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Frigid weather forecasts for the central U.S. are poised to drive natural gas demand to unprecedented levels next week, echoing concerns reminiscent of the Winter Storm Elliott in December 2022. This anticipated surge is expected to exert upward pressure on power and gas prices, potentially reaching their highest levels since the tumultuous events of December 2022. [1]

In the early days of 2024, U.S. stock markets experienced a downturn. The absence of the traditional Santa Claus Rally raised concerns, and analysts attribute the market's fragility to uncertainties surrounding Federal Reserve policy and geopolitical tensions. While a correction after the strong 2023 rally is deemed normal, debates persist about the timing of the Fed's anticipated pivot.

The U.S. electric vehicle (EV) market, after experiencing robust growth, is encountering a slowdown, causing apprehension among automakers heavily invested in this transformative technology. In contrast to the U.S., EV sales in China and Europe are accelerating. Aggressive promotion, subsidies, and stringent emissions regulations in these regions have facilitated a more rapid transition to EVs.

The recent economic indicators from the Eurozone paint a bleak picture, as the downturn in business activity deepened in December, pushing the bloc's economy into a likely recession. The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), suggests that the Eurozone has experienced a decline in activity in every month of the current quarter, meeting the technical definition of a recession. ECB has adjusted its growth forecasts downward for 2023 and 2024, reflecting the grim economic reality. [1]

Investors were anxious with expectations ahead of monetary policy updates in December, mainly those of U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) and European Central Bank (ECB). As inflation rate has been dropping both in the U.S. and Europe, many expected interests rate cuts early and it has driven some commodities like gold upwards but as tension rose investors flinched and took profits which has set prices tumbling down from their peaks.