U.S. total new vehicle sales are expected to rise 2.5% to 1.25 million units on an adjusted basis for the month of June, J.D. Power and GlobalData said in a joint report on Wednesday.

Oil prices inched higher, extending gains from the previous day as a larger-than-expected draw in US crude stocks signalled firm demand, while investors remained cautious about the Iran-Israel ceasefire and stability in the Middle East.

This month, the natural rubber prices exhibited notable fluctuations, primarily driven by increased tapping activities attributed to favourable weather conditions. However, there are significant concerns regarding diminished demand from the tyre industry, compounded by uncertainties related to trade tariffs.

Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr said on Tuesday that higher import levies will likely put upward pressure on prices that may not be temporary, suggesting he is not rushing to cut interest rates.

Britain’s labour market is showing further slowdown signs, according to surveys published on Wednesday which pointed to below-inflation pay growth and a fall in job vacancies, especially for graduate-level jobs.

A leading indicator of Japan’s service-sector inflation hit 3.3% in May, data showed on Wednesday, keeping alive expectations of further interest rate hikes by the central bank.