Eurozone industrial production recovered in February, driven by increases in non-durable and capital goods output, data from Eurostat revealed on Wednesday. Industrial production advanced 0.4 percent on a monthly basis, in contrast to the 0.8 percent decline in January. Output was expected to grow 0.3 percent. Subscribe to continue reading the article. This article is […]
Attention is firmly on Islamabad as the United States and Iran begin their first high-level talks since the onset of war, with markets looking for signs of a breakthrough that could evolve into a broader Islamabad Accord. The outcome would be as a defining moment for energy markets, inflation, and global risk sentiment, with delegations
Dollar is back under mild pressure as US trading gets underway, with markets reacting to a softer-than-feared inflation report from the US. While headline CPI surged in March, the print missed expectations, easing fears of a more aggressive inflation shock. The key relief came from the core reading. Despite the sharp rise in headline inflation
The global financial markets are treading water as the Hormuz reopening deadline looms, with U.S. Donald Trump warning of severe escalation if Iran does not comply. The mood across financial markets is one of “calculated dread,” as investors await a decisive signal while avoiding aggressive positioning. Equities are mixed, currencies largely range-bound, and volatility subdued.
Dollar strengthened broadly as markets reacted to a sharp escalation in rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned that Iran’s key energy infrastructure could be “completely obliterated” if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened and a peace deal is not reached “shortly.” In particular, Trump explicitly named Kharg Island—along with Iran’s electric generating
Eurozone economic confidence weakened to a six-month low in March and price expectations increased after the outbreak of the Middle East war, monthly survey results from the European Commission showed Monday. The economic confidence index fell to 96.6 in March, the highest since last September, from 98.2 in the previous month. The score was seen
The latest 10-day extension of the Iran strike pause by US President Donald Trump might act as a “relief valve”, preventing a freefall in stocks. But it has also created a “slow-boil” inflation trap that is forcing a dramatic global monetary policy reversal. Contrary to providing a sentiment boost, Trump’s extension is paralyzing equity markets—preventing
Markets stayed cautious through the European session as a persistent “trust gap” around the Middle East conflict kept investors from fully embracing a peace pivot. Major European indexes traded sideways while US futures edged lower, reflecting a lack of conviction despite earlier optimism. Oil continues to anchor sentiment. Brent crude is holding in a tight
Dollar had every reason to rally last week, but instead ended as the worst performer among major currencies. Sharp selloff in global equities, surging Treasury yields, and escalating geopolitical risks would typically trigger strong safe-haven demand for the greenback. Yet, that relationship broke down. The key driver behind this anomaly is the growing divergence in
ECB rate hike expectations are gaining traction in markets, with growing speculation that tightening could begin as early as April. Major institutions including Barclays and J.P. Morgan are now forecasting an initial move next month, followed by additional hikes in June and July, reflecting a rapid shift in policy expectations amid rising inflation risks. Other
Central bank marathon ends with rate decisions from SNB, BoE, and ECB now behind market. Yen emerged as the strongest performer, supported by a hawkish interpretation of BoJ Governor Ueda’s post-meeting remarks. While the BoJ held rates at 0.75%, Ueda signaled that rate hikes remain on the table even if growth weakens, as long as
Risk aversion deepened across global markets as the combination of escalating energy conflict and a more inflation-focused Federal Reserve weighed on sentiment. While the initial selloff in US equities overnight was triggered by a sharp spike in oil prices, the late-session decline pointed to a second driver—markets reacting to the Fed’s message that inflation risks
Markets traded in a subdued tone through most of the day, with investors largely sidelined ahead of the Federal Reserve’s policy decision. That calm was abruptly shattered as the US session began, with a sharp deterioration in risk sentiment accompanied by a broad rebound in Dollar and a selloff in equity futures. The sudden shift
The global markets are holding in limbo today as the initial surge in geopolitical risk faded and attention shifted back toward the upcoming Fed decision tomorrow. While tensions in the Middle East remain elevated, price action across assets suggests that much of the shock has already been absorbed, leaving traders reluctant to take strong directional
Market sentiment showed tentative signs of stabilization today as Brent crude slipped back below the psychological $100 per barrel level. The modest pullback in energy prices helped European equities recover from earlier losses while U.S. futures also moved back into positive territory. However, the shift appears to reflect stabilization rather than a genuine improvement in
Dollar advanced broadly today as risk aversion swept through global markets. Asian equities declined while investors moved back toward safe-haven assets amid growing doubts about the narrative that the Iran war is nearing an end. Instead, markets are back pricing the possibility of prolonged energy scarcity and fragmentation in global trade. The shift in sentiment
The “safe haven” trade continues to unwind today, as seen in the weakness in Dollar. This softening is mirrored across the traditional safe-haven trio, with Yen and Swiss Franc also underperforming. The primary catalyst for this shift in sentiment is the “Trump de-escalation” narrative regarding the Iran conflict, which has successfully pulled a significant portion
