At that export rate, production above 5 million bpd would leave more than 1.5 million bpd to be accounted for by refinery intake, domestic crude use, inventory changes and other movements.
The missing number is October production. OPEC has yet to publish its first secondary-source estimate for the month, leaving no independent OPEC production figure that confirms the increase Khudair described.
Daegu-based cathode material maker L&F is considering building a second lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode plant with 60,000 tons of annual capacity at the Daegu National Industrial Complex. The move is aimed at responding to a growing preference for non-Chinese materials in the North American energy storage system (ESS) market, now that the company has secured all three South Korean battery cell makers as customers.
According to the battery industry on the 8th, L&F is weighing a plan to build the second plant on a site near its existing LFP facility in Guji-myeon, Dalseong County, Daegu, as early as the end of this year. Adding the second plant to the first, which is being expanded to 60,000 tons of annual capacity, would double the company's LFP cathode capacity to 120,000 tons a year. The company has set a goal of establishing that 120,000-ton system by the second half of 2028.
An L&F official said, "We already hold the site within the Daegu National Industrial Complex, so we can break ground quickly," but added, "Large-scale facility investment requires board approval, so we will disclose the investment plan as soon as it is finalized."
The starting point for the expansion review is a string of long-term supply contracts. This year, L&F signed with Samsung SDI and SK On, and on the 2nd of this month it signed a 1.035 trillion won (approximately $759.1 million) LFP cathode supply contract with LG Energy Solution. Because deliveries to LG Energy Solution begin in 2028, overlapping with existing contract volumes and schedules, the need to secure capacity in advance has grown. The company has secured mid- to long-term supply volumes of 250,000 tons of LFP cathode from four customers — three South Korean cell makers and one overseas customer. That is equivalent to about 100GWh on an ESS basis; the company plans to supply 40,000 tons in 2027 and more than 60,000 tons in 2028, and expects additional volumes of more than 30,000 tons a year after 2028 based on the LG Energy Solution contract.
The demand-side backdrop is also clear. As AI data-center buildouts intersect with power grid investment, ESS demand is growing rapidly, centered on North America, and the push to replace Chinese materials is strengthening in the process. The company expects LFP cathode shipments of about 50,000 tons next year.
Near-term results, however, are not favorable. L&F's third-quarter revenue rose 34% from a year earlier to 874.4 billion won (approximately $641.3 million), but it posted an operating loss of 26.5 billion won (approximately $19.4 million), swinging to a loss from both the previous quarter and the year-earlier period. The result reflected a 42.6 billion won (approximately $31.2 million) inventory valuation loss from falling lithium prices and a 22 billion won (approximately $16.1 million) loss from a weaker exchange rate. Cumulative operating profit for the year stood at 111.6 billion won (approximately $81.8 million).
https://finance.biggo.com/news/56ee9713-1790-4078-b86e-9be83ad51a5a
The US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service has announced that it will send a agribusiness trade mission comprising representatives from 43 companies and 37 agricultural trade and industry organisations to HCMC from Nov 9-12.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) on November 6 announced that it will send a agribusiness trade mission comprising representatives from 43 companies and 37 agricultural trade and industry organisations to Ho Chi Minh City from November 9-12.
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Alexander Vaden will lead the delegation, the largest ever to Vietnam in the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)’s history. The mission will connect American exporters directly with Vietnamese buyers, importers and distributors to expand sales opportunities in one of Asia’s most dynamic and growing markets.
According to Vaden, Vietnam is already one of the biggest agricultural export markets of the US, and there’s enormous opportunity to expand that footprint. This mission brings a diverse group of American businesses and industry leaders face-to-face with willing buyers, developing the lasting commercial partnerships that benefit the US’s hardworking farmers, ranchers and producers and overseas consumers, while reinforcing a diverse global supply chain.
The USDA’s statistics show that Vietnam was the seventh-largest export market for American agricultural and related products in 2025, with import turnover of nearly 5.6 billion USD. The US’s 2025 agricultural exports to Vietnam increased 38% from 2024.
Strong demand for US cotton, soybeans and feed ingredients supports Vietnam's expanding manufacturing and livestock sectors, while rising incomes and growth in food retail and processing are creating new opportunities for American fruit, dairy, meat and specialty products.
FAS said Vietnam’s expanding biofuels market and ethanol blending requirements are also creating new opportunities for US corn growers and ethanol producers, building on recent USDA trade engagement and bolstering growing demand.
During the mission, participants will take part in business-to-business meetings, market briefings, site visits and promotional events designed to introduce American products to Vietnamese consumers and strengthen existing commercial relationships.
