The international news of the last 24 hours has been marked by intense geopolitical and economic activity, between the ongoing war in Ukraine, a notable evolution in the humanitarian situation in Gaza, unexpected monetary decisions, and heightened volatility in global markets.
Ukraine: new strikes and pressure on infrastructure
The war in Ukraine has seen a new escalation with Russian missile and drone strikes targeting several cities, including Kyiv. Residential buildings were hit and injuries were reported, while air alerts extended for several hours. In Kharkiv, some strikes affected essential infrastructures, in a context of extreme cold where temperatures dropped to as low as minus 20 degrees.
Ukrainian authorities nevertheless indicated that no direct targeted strike against energy infrastructure had been recorded in the last 24 hours, despite the ongoing fighting along the front line. Diplomatic discussions around the conflict are expected to resume soon.
Gaza: very limited reopening of the Rafah crossing
In the Gaza Strip, the Rafah border crossing reopened in a partial and tightly controlled manner after a long period of closure. This reopening allowed the exit of an extremely limited number of people, mainly the wounded and the sick requiring urgent medical care.
According to available estimates, more than 20,000 people remain waiting for medical evacuation. This development comes in a context of a fragile ceasefire between the Israeli occupation forces and the Hamas resistance movement, as the humanitarian situation remains critical and the massive destruction is described as genocide by many organizations and observers.
US–India trade deal: immediate market reactions
Economically, a trade agreement between Washington and New Delhi has sparked strong reactions in Asian markets. American tariffs on several Indian products were reportedly reduced from 50% to 18%, in exchange for Indian commitments notably on energy and market openness.
This announcement had an immediate effect on the Indian currency and on local financial markets, with expectations of a rise at the opening of stock exchanges.
Central banks: surprise in Australia
A notable monetary decision of the period, the Australian central bank raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 3.85%, the first increase in nearly two years. This decision strengthened the Australian currency, which crossed the 0.70 US dollar mark.
This announcement rekindles speculation about a new global tightening cycle, while European and British central banks are expected, according to current expectations, to maintain a more cautious approach.
Commodity markets: strong volatility
Commodity markets experienced a volatile day. Gold fell by about 5%, while silver and copper also declined sharply. Oil shed more than 4% in a session, in a context of investor disengagement and a reassessment of expectations tied to the U.S. monetary policy.
This volatility reflects a climate of persistent uncertainty on global markets, reinforced by the strength of the dollar.
Currencies and cryptocurrencies: the dollar holds firm
The U.S. dollar remained strong against major currencies, supported by indicators deemed robust in the United States. The dollar index hovered around 97.5 points.
In the realm of cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin traded around 78,200 dollars, while Ether stood around 2,300 dollars, in a market still highly sensitive to macroeconomic announcements.
Geopolitical tensions: Greenland and Europe’s defense
Geopolitically, new tensions emerged around Greenland, whose authorities warned against persistent ambitions of political control of the island. This situation rekindles concerns within the Atlantic Alliance.
In Europe, the debate on common defense has also intensified, with some officials arguing that a pan-European army could be dangerous in the absence of a clear chain of command, while others emphasize the colossal budgetary cost of such an option.
France: final adoption of the 2026 budget
In France, political and economic news was marked by the final adoption of the State budget for 2026, after the rejection of several motions of censure in the National Assembly. A vote that ends weeks of parliamentary tensions and opens the way to the implementation of the new budget framework.
