
AI-generated summary
The conflict began with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28, with Trump expecting it to conclude soon after the November midterm elections.
Oil prices rose on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected a conditional Iranian peace proposal aimed at ending the Middle East conflict and reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
International benchmark Brent crude futures with November expiry traded 2.7% higher at $107.11 per barrel at 8:32 a.m. ET, paring gains after climbing as high as $108.83 earlier in the session. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with November expiry were last seen 3% higher at $95.20.
It comes shortly after Trump turned down Iran's conditional offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and told aides he expects U.S. strikes on the country to resume after November's midterm elections, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday, citing unnamed U.S. officials.
Trump later confirmed to reporters that he had rejected Tehran's latest proposal: "They made a proposal but I rejected it."
Separately, Yemen's Saudi-led coalition said on Saturday it had intercepted projectiles launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday offered to reopen the key shipping route and restart nuclear negotiations with Washington within seven days, if the Trump administration agreed to Tehran's conditions.
"If certain conditions are met, the Strait of Hormuz will be open at the end of seven days, and talks will be restarted," Araghchi told reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Those conditions include an end to what Tehran describes as U.S. "acts of aggression," the lifting of the naval blockade and economic warfare, and the release of Iranian assets, according to Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.
Trump said earlier this month that he expected the conflict, which began with U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28, to conclude soon after the midterm elections, with oil prices subsequently declining.
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
U.S. strikes on Iran may resume after November's midterm elections
Likely · Within months
Oil prices may decline if the Middle East conflict concludes after midterm elections
Possible · Within months

U.S. industrialists are reluctant to process Venezuelan gold over concerns about its links to corruption, organized crime and environmental damage, despite U.S. authorities allowing its import after the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro. Gold lies in warehouses untouched, although Minerven agreed to sell 650-1000 kg of Trafigura bars, and in March $100 million worth of gold was exported from Venezuela.

The article deals with several financial topics: new corporate bonds with yields of over four percent, a study on the financial feasibility of socializing apartments in Berlin, forecasts by the finance agency for record debts in 2027, warnings from a rating agency that expropriation plans could endanger the creditworthiness of companies, and concerns from investors in the German bond market.

According to insider information, Evonik rejected a takeover offer from BASF worth 22.15 euros per share because it was considered too low. The offer corresponds to a premium of around 28 percent on the share price before the speculation and values the company at around 14 billion euros including debt. BASF emphasizes that a takeover would strengthen its core businesses, while the RAG-Stiftung and unions express concerns about location and job security.
Russia has placed the Russian business of the German trading group Metro AG under receivership. The Russian management company Torg RUS temporarily manages 100 percent of Metro's assets in Russia. After the Russian attack on Ukraine, Metro remained in the country out of consideration for employees and customers and still operates 91 stores in Russia. The company did not comment directly on the decree, while its Russian subsidiary confirmed normal operations.

The Ryazan Region Export Support Center and the Russian Export Center organized meetings in the format of a contact exchange for regional exporters with potential buyers from Belarus, China, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Tajikistan as part of the International Business Days forum.

Bitcoin's August rally has cooled as the cryptocurrency trades near $83,000, down 1.8% in 24 hours, amid mixed technical signals and external pressures from Iran-related oil volatility and anticipated Federal Reserve rate hikes, despite bullish chart patterns and sustained institutional demand via spot ETFs.