Chevron CEO said the Trump administration discussed attacks on Black Sea oil infrastructure with Ukraine.

U.S. August CPI rose 0.4% MoM, in line with consensus; gasoline jumped 3.9% and accounted for over one-third of the monthly rise, while shelter accelerated 0.3% MoM, the biggest increase in three months. Core CPI (ex food and energy) rose 0.3% MoM — only 9 of 73 surveyed economists had forecast that — with wireless phone service, airfares, used cars and education the largest contributors. Headline YoY inflation was 3.4% and core YoY 2.4%, both matching medians; core YoY was the smallest since spring 2021. Prices for computer software and accessories surged 25.4% YoY, a record, reflecting AI-related investment. Economists say the print increases the case for a Fed rate hike on Sept. 16; a Fed-watched gauge of the share of categories with rising prices did not retreat. U.S. stock futures held gains after the release; the S&P 500 opened up about 0.9% and the 2‑yr yield, after touching the highest level of 2024 earlier, was roughly flat at 4.59%.

Shengxin Lithium Energy said at an investor briefing in Sichuan on Sept. 11 that lithium carbonate futures have been highly volatile, driven by demand and supply expectations, policy shifts, funding flows and sentiment. The company said the lithium-salt market is still in a sustained growth phase but the supply-demand balance is dynamic; future conditions will hinge on terminal demand growth, industry inventory trends, the pace of new resource project ramp-ups and capacity expansion at existing projects.