Oil prices declined Thursday as Iran and Oman reported progress on talks regarding a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, with investors watching for signs of a broader U.S.-Iran peace deal. Brent crude fell 0.42% to $79.12 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate dropped 0.56% to $74.80 per barrel.
6 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices declined Thursday as Iran and Oman reported progress on talks regarding a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz, with investors watching for signs of a broader U.S.-Iran peace deal. Brent crude fell 0.42% to $79.12 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate dropped 0.56% to $74.80 per barrel.
6 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices rebounded 1% on Tuesday after a steep plunge, driven by concerns that Middle East supply remains at risk as diplomatic resolution to the U.S.-Iran war seems unlikely. Brent futures rose to $84.89 a barrel and WTI crude to $81.11, though Iran's Foreign Ministry rejected Trump's claims of ongoing negotiations to end the conflict over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a channel for about a fifth of global crude oil and natural gas shipments before the conflict.
4 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices rose more than $3 a barrel on Wednesday after joint strikes in Iraq by the United States and Saudi Arabia and the interception of Iran's ballistic missiles aimed at U.S. forces in the Middle East. Brent futures increased 3.9% to $87.39 a barrel, while U.S. WTI crude rose 3.8% to $82.31 a barrel.
29 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices tumbled 4% on Monday after the U.S. and Iran paused strikes over the weekend following two weeks of attacks, raising hopes for diplomatic de-escalation and resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude fell to $92.82 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate to $85.29, both at their lowest levels in nearly a week.
27 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Brent oil prices rose 2% to above $90 per barrel as escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities in the Middle East restricted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict saw the U.S. conduct a ninth straight night of attacks against Iran over the weekend, while Kuwait and Bahrain reported additional Iranian strikes.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices dipped on Thursday after initially rising, as traders took profits and evaluated risks from fresh U.S. strikes on Iranian military installations and threats of further supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude fell 0.28% to $84.95 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate dropped 0.19% to $79.45, though both remained near one-month highs as geopolitical tensions persisted.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate rose slightly on Friday before a long U.S. holiday weekend, as wary optimism held over peace efforts between the United States and Iran in the Middle East. Shipping has partially resumed through the Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf producers are ramping up production following an initial deal between the two countries.
3 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Employment in restaurants, bars and hotels in the US fell by 61,000 jobs in June, disappointing analysts who expected the World Cup tournament (hosted jointly by the US, Canada and Mexico) to boost leisure and hospitality hiring. Overall US employment rose by only 57,000 in June, lower than expected, while the unemployment rate dipped to 4.2%.
2 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices climbed following days of tit-for-tat US-Iran strikes that disrupted energy shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with Brent crude rising 0.8% to $72.57 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate up 1.3% to $70.11. Though Iran and the U.S. agreed to halt hostilities and renew talks, analysts warn significant upside risk remains if the supply recovery from the Persian Gulf proves slow.
29 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Brent crude futures closed at $73.74 a barrel on Wednesday, down 4.3%, after oil tankers resumed exiting the Strait of Hormuz with military escorts. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said around 20 million barrels exited the strait in the last 24 hours and that flows are now similar to pre-conflict levels, though Iranian mines had delayed normal navigation.
25 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices fell more than 1% on Wednesday, extending weekly losses and trading near four-month lows, as signs emerged that stranded tankers in the Gulf are set to move through the Strait of Hormuz. Prices also came under pressure from Washington's 60-day sanctions waiver allowing Iran to sell oil and easing hostilities in Lebanon.
24 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices declined on Tuesday, with Brent crude falling 0.3% to $77.70 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate dropping 0.2% to $73.74 a barrel, as investors tracked crude flows through the Strait of Hormuz following U.S.-Iran peace talks and a U.S. sanctions waiver on Iran.
23 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices declined on Monday following the conclusion of US-Iran talks in Switzerland, where Tehran said it had secured waivers for oil and petrochemical exports. Brent crude fell 1.90% to $79.04 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude futures dropped to $76.53 a barrel.
22 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Brent crude fell $1.83 (2%) to $88.55 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate dropped $1.60 (1.8%) to $86.11 after U.S. President Donald Trump called off planned strikes on Iran on Thursday, citing progress in discussions that could lead to a peace deal reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping as soon as this weekend.
12 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices jumped as Tehran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed following fresh U.S. strikes against Iran, with President Trump threatening further attacks. Brent futures rose 1.59% to $94.58 a barrel and U.S. crude climbed 1.90% to $91.74.
11 June 2026 · Joy Online →
Oil prices climbed Wednesday after the U.S. military struck Iranian targets in response to the downing of a U.S. Apache attack helicopter, and as U.S. crude stockpiles posted another large draw. Brent futures rose 0.7% to $92.11 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed 0.7% to $88.80.
10 June 2026 · Joy Online →
The government plans to raise about US$1 billion through cedi-denominated domestic bonds to finance cocoa purchases ahead of the 2026/2027 cocoa season, marking a shift away from offshore syndicated loans. The strategy aims to reduce dependence on foreign lenders and dollar borrowing, though success will depend on local investor appetite despite COCOBOD's GH¢32 billion debt burden and past payment delays.
20 May 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
Africa's fragmented cross-border payment systems are slow and costly compared to global averages, spurring interest in stablecoins as settlement infrastructure. The strategic question is whether African banks will institutionalize stablecoins within regulated frameworks or whether the infrastructure will continue to develop outside formal banking channels.
4 May 2026 · Joy Online →
The Cocoa Marketing Company (Ghana) Limited argues that the World Bank's April 2026 forecast of a 50% cocoa price drop is misleading because prices have already fallen 73% from December 2024 highs to around US$3,000–$3,400 per tonne; the Bank's projected US$3,800 average is actually above current spot prices, indicating stabilization rather than further collapse.
30 April 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
Brent oil prices rose as much as 7% on Thursday following reports that the U.S. is considering potential military action against Iran to break a deadlock in nuclear negotiations, raising concerns about further disruptions to Middle East energy exports. The June Brent contract rose $6.81 to $124.84 a barrel, with both Brent and WTI benchmarks on track for their fourth consecutive month of gains.
30 April 2026 · Joy Online →