Asian markets traded cautiously today as investors await the long-anticipated reciprocal tariff announcement from the US, dubbed “Liberation Day” by President Donald Trump. Following the mixed close on Wall Street, risk sentiment remains fragile, with traders in clear wait-and-see mode. However, the rebound in commodity currencies overnight hints that some market participants are leaning toward […]
Global markets are trading with a mixed tone today as investors brace for the long-awaited reciprocal tariff announcement from the US tomorrow. Asian stocks staged a moderate recovery from Monday’s selloff, while European indexes are also slightly in black. However, US futures are coming under renewed pressure. Meanwhile, Gold continues to shine amid the unease,
The global equity selloff appears to have passed its peak—at least for now. After days of heavy risk-off moves driven by fears surrounding the upcoming US reciprocal tariffs announcement on Wednesday, traders have taken a cautious step back into a wait-and-see mode. US indexes clawed back most of their earlier losses overnight, closing mixed. Asian
Risk aversion is sweeping through global financial markets today, with equities across Asia and Europe plunging ahead of the US’s so-called tariff “Liberation Day” on April 2. The selloff began in Asia, and continued through European Session. US futures are also pointing sharply lower, with the tech-heavy NASDAQ bearing the brunt of the pressure. Meanwhile,
Risk aversion erupted across Asian markets today, with Japan bearing the brunt of the selloff. Nikkei plummeted by nearly than -4%, marking its worst day in months and sending the index to its lowest level since September last year. The sharp move comes as traders scramble to reassess the impact of US President Donald Trump’s
The forex markets are ending the week in a sluggish and indecisive mood, despite a flurry of notable economic data releases. The highlight was the hotter-than-expected US core PCE inflation, which firmed expectations that Fed will hold rates steady in May, with market pricing now around 90% chance. However, expectations for a June rate cut
The overall mood in the forex markets remains one of indecision, with major currencies largely range-bound. Yen is attempting a mild rebound after Tokyo’s CPI figures came in stronger than expected, with core-core inflation rising to 2.2% yoy. However, the Japanese currency is still the worst performer of the week, reflecting the broader uncertainty over
The Bank of Japan (BoJ) published the Summary of Opinions from its March monetary policy meeting, with the key findings noted below. Key quotes One member said inflation is somewhat overshooting expectations. One member said wage hikes in spring wage talks are somewhat exceeding last year’s figures, with nominal wages rising at a pace in
Japan Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Thursday that they have “once again, asked the US to exempt Japan from auto tariffs.” Further comments “US auto tariffs are extremely regrettable.” “Will continue to work closely with us and take necessary steps to resolve issue.” Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Shigeru Ishiba said on Thursday,
Sterling fell broadly today after UK’s February CPI came in slightly below expectations. However, the selloff has been contained, with markets still expecting the BoE to proceed cautiously with policy easing. In particular, services inflation remained sticky at 5%, signaling that underlying price pressures are not abating as quickly as hoped. Some economists argue that
Commodity currencies are finding a bid in Asian session today, though still largely range-bound against Dollar. A sharp rally in Copper prices, driven by US tariff fears, is likely giving Aussie a tailwind, countering lingering drag from today’s slightly weaker-than-expected inflation data. Meanwhile, Loonie is benefitting from speculation that Canada may be assigned lower tariffs
Dollar is once again under pressure as markets head into the US session, with its recent rebound losing steam in the absence of any clear-cut catalyst. While new headlines on tariffs continue to emerge almost daily, these “leaks” could only be seen as reflective of ongoing deliberations within the White House, rather than firm policy.
Financial markets entered Tuesday on a subdued note, with the Asian session notably quiet. While US stocks managed a rebound overnight on speculation that the April 2 “Liberation Day” tariff rollout might be narrower in scope than initially feared, sentiment failed to fully carry into Asia. Equity indices across the region were mixed, reflecting ongoing
In the US, March Madness is synonymous with the annual knockout college basketball tournament, known for its unpredictable results and stunning turnarounds. But the country has seemingly exported this concept to its foreign policy in the past month, with shifting tariff threats, territorial disputes and abortive peace talks with Russia putting foreign exchange on the
Market sentiment today is largely influenced by a mix of global PMI releases and ongoing uncertainty around US tariff policy. There are reports suggesting the Trump administration may exclude a set of sector-specific tariffs from the sweeping reciprocal levies set to begin on April 2. US futures are pointing to a solid open, suggesting investors
Yen weakened broadly in a relatively quiet Asian session, dragged down by disappointing PMI data. The worrying sign is that both manufacturing and services sectors are now in contraction, pointing to growing signs of weakness in Japan’s economy. Despite expectations that BoJ will raise interest rates further this year, supported by strong wage growth, today’s
The manufacturing sector in Japan continued to contract in March, and at a faster pace, the latest survey from Jibun Bank revealed on Monday with a manufacturing PMI score of 48.3. That’s down from 49.0 in February, and it moved further beneath the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. Though modest, the
