IIR's April 14 Market Scorecard Brings You Breaking Geopolitical News

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (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
Israel says it will expand its offensive across most of Gaza		Israel's defence minister has announced its military will soon "vigorously" expand its offensive throughout most of Gaza. Israel Katz also said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had completed the takeover of a "security zone" in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, separating the cities of Rafah and Khan Younis. Israel's military also issued evacuation orders for Khan Younis and its surrounding areas, saying it was preparing to carry out strikes in response to the launch of projectiles from Gaza, which Hamas has claimed responsibility for.	BBC	'Significant' Market Volatility Expected Amid Tariff Concerns
US envoy Witkoff proposes giving Russia 'ownership' of Ukrainian regions, Reuters reports		U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has told President Donald Trump that giving Moscow "ownership" of four occupied Ukrainian regions would be the fastest way to achieve a ceasefire, Reuters reported on April 11, citing two unnamed U.S. officials and five other undisclosed sources. Russia has launched 70 missiles, 2,200 Shahed-type drones, and 6,000 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine since Kyiv and Washington agreed on a temporary truce on March 11, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on April 11.	The Kyiv Independent	U.S. Rig Count, European LNG Imports: Your Daily Energy News
Oil rises on tariff exemptions and rebound in Chinese imports		Oil prices rose more than 1% on Monday after U.S. exclusions on some tariffs and Chinese data showing a sharp rebound in crude imports in March, but gains were capped by concerns that the trade war between the United States and China could weaken global economic growth and dent fuel demand. Late on Friday U.S. President Donald Trump's administration granted exclusions from steep tariffs on smartphones, computers and some other electronic goods imported largely from China. It was the latest in a series of policy announcements that imposed tariffs and then walked them back, spurring uncertainty for investors and businesses.	Reuters	U.S. Petroleum Refiners Gear Up for Second-Quarter Maintenance
Hong Kong shares rise over 2% to lead gains in Asia after Trump pauses tariffs on consumer electronics		Asia-Pacific markets climbed Monday as U.S. President Donald Trump paused tariffs on some consumer electronics, boosting risk sentiment. Several countries in the region are also preparing for trade negotiations with the U.S. this week. Trump is engaging in negotiations with countries including Vietnam, India, South Korea and Japan, and is prioritizing existing trading partners that are strategic to countering China, according to two people close to the White House, reports from Politico show. Bloomberg: Today's market action looks good for tech stocks, but not so good for the dollar (again). Treasury yields may have peaked because foreign demand remains robust, according to the global head of fixed income at JPMorgan Asset Management. And Goldman analysts predict gold will continue its record rally to $4,000 an ounce by the middle of next year.	CNBC	IIR Energy: New Power Plant Capacity Commissioned in Q1 2025
Natural Gas News: Bearish Forecast Builds as Inventory Rises and Weather Cools Demand		Two consecutive storage injections of +29 Bcf and +57 Bcf raise bearish concerns as demand lags supply. Natural gas futures slipped as mild April weather and steady supply offset brief demand support from cold snaps. LNG export flows rose over 15% to 16.6 Bcf/day, but still weren't enough to lift bearish market sentiment.	FX Empire	U.S. Gas Production Dips, but LNG Exports Remain Elevated
Trump's showdown with China deepens, with huge stakes for the economy		President Donald Trump is heading into another volatile week of his trade wars facing an urgent need to de-escalate the clash he ignited with China before it inflicts deep damage on the US economy. Chinese President Xi Jinping is so far declining US pressure to call his American counterpart to seek a "deal" after the United States imposed 145% tariffs on its superpower rival, setting off a long-feared direct confrontation. As it has several times, the administration is insisting that its sudden moves and inconsistent messaging were part of the plan all along. The administration insists its strategy is working, arguing that scores of countries included in the now-paused reciprocal tariffs have rushed to offer stunning deals to Trump to escape American pressure. The White House is now applying similar logic to China, betting that the might of the US economy will force Xi to offer concessions	CNN	U.S.-Chinese Trade Spat Roils Markets
Oil Outlook Takes a Beating from Trade War Jitters		Oil prices have dropped sharply amid escalating U.S.-China tariff tensions. China has drastically cut U.S. crude imports, and high tariffs have rendered U.S. oil uneconomical for Chinese refiners. Fears of a global recession are weighing heavily on market sentiment and are dampening oil demand outlooks. If both sides in a tariff spat are willing to end the spat with a deal, then this greatly improves the chances of such a deal being done. If such a deal is indeed done, fears of a global recession and market crashes should dissipate-and so should any major worries about oil demand. If it takes nothing less than a global recession to stem growth in oil demand, then it's safe to say that demand is quite solid.	OilPrice	Brazil Foresees Solar, Wind Expansion of 28.6 GW by 2034
Week 04/07/25 - 04/14/25		Whipsaw... Whiplash... Tariffs on again/off again. No wait they are "paused." Trade war continues to escalate with China. Most experts are just tired and frustrated with the chaos out of the White House. What's it all mean? What's the endgame? Can there be some market stability? These and more questions are for the U.S. administration as negotiations are set to take place with Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries. And, it's not just a trade war unfolding between the U.S and China; but escalations are once again occurring in the Middle East as well as Eastern Europe - when ceasefires once appeared imminent. Mr. Oil Market is trying to sort out fact and fiction, rumors to fundamentals - and for the moment is recovering from its steep sell-off - but the only thing certain is more uncertainty lies ahead.
*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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