TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Wednesday, extending gains after an industry group reported a much bigger than expected drop in U.S. inventories, while the U.S. Navy said it may have downed a second Iranian drone last week.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Expectations that the European Central Bank and Federal Reserve will cut interest rates boosted stocks globally, while the pound sagged on worries that likely new prime minister Boris Johnson would lead Britain into a no-deal exit from the European Union.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices edged higher on Tuesday amid lingering concerns about possible supply disruptions in the Middle East, but an overall weaker demand outlook kept a lid on gains, helped by a vow by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to take swift action to keep global oil markets adequately supplied.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices inched lower on Tuesday as the International Energy Agency (IEA) said it would act quickly if needed to keep the market supplied amid tensions in the Middle East and traders eyed a weaker demand outlook.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The dollar held recent gains on Monday as investors tempered some of their expectations for deep U.S. interest rate cuts this month and heightened Middle East tensions supported safe-haven assets.

While currency market focus will mostly centre on global central bank decisions scheduled for the next two weeks, investors are also watching for any developments in U.S.-China trade negotiations.

Markets generally expect central banks to either cut rates or keep policy accommodative, starting with the European Central Bank (ECB) which meets on Thursday followed by the Bank of Japan and the U.S. Federal Reserve next week.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asia stocks eased on Monday as investors reduced expectations of an aggressive interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve, while heightened Middle East tensions following an Iranian seizure of a British tanker lifted crude oil prices.