IIR's January 5 Market Scorecard Brings You Breaking Geopolitical News

Researched by IIR News (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
Deadly Russia Drone Strike Hits Kyiv Hospital, Zelensky Says		AI Summary: A deadly Russian drone strike hit a Kyiv hospital amid a barrage of 165 drones, complicating precarious U.S.-brokered peace talks. While President Trump dismissed Kremlin accusations of a Ukrainian attack on Putin's residence, deep rifts persist over territory and security guarantees, with Russia vowing to continue its offensive until full control of the Donbas is achieved.	Newsweek	Record U.S. LNG Exports, Serbia Refinery Resume Operations: Your Daily Energy News
Iran protests enter ninth day as Trump renews intervention threat		AI Summary: Sparked by a collapsing currency, Iran's most widespread unrest since 2022 has engulfed 26 provinces, leaving at least 20 dead. While Tehran blames foreign "incitement," the crackdown has drawn a severe warning from President Trump of potential U.S. intervention, dangerously heightening tensions just months after a direct war with Israel.	BBC	Trump: Big Plans for U.S. Oil Companies After Venezuela Strike
Oil up 1% as market assesses Venezuela upheaval		Oil held broadly steady on Monday as traders shrugged off any possible impact on oil flows from the U.S. capture of President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela, home of the biggest global oil reserves. Trump also raised the possibility of further U.S. interventions, suggesting Colombia and Mexico could face military action if they did not reduce the flow of illicit drugs. Elsewhere, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies decided to maintain their output on Sunday.	Reuters	U.S. Refineries Prepare for Maintenance Ahead of a Busy 2026
European stocks trade higher as traders track Venezuela developments Defense stocks drive Asia markets to record highs after U.S. captures Venezuela's Maduro		AI Summary: European stocks and defense shares rallied Monday as global markets digested the U.S. overthrow of Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro. While oil prices saw modest gains amid supply uncertainty, the pan-European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.3%, led by surging defense stocks like Hensoldt and Rheinmetall reacting to the geopolitical shock. AI Summary: Asia-Pacific markets rallied Monday, led by record highs in South Korea and surging defense stocks, following the U.S. capture of Venezuela's president. Despite heightened geopolitical tensions involving the oil-rich nation, crude prices edged lower while gold jumped over 2%.	CNBC	Google Acquires Intersect Power Specializing in Large Solar Plants, BESS NiSource Capex Plan Soars 45%, Driven Largely by Planned Data Centers
Natural Gas News: 10-15 Day Weather Forecast to Drive Market This Week		AI Summary: Natural gas futures plunged nearly 7% last week amid extreme volatility driven by conflicting storage data and erratic weather forecasts. While a mid-week inventory report unexpectedly flipped the market back to surplus, prices are finding a critical floor from record-breaking U.S. LNG exports, which surged past 111 million metric tons in 2025.	FX Empire	Developers Challenge Revolution Wind Suspension
The text of Trump's October deal with Xi Jinping is still MIA		AI Summary: Two months after Trump's "amazing" October meeting with Xi, no formal deal exists, leaving commitments "fuzzy". Although China paused rare-earth restrictions and bought U.S. soybeans while Washington approved Nvidia chip sales, the lack of written terms risks future conflict. Experts warn this ambiguity leaves global supply chains vulnerable to renewed economic chaos in 2026.	Politico	Peru's Metallic Mining Exports through September reached US 42 Bn
EU's Carbon Border Tax Goes Live and Trade Partners Are Not Amused		AI Summary: The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has officially launched, imposing tariffs on carbon-intensive imports like steel and cement to prevent "carbon leakage." While aimed at leveling the playing field for greener EU industries, the move has sparked significant backlash from trade partners like India and Brazil, who view it as protectionist and harmful to developing economies.	OilPrice	Urenco USA Produces First Domestic Enriched Uranium Supply
Week 12/29/25 - 01/05/26		There have definitely been multiple fireworks to ring in this New Year. The U.S. led a mission into Venezuela to capture Maduro, while the U.K. and France launched targeted attacks against ISIS in Syria. Not to mention, protests are expanding in Iran; also, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are at odds in Yemen -- all of which could further threaten the fragile stability of the Middle East region. And it does not appear brokered peace is on the horizon in Eastern Europe in regard to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Looking further east to Asia, there still is not a formal deal between the U.S. and China to resolve their trade war, which could make supply chains vulnerable. Meanwhile, the EU launched its CBAM, which is antagonizing trade partners. This Year of the Horse appears to be a volatile, bucking bronco for these economic and commodity markets. Hold on tightly, as all signs point to a wild ride here in 2026.
*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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