European natural-gas prices were at their highest level of the year, boosted by growing geopolitical risks and higher demand, with market concerns driven by Russia’s increased attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Oil prices gained more than 1% in early European trade as growing concerns over escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine offset an unexpected rise in U.S. crude stockpiles.

Copper and aluminum were flat as ANZ Research said there were signs of improving fundamentals in the base metals market, including a faster pace of growth in Chinese retail sales.

The Turkish lira was slightly weaker as investors turned cautious ahead of the latest policy decision from Turkey’s central bank, due at 1100 GMT.

Spanish and French supply looks set to weigh on eurozone government bond markets but stabilization is likely post-issuance, Commerzbank Research said.

The Hang Seng closed down 0.5%, with tech companies leading the declines and as investors focused on earnings, with Baidu slated to report results later Thursday.

The Digital Currency Group founder is launching Yuma, a decentralized artificial-intelligence company.

U.S. crude oil inventories rose last week as an increase in imports offset a decline in production, while refineries ran at a lower rate than the week before.

Is Walmart a bellwether for other retailers or the Grinch that will steal Christmas from everyone else?

U.S. natural gas futures rose for a fourth straight session as the market braced for a turn in the weather and the start of the storage withdrawal season.

Expectations of higher inflation resulting from Trump’s policies are pushing the dollar higher, creating problems for Asia’s central banks.

In remote Quebec, mining giant Glencore is turning America’s electronic trash back into treasure.

Oil rose with crude on track to record gains for the third consecutive session on increasing geopolitical concerns and signs of increased demand, Exness said.

The WSJ Dollar Index was up 0.4% to 100.82 — snapping a three-trading-day losing streak.

Bund yields were higher in early European trading and Commerzbank Research said risk-off dynamics were fading, although the underlying safety bid in German bonds was likely to linger.

Gold settled 0.8% higher, up for a third consecutive session, and silver fell 0.8%, snapping a two-session winning streak.

U.S. stocks closed mixed before chip maker Nvidia released its quarterly results, beating expectations for sales and profit.

U.S. natural gas settled higher, testing the $3 level as prospects for heating demand pick up.

The vaccine skeptic may find it hard to enact earth-shattering changes to American healthcare.