Aluminum prices declined on Tuesday, pressured by profit-taking after comments from US President Donald Trump suggesting the war in the Middle East could end quickly eased concerns about supply disruptions.

The benchmark three-month aluminum contract on the London Metal Exchange fell 1.2% to $3,343 per metric ton as of 10:30 GMT.

The contract had touched its highest level since March 2022 at $3,544 on Monday amid growing fears that more smelters in the Gulf could shut down due to the inability to ship through the Strait of Hormuz.

Later on Monday, Trump predicted a swift end to the conflict with Iran while warning that he would escalate military operations if Tehran attempted to block oil shipments.

Aluminum had earlier dropped as much as 3.5% during Tuesday’s session.

Nitesh Shah, commodities strategist at WisdomTree, said: “I’m not sure everyone fully appreciates how difficult it is to restart an aluminum smelter once it has been shut down. It takes time, and that comes at a moment when aluminum markets are already relatively tight.” He added: “I don’t see aluminum prices collapsing quickly, especially since the very small surplus expected in 2026 is now likely to turn into a deficit.”

In Asia, where spot aluminum premiums have risen, a request was issued to withdraw 98,150 tons of aluminum from London Metal Exchange warehouses in Port Klang, Malaysia, indicating traders are seeking to profit from the metal shortage. The amount represents 21.7% of the aluminum currently held in the LME warehouse system.

Meanwhile, copper prices rose 1.2% to $13,103.50 per ton. Shah said: “Any sign of easing tensions could boost optimism about cyclical conditions, which is why copper is seeing support today.” Data also showed that China’s copper imports fell 16.1% during the first two months of the year.

Zinc was the biggest gainer, rising 1.3% to $3,370 due to higher electricity prices, while nickel was little changed with a slight increase of 0.2% to $17,515. Lead added 0.1% to $1,938.50, while tin fell 0.8% to $50,030.

The cryptocurrency market is experiencing a fresh wave of buying momentum today after Bitcoin reclaimed the $70,000 level, marking one of its strongest daily recoveries this week. The rise in digital assets comes as early signs emerge of improving global economic conditions.

Brent crude had recently surged due to geopolitical tensions but has now fallen below $85 per barrel, easing inflation concerns that had been weighing on financial markets.

As oil prices decline, high-risk assets across global markets have begun to stabilize. Bitcoin quickly followed this trend, rebounding from an intraday low near $67,000 before climbing back toward the $70,000 zone. For traders, this move highlights the growing link between digital assets and global macroeconomic trends.

Why falling oil prices affect cryptocurrencies

Oil prices play a key role in shaping global inflation expectations and investor confidence. When energy prices rise sharply, concerns about inflation typically increase, prompting central banks to maintain tighter monetary policies and reducing liquidity in financial markets.

Under such conditions, risk-sensitive assets such as cryptocurrencies often struggle to generate gains.

However, the recent decline in oil prices may signal the opposite dynamic. With Brent crude falling below $85 per barrel, inflationary pressures may begin to ease, potentially improving investor confidence and boosting demand for risk assets such as technology stocks and cryptocurrencies.

Historically, periods of falling commodity prices have often coincided with renewed momentum in digital asset markets.

Bitcoin outlook and key levels

Bitcoin’s recovery above $70,000 represents an important development in the market, as the level serves as a key psychological barrier for traders. Reclaiming this threshold suggests buyers are attempting to regain control after several sessions of sideways movement.

If bullish momentum continues, analysts believe Bitcoin could soon test the resistance zone between $72,000 and $74,000, an area that previously capped price gains. A breakout above this range could open the door toward $75,000, a major upside target in the current market structure.

On the downside, the $68,000 level remains an important support zone. Holding above this level would keep the broader bullish trend intact in the near term.

Altcoins stabilize as market sentiment improves

The improvement in Bitcoin’s price has already begun to influence the broader cryptocurrency market, with several altcoins stabilizing after a period of volatility, indicating a relative improvement in investor sentiment.

Traders say that easing economic pressures from the oil market have helped reduce risk aversion toward digital assets. While uncertainty still persists across global markets, declining energy prices could provide temporary support for cryptocurrencies if the trend continues.

Outlook for the cryptocurrency market

For now, the digital asset market appears to be responding positively to improving macroeconomic indicators. Sustained trading above the $70,000 level could strengthen bullish sentiment, while continued weakness in oil prices may help ease inflation concerns.

Traders are likely to keep a close watch on broader economic indicators and key technical levels, as these factors are playing an increasingly important role in shaping the direction of the cryptocurrency market. Analysts believe the next few sessions could determine whether Bitcoin’s latest recovery evolves into a broader market rally.

Oil prices fell more than 5% on Tuesday after reaching their highest levels in more than three years in the previous session, following comments from US President Donald Trump suggesting the war in the Middle East could end soon, easing concerns about prolonged disruptions to oil supplies.

Brent crude futures dropped $6.64, or 6.7%, to $92.32 per barrel by 12:02 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude fell $5.44, or 5.7%, to $89.33 per barrel, after both benchmarks had declined by as much as 11% earlier in the session.