The agribusiness trade mission to Vietnam is part of the USDA’s ongoing efforts to expand agricultural trade across Southeast Asia, following its “Trade Reciprocity for US Manufacturers and Producers” (TRUMP) trade mission to Vietnam last March./. VNA
https://vietnamnet.vn/en/us-to-send-largest-ever-agricultural-trade-mission-to-vietnam-2572674.html
Brazil significantly strengthened its position in the EU soybean market at the beginning of MY 2026/27, accounting for more than three-quarters of total EU imports. According to the European Commission, Brazilian soybean shipments to the EU increased by 52.4% year-on-year from July 1 to October 25, reaching 2.97 mln tons. Brazil’s share of total imports rose to 78.39%, while US exporters reduced shipments by 59.8% to 577.18 thsd tons, accounting for just 15.24% of the market.
Ukraine also lost significant ground among soybean suppliers to the EU. During the first 17 weeks of the season, Ukrainian soybean exports declined by 60.5% to 144.52 thsd tons, compared with 365.61 thsd tons a year earlier. As a result, Ukraine’s share of the EU soybean import market fell from 9.42% to 3.82%. Despite the sharp decline in shipments, Ukraine remained the third-largest soybean supplier to the European Union.
Overall, EU soybean imports during this period decreased by just 2.4% to 3.79 mln tons, compared with 3.88 mln tons last season. Imports were also 11.5% below the MY 2024/25 level of 4.28 mln tons. Thus, amid relatively stable overall demand, EU soybean trade flows are shifting significantly in favor of Brazil, which is expanding its market presence largely at the expense of reduced shipments from the US and Ukraine.
What was presented
Emirati-backed New Energy Metals and its unit Dusk Gabon brought a technical assessment of the Mabounié project to President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema during his trip to China last week. The update was shared by the presidency on Facebook, confirming the Beijing meeting and the scope of the proposed development.
Project details
The plan involves New Energy Metals alongside Chinese engineering group ENFI and carries a $2 billion price tag. Mabounié lies roughly 200 kilometers from Libreville - about 124 miles to the southeast - and while the site has been studied for years, it has yet to reach commercial output. The proposal includes building processing capacity within Gabon, and if it proceeds, the backers expect to add more than 2,500 direct roles. The timeline points to ground breaking in 2027.
The open questions and what it means for your portfolio
Key pieces are still missing. The presidency did not specify how the venture would be funded or define how New Energy Metals and ENFI would split responsibilities. For investors, that means timelines and capital needs are still variables, even as the project signals potential new supply of niobium and rare earths and a push to add more in-country value through processing.
https://www.briefs.co/news/gabon-seeks-2-billion-restart-for-mabouni-niobium-and-rare-e/
POSCO is facing the prospect of a prolonged labor dispute after union members rejected a tentative wage agreement, leaving the steelmaker struggling to reach a deal following the first strike in its history.
The company’s labor union on Sunday said its members had rejected the tentative wage agreement in a vote. Of the 9,177 ballots cast, 4,433 votes, or 48.31 percent, were in favor, while 4,744, or 51.7 percent, were against.
The rejection has cast uncertainty over the next round of negotiations, with the union expected to seek better terms than those included in the failed deal. However, it remains unclear how much management will be willing to concede amid a prolonged downturn in the steel industry.
The two sides began wage negotiations on June 16 and held around 30 rounds of formal and working-level talks, but failed to narrow their differences over pay increases and other compensation.
The union had initially called for a 7.1 percent increase in base pay, a performance bonus worth 600 percent of base pay, 50 shares of company stock for each worker and a holiday bonus worth 200 percent of base pay.
Whereas, management initially offered a 1.2 percent base pay increase if the company met its annual operating profit target, gradually raising the offer as negotiations progressed.
The dispute escalated in September when the union launched its first strike since POSCO was founded in 1968. After two rounds of partial strikes, the union threatened a third walkout, prompting the two sides to intensify last-minute negotiations.
Late last month, the two sides reached a tentative agreement that included a 2.6 percent increase in base pay, a one-time payment of 6 million won ($4,340) and expanded holiday bonuses, among other benefits.
The deal also included plans to raise holiday bonuses to 30 percent of base pay from 2028, as well as additional shift-holiday allowances and the introduction or expansion of certain job-related allowances.
The rejection raises the possibility of further labor action, adding uncertainty to POSCO's operations and potentially affecting its customers and suppliers across the steel industry. The dispute has also raised concerns about its potential implications for the local economies of Pohang and Gwangyang, where the company operates major facilities.
However, the relatively narrow 311-vote margin suggests the two sides could still find common ground in renewed negotiations.
"Our company will continue our good-faith dialogue, carefully considering both business conditions and employees' concerns as we work toward an amicable agreement based on labor-management cooperation,” a company official said.