Ireland AIB Services PMI declined to 51.8 in February from previous 54.5

Mar 4, 2026

WTI jumps to near $74.50 on Middle East conflict, Strait of Hormuz closure threatens oil supply

West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the US crude oil benchmark, is trading around $74.50 during the early Asian trading hours on Wednesday. The WTI jumps to its highest since June 2025 as a widening conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran severely disrupts global energy supplies.

PBOC sets USD/CNY reference rate at 6.9124 vs. 6.9088 previous

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) sets the USD/CNY central rate for the trading session ahead on Wednesday at 6.9124 compared to the previous day's fix of 6.9088.