CITIGROUP has become the fifth bank to clear trades in the London OTC gold market, the world’s largest gold trading centre.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index closed down 23.30 points, or 0.26%, at 8,821.10 on July 6 (Monday).

Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s minister of petroleum and natural gas, said India is expanding domestic crude exploration and is tendering roughly 250,000 sq km of previously unexplored acreage to boost local supply and reduce import dependence, AFP reported on the 5th. Puri said recent transit constraints through the Strait of Hormuz tightened supplies. India produced 25.98 mln tonnes of crude in FY25 (about 522,000 bpd), down from a 2011 peak above 900,000 bpd, meeting roughly 10% of domestic crude demand. To ease supply pressure, India has broadened its supplier base from 27 to 41 countries, adding Iran and Venezuela and increasing purchases from Russia and several African suppliers.