IIR's February 9 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
'Only Trump can stop the war': Ukraine's foreign minister calls for acceleration of peace talks		AI Summary: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha asserts that only President Trump can broker a final peace deal, requiring direct leadership meetings to resolve entrenched territorial and nuclear disputes. Seeking to capitalize on momentum before U.S. midterms, Kyiv demands robust American security guarantees and allied deterrence forces, while steadfastly refusing to legally recognize Russian sovereignty over any occupied land.	Reuters	Arctic Blast Brings Snow, Wind, Cold, Energy Risk East
Talks with US set to continue after 'good beginning', Iran's foreign minister says		AI Summary: Amidst U.S. military threats and Iran's brutal repression of domestic protests, officials concluded "useful" initial talks in Oman. However, a profound strategic disconnect remains: Iran seeks narrow nuclear-focused sanctions relief to stabilize its fragile regime, while Washington demands broader concessions on missiles and proxies, leaving de-escalation uncertain against a backdrop of deep mutual mistrust.	BBC	Coming Soon to a Military Base Near You: Microgrids
Oil stable as Iran concerns ease, Russian flow to India slows		Oil prices were stable on Monday after the U.S. and Iran pledged to continue indirect talks, easing oil supply fears, but India stepping away from Russian purchases gave prices a floor and global stock markets rallied. Last week Brent and WTI fell more than 3% and 2% respectively, their first decline in seven weeks, as Iran tensions eased amid a broader market selloff led by equities, which often move in tandem with oil prices.	Reuters	U.S. Aims to Capitalize on Offshore Barrels
Japan's Nikkei 225 crosses 57,000 for the first time as Takaichi secures historic mandate Gold bounces back on softer dollar, U.S.-Iran concerns; silver rebounds		AI Summary: Japanese stocks hit record highs as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's landslide victory fueled the "Takaichi trade"--bets on aggressive fiscal spending and loose monetary policy. The Nikkei 225 jumped nearly 4%, leading a regional rally. Takaichi's supermajority signals renewed political stability and economic expansion, earning strong endorsements from U.S. President Trump. AI Summary: Gold rebounded Friday, driven by bargain hunting and a weaker dollar, positioning the metal for a weekly gain despite volatility. While initial U.S.-Iran talks offered some relief, analysts warn gold lacks momentum without a major geopolitical trigger. Meanwhile, silver surged 8.6% from lows but faces a "bust phase" following speculative excesses.	CNBC	Phillips 66 Announces 2026 Growth Capital Budget of $1.3 Billion Rio Tinto and Glencore Walk Away from Merger Talks
Natural Gas News: Futures Face Resistance with Mild Weather and Rising Rigs		AI Summary: Natural gas futures settled lower as traders prioritized warming forecasts and rising production over a record storage withdrawal. Despite a massive 360 Bcf drawdown, prices fell 2.5% as active rig counts hit a 2.5-year high. With demand fading through late February and technicals signaling resistance, the market outlook remains distinctly bearish.	FX Empire	U.S. Gas Sector Holding Up
Trump's South America threats fizzle as China's trade surges, powered by Peru port		AI Summary: China's trade with South America is surging following the opening of Peru's Chancay port, a strategic Belt and Road victory securing vital minerals. Despite U.S. counter-measures under Trump's "Donroe" doctrine--including interventions in Venezuela and Panama--Beijing's imports from Peru and Chile hit record highs, cementing supply chains by slashing shipping times and logistics costs.	The Star	U.S. Government Facing Pushback Over Coal Support
Europe's Carbon Tax Is Rewriting the Economics of Indian Steel		AI Summary: The EU's new carbon border tax is forcing Indian steelmakers--who export 60% of their output to Europe--to accelerate decarbonization to protect profit margins. With government support and private investments like Tata Steel's $1.2 billion green technology initiative, the industry is transitioning from coal-heavy methods toward cleaner production to remain competitive in its largest market.	OilPrice	India Classifies Coking Coal as Critical and Strategic Mineral
Week 02/02/26 - 02/09/26		It seems in this moment that the talks between Ukraine and Russia, U.S. and Iran (with other national parties present) have somewhat calmed the geopolitical waters, although there are not yet any resolutions for Eastern Europe or the Middle East. In fact, there might not be any for months to come. Economic and commodity markets continue to struggle in this time of volatility and uncertainty--when it seems at any moment the proverbial rug could be pulled out. Some of this was witnessed last week in the U.S. markets with the perceived threat of AI-driven disruption on modern productivity and services. Nobody truly knows what lies in store other than something unexpected will pop up.
*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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