IIR's February 2 Market Scorecard Brings You Breaking Geopolitical News

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Researched by IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)--Stay current with the latest geopolitical events, and more importantly, instantly connect to how these events may impact you and your business strategies.

Event	MarCon*	IIR Comment	Outlet	IIR News
Trilateral Ukraine talks to resume in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday		AI Summary: With a critical second round of trilateral peace talks set for Abu Dhabi, Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. seek a durable end to the nearly four-year war. While a fragile energy ceasefire holds during extreme winter conditions, deep territorial disagreements persist, complicating President Trump's "peacemaker" agenda and the push for a swift resolution.	Aljazeera	U.S.' Rising Share of Europe's LNG, Golden Pass LNG, PJM Power Demand: Your Daily Energy News
Iran's supreme leader warns of regional war if US attacks		AI Summary: Ayatollah Khamenei warned that a U.S. attack would spark a regional war, dismissing Washington's military buildup. Yet, amidst threats and a lethal crackdown on dissent, diplomatic signals persist: both Iranian and U.S. officials acknowledge indirect talks are progressing, attempting to forge a nuclear deal while navigating a volatile standoff.	BBC	U.S. Treasury Eases Sanctions on Venezuela
Oil falls 5% on US-Iran de-escalation		Oil prices fell 5% on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was "seriously talking" with Washington, signalling a de-escalation of tensions with an OPEC member, while a stronger dollar also weighed on prices. Brent and WTI fell after posting their biggest monthly increase since 2022 in January, as risks of a military strike on Iran receded after Trump's weekend comments. Brent gained 16% in January, while WTI rose by 13%.	Reuters	Retail Gasoline Proves Volatile Post-Fern
European stocks climb as sell-off in precious metals eases South Korea stocks fall more than 5%, triggering temporary halt in trading		AI Summary: European markets demonstrated remarkable resilience Monday, rebounding from early losses even as precious metals and tech stocks faltered. While gold and silver extended historic declines and Bitcoin signaled a broader risk-off mood, European indices managed to decouple from the volatility that weighed on Asian markets and Nvidia's stalled AI ambitions. AI Summary: South Korean markets crashed over 5%, triggering trading halts and leading widespread Asian declines as tech giants faltered. Despite China's manufacturing activity ticking up, global risk-off sentiment intensified: gold plunged another 6%, silver collapsed 12%, and Bitcoin sank below $80,000, signaling deepened investor caution ahead of a volatile U.S. open.	CNBC	What Does Mercosur-EU Trade Agreement Mean for South America Trying Again: Carlyle Group in Talks to Buy Lukoil International Assets
Natural Gas News: EIA Report & 10-15 Day Forecast Decide Market This Week		AI Summary: Natural gas futures surged over 20% as an Arctic blast exposed critical grid vulnerabilities, freezing 15% of U.S. production just as demand peaked. This structural stress test, exacerbated by robust LNG exports, is depleting storage buffers rapidly. While bulls control the near-term technicals, the market remains fragile and heavily dependent on shifting weather forecasts.	FX Empire	Big Slump Expected in North Sea Oil & Gas Investment
World leaders flock to Beijing, hedging against U.S. disruptions		AI Summary: Amidst rising U.S. policy uncertainty, global leaders are pursuing "selective resets" with Beijing, prioritizing economic pragmatism over geopolitical alignment. This strategic hedging secures vital business deals without signaling a full pivot. Nations now tread a precarious line, balancing the allure of China's market against the risk of provoking tariffs from an increasingly volatile, protectionist Washington.	CNBC	Senators on Permitting Reform: Time to Put Away Swords
Saudi Arabia Quietly Rewrites Its $8 Trillion Megacity Plan		AI Summary: Falling oil revenues are forcing Saudi Arabia to recalibrate Vision 2030, prioritizing fiscal pragmatism over spectacle. While the energy-strategic NEOM Green Hydrogen project nears completion, ambitious ventures like The Line face severe downsizing and the Mukaab is suspended. However, culturally vital projects like Diriyah remain secure, shifting focus toward achievable economic returns.	OilPrice	Dow Announces Major Restructuring Plan
Week 01/26/26 - 02/02/26		Focus turns to talks in the Middle East this week as the U.S. and Iran--for the time being--de-escalate threats as they strive to talk things out; meanwhile, trilateral Ukraine talks are picking back up in Abu Dhabi, although it remains highly unlikely that an agreement will be reached between Russia and Ukraine to bring the four-year war in Eastern Europe to an end. Global commodity and economic markets are dealing with quite a bit of volatility as a sell-off in sectors like tech and precious metals continue. This market calamity is unfolding as world leaders speak with China about economic and business deals, with the U.S. no longer viewed as a rational ally that can be trusted. One shall see if the talks bear fruit and bring settlements to hostilities as well as markets, but for the most part it likely remains wishful thinking.
*MarCon (Market Condition 1-5, with 5 being the highest impact) indicates directional bias or price effect for the relevant commodity (Oil, Natural Gas, Chemicals, etc.) and is graded by our team of experts here at IIR.

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IIR News is a trusted source of news for the industrial process and energy markets, powered by Industrial Info Resource's Global Market Intelligence (GMI).

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).

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