IIR's August 18 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
Huge crowds gather in Israel calling for hostage deal and end to Gaza war		Hundreds of thousands of people have gathered in Israel to call for an end to the Gaza war and a deal to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. A one-day national strike - part of wider protests - closed roads, offices and universities in some areas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the protests, saying they would "harden Hamas's stance" and would only slow down the release of the hostages.	BBC	U.S. Rig Count, Aramco-Global Infrastructure Partners Deal: Your Daily Energy News
Zelensky Brings Backup to the White House as Trump Aligns More Closely With Putin		European leaders are joining a trip to Washington to make sure the trans-Atlantic alliance remains intact. By most accounts, the European officials want to ensure that Mr. Trump has not pivoted too close to the Russian side, and does not try to strong-arm Mr. Zelensky into a deal that will ultimately sow the seeds of Ukraine's dissolution. And they want to safeguard against the risk of the United States, the linchpin of European security since NATO's creation in 1949, undermining that interest.	The New York Times	Hurricane Erin No Threat to U.S. Energy Sector
Oil prices edge higher on US adviser comments on India buying Russian crude		Oil prices edged up on Monday after White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said India's purchases of Russian crude were funding Moscow's war in Ukraine and had to stop. Traders were also watching for clues from a meeting later in the day between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as they attempt to reach a peace deal to end Europe's deadliest war in 80 years.	Reuters	EIA Sees WTI Dip to the High-$40 Range Next Year
European stocks move lower ahead of Trump-Ukraine crunch talks Asia-Pacific markets close mostly higher as investors await U.S.-Ukraine talks		European stocks lost some ground on Monday as traders looked ahead to a meeting between regional leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss Ukraine. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was lower in London, with most sectors and all major bourses in negative territory. Japanese markets rose, with the Nikkei 225 benchmark closing at an all-time high. Stocks in Taiwan and China hit a 10-month high. India stocks advanced on reports of lower taxed on small cars. South Korean stocks fell 1.5%. Singapore's non-oil domestic exports shrank 4.6% year-on-year in July, worse than the 1.8% contraction forecast in a Reuters poll.	CNBC	Glencore's Copper Output Dips, but Growth Projects on Horizon U.S. Energy Department to Pump Nearly $1 Billion into Critical Minerals
Natural Gas News: Rising Output and Weak Demand Keep Pressure on Bulls		U.S. natural gas futures ended last week at $2.916, down 2.47%, as traders sold into a bounce from a nine-month low. Despite technical support near $2.764 and a long-term floor at $2.574, the short-term bias remains bearish unless prices can reclaim key resistance levels. A shift in short-term weather patterns weigh on prices. Atmospheric G2 noted forecasts turned warmer in the West but cooler in the East for August 20-24, dampening the earlier bullish outlook based on widespread heat.	FX Empire	LNG Deliveries Could Create U.S. Supply Pressures
China's factory output, retail sales growth slump in blow to economy		China's factory output growth slumped to an eight-month low in July, while retail sales slowed sharply, raising pressure on policymakers to roll out more stimulus to revive domestic demand and ward off external shocks to the $19 trillion economy. The underwhelming indicators come as officials navigate pressure on multiple fronts ranging from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade policies to extreme weather, excessive competition in the domestic market, and chronic weakness in the property sector. China's 2025 GDP growth is forecast to cool to 4.6% - falling short of the official goal - from last year's 5.0% and ease even further to 4.2% in 2026.	Reuters	Taiwan's Round 3.3 Offshore Wind Auction Offers Pushed Back to Implement Changes
Global Nuclear Power Hits Record High as Asia Surges Ahead		The global nuclear landscape is diverging. Some countries are doubling down, driven by the twin imperatives of energy security and climate action, while others are walking away. The center of gravity is moving away from traditional Western producers toward nations prepared to back nuclear with long-term capital and policy support. For investors, the next wave of growth is likely to come from Asia and the Middle East, not the historical powerhouses of Europe and North America. That shift carries environmental upside as well-especially in China, the world's largest carbon emitter. Every gigawatt China moves from coal to nuclear represents a major win in the fight to reduce carbon emissions.	OilPrice	India Commits to Major Nuclear Power Expansion
Week 08/11/25 - 08/18/25		All eyes turn to the U.S. Capital as European leaders join Zelenskyy in "talks" about the "path(s)" ahead for the Ukraine-Russia war. It seems the U.S. stance could be pivoting - after the "Alaska Summit" - to align with Russia and "land for peace." This week should provide further enlightenment and maybe some clarity as to whether there could indeed be peace in Eastern Europe by year's end. Meanwhile, protests erupt in Israel seeking an end to the Israel-Gaza war and a return of the remaining hostages. These events leave Investors pondering "what" it all means for global markets and in which direction might economic and energy markets "go." If China is any indicator it appears a slump could be in order as more "data" indicates manufacturing, retail, consumers, and ... are all struggling with Trade, Tariff, and other headwinds. Regardless, the "talks" in Washington will drive energy commodity markets until the next "event" hits the airwaves...
*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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