Australia's remote Beetaloo basin is emerging as a focus of Asian energy-security planning. Current output is minimal; developers estimate technically recoverable gas of about 200 tcf, a scale comparable to the US Marcellus. Recent Middle East fighting and restricted Strait of Hormuz transit have disrupted Qatari LNG—roughly 6 mln t/month reportedly missing—tightening the Asian spot market. Australian LNG shipments do not rely on Hormuz and are closer to major Asian buyers, increasing their stra

韩国KOSPI指数日内跌幅达1.00%。

German Chancellor Merz will meet ECB officials in Berlin next week and attend a Bundesbank-hosted formal dinner on Tuesday, ahead of the ECB’s two-day policy meeting, sources said. The meeting — the ECB’s annual rate decision held outside Frankfurt on a rotating basis — is widely expected to deliver a 25bp hike. Merz is expected to discuss Germany’s improving economic outlook with ECB officials. The gathering comes amid uncertainty over ECB President Lagarde’s future: she has indicated she may not complete her term through October 2027, and the World Economic Forum is seeking to invite her to become its next chair. The German government is weighing whether to nominate Bundesbank chief Nagel as a potential successor to Lagarde.