Global crude oil futures plummeted more than 8% on Wednesday to their lowest settlements since late August after Democrats captured both chambers of the US Congress, sparking aggressive bets on a negotiated end to the Iran war.
Global crude oil futures slipped to multi-week lows on Tuesday as scheduled Russia–Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi and ongoing US–Iran mediation outweighed US airstrikes on Iran's Qeshm Island and a Russian refinery fire.
Global east–west container rates diverged in the week to 30 October 2026, as European hub congestion and strike backlogs extended Asia–Europe gains whilst Transpacific benchmarks held near peak plateaus despite cooling post-season demand.