The U.S. budget deficit for February was nearly flat with a year earlier at $308 billion as growth in receipts and outlays was largely even, with receipts from President Donald Trump’s tariffs not yet reflecting the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling against many of his duties last month.

Iran said the world should be ready for oil at US$200 a barrel as its forces hit merchant ships on Wednesday and the International Energy Agency recommended a massive release of strategic reserves to dampen one of the worst oil shocks since the 1970s.

Goldman Sachs raised its Brent and WTI crude oil price forecasts for the fourth quarter of 2026 to $71/67 per barrel from $66/62 as it sees longer disruption to oil flows in the Strait of Hormuz due to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Oil prices jumped on Thursday as Iran stepped up attacks on oil and transport facilities across the Middle East, raising fears of a prolonged conflict and oil-flow disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz.

Malaysia's natural rubber (NR) production decreased by 0.4 per cent in January 2026 to 28,579 tonnes, compared with 28,684 tonnes in December 2025, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

Japan's economy grew faster than initially estimated in the October-December period from the previous quarter, revised gross domestic product (GDP) data showed on Tuesday.