Trading volumes in Brent futures fell to about 284,000 contracts, the lowest since February 27, before the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran began. Trading volumes in West Texas Intermediate also declined to 255,000 contracts, the lowest since February 20.

Oil prices had surged on Monday to more than $119 per barrel, the highest level since mid-2022, after supply cuts from Saudi Arabia and other producers raised fears of major disruptions in global supply.

Prices later pulled back following a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, during which Putin proposed ideas aimed at reaching a rapid settlement to the war, according to a Kremlin aide. The conversation helped ease concerns about oil supplies.

Trump said on Monday in an interview with CBS News that he believes the war against Iran is “almost over,” adding that Washington is now “far ahead” of the original timeline, which he had initially estimated at four to five weeks.

Suvro Sarkar, head of the energy sector team at DBS Bank, said: “It’s clear that Trump’s comments about a shorter war duration calmed the markets. Just as there was an exaggerated reaction upward yesterday, we believe there is an exaggerated reaction downward today.”

He added that the market may be underestimating risks at current Brent levels, noting that Murban and Dubai crude are still trading above $100 per barrel, indicating that the underlying supply situation has not changed significantly.

In response to Trump’s remarks, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it would be the one to “determine the end of the war,” adding that Tehran will not allow “a single liter of oil” to be exported from the region if US and Israeli attacks continue, according to state media reports on Tuesday.

At the same time, Trump is considering easing oil sanctions on Russia and releasing emergency oil reserves as part of a package of options aimed at curbing the sharp rise in prices, according to multiple sources.

Priyanka Sachdeva, analyst at Phillip Nova, said in a note that discussions about easing sanctions on Russian oil, along with Trump’s remarks suggesting possible de-escalation and the potential use of strategic oil reserves by the Group of Seven, all point to one message: oil supplies are likely to keep reaching markets in some form.

She added: “Once traders felt supply routes could remain open, the panic premium that pushed prices above $100 yesterday began to fade, and oil prices quickly pulled back.”

Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil exporter, warned that the continuation of the war with Iran and disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz could lead to “catastrophic consequences” for global oil markets.

JPMorgan said in a note that political measures may have limited impact on oil prices unless safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz is guaranteed, given the potential loss of up to 12 million barrels per day of supply over the next two weeks.

Goldman Sachs said it will not change its oil price forecasts for now due to ongoing uncertainty, expecting Brent crude to average $66 per barrel in the fourth quarter and West Texas Intermediate to average $62.

Energy ministers from the Group of Seven are scheduled to discuss ways to address rising energy prices caused by the war in Iran during a call on Tuesday, while European Union leaders will also hold a meeting later the same day to discuss the issue.

The dollar’s rally paused on Tuesday as investors wavered between hopes for a possible de-escalation in the war between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other, and fears that such optimism may be premature.

US President Donald Trump said the war could end much sooner than the timeline he initially outlined, but warned that attacks would escalate if Tehran interferes with oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard rejected Trump’s remarks, describing them as “nonsense,” and said the blockade would continue until US and Israeli attacks stop.

Despite the tensions, stock markets rose while oil prices retreated from their highest levels in more than three years, highlighting investors’ readiness to seize on any positive signals.

Nick Kennedy, currency market strategist at Lloyds Bank, said: “I don’t think the market is overly optimistic. What we saw last week was simply an exaggerated reaction.”

He added: “Trump is not always the most consistent messenger about what he intends to do, but investors are assessing the outlook in a more practical way.”

Kennedy noted that governments could intervene by releasing oil reserves, and that the approaching midterm elections may push Trump toward adopting a more moderate stance.

Officials said energy ministers from the Group of Seven are expected to discuss rising energy prices during a conference call on Tuesday, while European Union leaders are also expected to hold a meeting later the same day to address the issue.

The dollar, traditionally seen as a safe haven, slipped 0.1% to $1.1645 against the euro, while rising 0.1% to ¥157.49 against the Japanese yen. The dollar index – which measures the US currency against a basket of six major currencies – fell 0.2%, though it recovered from a one-week low of 98.49 reached earlier.

The dollar remains the preferred haven for traders because the United States is a major oil producer, placing it in a stronger position to absorb energy price shocks than economies heavily dependent on imports.

Thomas Simons, chief US economist at Jefferies, said: “Higher prices mean greater income for US oil producers and exporters, and that increase could halt the dollar’s decline that has persisted since Liberation Day.”

An analysis by Deutsche Bank on Monday indicated that larger market moves away from risky assets are unlikely unless oil prices remain elevated for an extended period, combined with shifts in central bank policies and clear evidence of a broad economic slowdown.

Strategist Henry Allen said: “How close are we to those thresholds? Much closer than we were a week ago.”

He added: “But according to several indicators, we are not there yet, which explains why equities have not yet experienced bear-market declines like those seen in 2022,” referring to the energy shock following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In currency markets, the British pound recovered from Monday’s losses to trade up 0.1% at $1.3455.

Nevertheless, investors remain concerned that persistently high fuel prices could slow global economic growth, as the impact resembles a tax on businesses and consumption while potentially pushing central banks away from interest rate cuts.