Euro’s brief post-election rally faded quickly, as investors welcomed CDU/CSU’s victory but remained cautious due to lingering uncertainties around coalition formation and fiscal policy. While a relatively centrist government comprising CDU and the Social Democrats would provide stability, challenges surrounding the “debt brake” reform and defense spending continue to cloud the outlook. A coalition with […]
Geopolitical developments dominated global headlines last week, particularly surrounding peace negotiations over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and evolving US-Ukraine relations. While US President Donald Trump’s tariffs took a backseat, concerns over their impact on consumer spending and economic growth resurfaced by the end of the week, triggering renewed risk aversion. Markets lacked clear direction for
Trading is rather subdued in the forex markets today, with most major pairs and crosses stuck within yesterday’s range. Loonie failed to react to significantly stronger-than-expected retail sales data. Euro dipped earlier following weak PMI reports, but selling pressure quickly fizzled out. Yen saw some volatility during the Asian session, initially weakening alongside Japanese bond
Trading is relatively subdued today across global markets as investors assess the fallout from the US steel and aluminum tariffs announced by President Donald Trump. Major European equity indexes are treading water, while US futures are slightly in the red. Treasury yields are recovering, though it remains too early to confirm a reversal of the
Dollar faced significant volatility last week as shifting trade policy signals from the White House left investors scrambling for clarity. Initially, tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports were imposed, only to be quickly suspended for 30 days following new agreements on border security and fentanyl control. Now, the focus turns to “reciprocal tariffs,” a move
Dollar edged higher in early US session following the non-farm payrolls (NFP) report, but the overall momentum remains lackluster. Stock futures are flat, while 10-year Treasury yield is staging a slight recovery, suggesting a measured market response as traders hold back from aggressive positioning ahead of next week’s key economic events including US CPI and
The British Pound weakened significantly after BoE delivered a 25bps rate cut. The policy decision was more dovish than anticipated, primarily due to the unexpected shift in the MPC voting split. Catherine Mann, previously one of the most hawkish members of the committee, reversed course and joined Swati Dhingra in voting for a more aggressive
Dollar remains on the backfoot in early US session, despite the strong ADP private employment report. The data highlights continued resilience in the labor market, with services-driven job growth and sustained wage pressures. While this should theoretically reinforce the case for Fed to maintain its pause in easing for longer, traders appear reluctant to react
After a burst of volatility earlier in the session, currency markets are taking a breather as traders reassess the evolving US tariff situation. Comments from White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett helped cool tensions when he clarified that, “This is not a trade war, this is a drug war,” directing the focus toward
Euro is trading slightly higher following the ECB’s widely expected 25bps rate cut, though the move lacks strong momentum. In her post-meeting press conference, President Christine Lagarde reinforced the bank’s “gradual easing path”. She stated that a larger 50bps cut was not even considered today, making it clear that an aggressive rate-cutting cycle is off
Dollar ended the week as the worst-performing major currency, largely weighed down by strong risk-on sentiment that took hold after President Donald Trump’s first week in office. Investors had anticipated more aggressive trade measures from the new administration, but Trump instead struck a relatively softer tone on tariffs, leading to improved risk appetite in equities
Euro posted notable gains today as lifted by encouraging Eurozone PMI data that suggests the region is beginning the year on firmer footing. Private sector activity showed cautious growth, with reduced drag from manufacturing and moderate expansion in services. Most surprisingly, Germany, which struggled throughout 2024, returned to expansion. Sterling also gained on better PMI
Dollar’s decline accelerated as the week progressed towards the last day, weighed down by strong risk-on sentiment and investor optimism. S&P 500 closed at a new record high on Thursday, with NASDAQ and DOW poised to follow soon. Contributing to this sentiment were remarks from US President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum, where
While Yen remains the worst performer of the week so far, it has stabilized as the markets await the highly anticipated BoJ rate hike in the upcoming Asian session. Expectations for this rate move were well set by comments from BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda last week. Risks from US political developments—specifically tariff policies under President
Dollar weakened broadly in early US session as reports from The Wall Street Journal indicated that Donald Trump, during his inauguration, will only outline his trade vision but avoid imposing new tariffs for now. While this temporarily calms market fears of immediate disruptions, the situation remains dynamic, and unexpected developments could trigger sharp reversals, especially
Dollar is trading slightly lower today as markets await Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th US President. Attention is focused on his inaugural speech, expected to confirm his policy priorities. However, the real market-moving event is likely to be the series of executive actions Trump has promised to enact immediately. Over 200 directives are anticipated,
Activity in the forex markets has turned relatively subdued today, with no clear trend emerging as traders shift into a cautious stance. With no top-tier economic data scheduled for the rest of the week, attention is turning to the impending inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump next Monday. The spotlight is squarely on his anticipated
