IIR's August 25 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 must take hostage deal, its military chief reportedly says		Israel's Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff has said there is a "deal on the table" for the remaining hostages in Gaza, according to Israeli media. Lt Gen Eyal Zamir reportedly said the Israeli military had brought about the conditions for a deal, and it is now in Prime Minister Benjamin "Netanyahu's hands," Channel 13 News reports. On Tuesday, Israel's security cabinet is expected to discuss the latest proposal advanced by regional mediators, which Hamas accepted a week ago.	BBC	Lake Charles LNG, Yellowhead Pipeline, EDF: Your Daily Energy News
What's Next for Ukraine After All That Diplomacy?		The summits ended with no peace deal or cease-fire. Despite optimistic statements, they also did not appear to generate much momentum toward a resolution of the war - and major sticking points remain. There seems to be little immediate prospect of a summit between Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelensky, even though the Ukrainian president has repeatedly said he would be ready for one, calling it the only way to negotiate an end to the war. Mr. Putin has demanded that Ukraine cede all of the Donbas region, which is made up of Luhansk and Donetsk, in the east of the country.	The New York Times	Cenovus Snatches Up MEG Energy to Create New Oil Sands Titan
Oil prices rise as traders weigh supply risks		Oil prices climbed on Monday as traders weighed concerns that Russian supply could be disrupted by more U.S. sanctions and Ukrainian attacks targeting energy infrastructure in Russia. "The market is somewhat concerned that these peace negotiations are going nowhere," said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.	Reuters	Venezuelan Crude Destined for U.S. Shores
China, Hong Kong stocks climb, leading gains in Asia Trump says government will make deals like Intel stake 'all day long'		Asia markets climbed Monday, led by China and Hong Kong stocks, after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled that the central bank could begin easing monetary policy next month in his widely anticipated annual speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. "A popular view is that maturing time deposits could shift into equities and sustain the momentum, given deposit rates have declined notably," analysts at Goldman Sachs wrote in a Sunday note. "Some also see potential inflows if Fed rate cuts trigger capital rotation from the US to China, and note bond-to-equity rotation as a key driver of recent equity market gains." The government's stake in Intel is part of a broader strategy to create a sovereign wealth fund that could include more companies, White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett said Monday. "I'm sure that at some point there'll be more transactions, if not in this industry then other industries," he said in a CNBC interview.	CNBC	Metals and Minerals in Brazil: Challenges and Opportunities Utilities Make Plans to Accommodate Growing Data Center Loads
Natural Gas News: Bearish Forecast Builds as Market Eyes Breakdown Below $2.574		Natural gas futures fell 7.48% to $2.698, breaking below key support as bearish pressure mounts from weather and supply.. the path of least resistance points to a test of $2.574. Any bounce is likely to be short-covering and capped below $3.198 unless fundamentals shift decisively. Until then, traders should expect further weakness and continue to sell rallies. Forecasts show cooler U.S. temperatures into early September, likely capping power demand and reducing gas consumption. Despite a bullish +13 Bcf storage miss, inventories remain 5.8% above the five-year average, limiting price support.	FX Empire	Natural Gas: From 'Bridge Fuel' to 'Backup' to 'Backbone'
Can the new India-China bonhomie reshape trade and hurt the US in Asia?		Trump's tariffs and shifting geopolitical winds have pulled India and China closer. That could undercut the US-led Quad and lead to the emergence of new Asian trade blocs, say analysts. Modi formally accepted an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin - a regional grouping led by China and Russia that many analysts view as aimed at countering US influence in Asia - scheduled for late this month. It will be Modi's first visit to China in more than seven years. While there are no visible signs that Trump is seeking to isolate China, Hashmi said the White House "is certainly trying to isolate a key strategic partner, India."	Aljazeera	California Lawmakers Seek to Extend Emissions Cap-and-Trade Program
Downed Ukrainian Drone Sparks Fire at Russian Nuclear Facility		A Ukrainian drone downed by Russian air defenses exploded near the Kursk Nuclear Power Plant, igniting a fire on an auxiliary transformer and forcing reactor unit three to halve its output. The fire was quickly extinguished, no injuries were reported, and authorities confirmed radiation levels remained within normal limits. The incident came amid a surge in Ukrainian drone strikes inside Russia, which also disrupted flights in St. Petersburg and targeted areas near Moscow.	OilPrice	The Green Hydrogen Bubble - A Pop Heard Around the World
Week 08/18/25 - 08/25/25		From Summits to a Peace Deal for Eastern Europe...Right?...Well not exactly, as it seems peace between Ukraine and Russia is a long way off as many "sticking points" remain; however, there is a Peace Deal on the proverbial table in the Middle East between Israel and Gaza. The question is: will Israel take the Deal? Time will but tell; meanwhile, Mr. Oil Market is on the rise again amid "Russian sanctions" (are back in play) as well as continued Ukraine "attacks" against Russian energy - refineries, pipelines...Also, the Economic markets are climbing thanks to Powell's speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he indicated the likelihood is increasing that rates will be lowered in September. So some collective sighs of relief for these commodity markets; however, nothing is "finalized" until the signatory ink dries on the paper and maybe not even then...
*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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