The first full week of 2026 delivered a barrage of geopolitical shocks that would normally be expected to rattle global markets. Instead, investors largely looked through the noise, producing a market outcome that appears counterintuitive at first glance. The most dramatic development came from Latin America, where the US carried out a direct military intervention […]
The average of household spending in Japan was up 2.9 percent on year in November, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications said on Friday – coming in at 314,242 yen. That beat forecasts for a decline of 1.0 percent following the 3.0 percent drop in October. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, household spending
Market sentiment has tilted mildly risk-off, though there is no sign of aggressive follow-through selling. Price action suggests caution rather than panic, with investors trimming exposure while waiting for clearer signals from both geopolitics and economic data. Geopolitical developments continue to dominate headlines this week and look unlikely to fade quickly. The key question is
Global markets have turned cautious again, with the mild selloff in US equities overnight that carried into Asian trading. A key trigger was pressure on US defense stocks after President Donald Trump’s said he would block dividends and stock buybacks for defense contractors unless they address concerns including executive pay and production inefficiencies Another market
Japan’s consumer sentiment decreased slightly in December from a 19-month high in the previous month, survey data from the Cabinet Office showed on Thursday. The seasonally adjusted consumer confidence index weakened to 37.2 in December from 37.5 in November. Meanwhile, economists had forecast the index to rise to 37.8. The latest survey was conducted on
Global markets are trading in mixed fashion, with risk appetite showing early signs of fatigue after a strong start to the year. US equity futures are sluggish, pointing to a flat open after both the DOW and S&P 500 closed at record highs yesterday. December ADP private payrolls from the US came in slightly weaker
Market conditions have settled after earlier risk-on moves, with European indexes and US futures showing little direction. The absence of follow-through buying suggests traders are shifting toward more cautious trading. With desks fully staffed again, attention is turning to Friday’s December US non-farm payrolls report. Dollar remains broadly on the back foot and will be
Risk sentiment turned decisively positive overnight and carried through the Asian session as traders looked past Venezuela-related geopolitical risks. The shift marked a clear return to risk-on positioning, and prompted a broad reversal in the Dollar, which broke lower after firming earlier on Monday. With haven demand fading, the greenback slipped to the bottom of
Forex markets are trading in mixed fashion, with hesitant tone, as investors continue to digest the controversial US seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend. While geopolitical risk has clearly entered the equation, price action suggests the response is far from a textbook risk-off move. There are visible safe-haven bids flowing into Dollar
As liquidity conditions have normalized quickly after the holiday lull, markets are digesting the fallout from Washington’s weekend raid in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. While the operation initially triggered a spike in geopolitical risk, price action suggests investors remain cautious but far from alarmed. The greenback rallied broadly alongside precious metals
Currency markets have entered deep holiday mode, with trading exceptionally subdued despite sharp swings elsewhere, notably in precious metals. In FX, volume and volatility have both contracted sharply. With liquidity thin and risk appetite selective, traders are choosing patience over positioning, especially with little fresh macro information to work with. December minutes from the Fed
There is little on the economic calendar for the final week of the year, leaving Fed minutes from the December meeting as the lone focal point for markets during the New Year holiday stretch. The minutes are expected to shed light on the internal debate that produced a rare three-way split. Chicago Fed President Austan
Risk sentiment softened as markets reopened after the holiday break, with investors adopting a more defensive posture. Asian equities drifted lower, and European markets struggled to gain traction at the open, reflecting subdued conviction. One immediate dampener came from the Summary of Opinions released by the BoJ. The document reinforced that hawkish voices within the
Yen rebounded broadly today, but the move appears driven more by pre-holiday profit-taking than a genuine shift in trend. Position squaring into year-end has offered temporary relief after recent weakness, yet price action lacks the conviction typically associated with durable reversals. There was also some support from stepped-up verbal intervention by Japanese officials. Authorities delivered
Global markets opened the final full trading week of 2025 on a mixed footing, with price action shaped more by thin holiday liquidity than fresh conviction. Asian equities leaned modestly higher, led by a strong surge in Japanese stocks after Friday’s firm close in the U.S., where technology shares again drove gains. Elsewhere in the
The past week delivered no shortage of surprises, yet markets ended it with remarkably little conviction. Key macro data and central bank decisions challenged prevailing assumptions, but follow-through across major assets proved elusive. US economic releases hinted at a faster cooling in both employment and inflation. Under normal circumstances, that combination would have fueled enthusiasm
Yen selling remains the dominant theme heading into the weekend, with the currency staying as the weakest performer. The renewed slide comes despite the BOJ lifting interest rates to their highest level since 1999. The problem for Yen bulls is not the direction of policy, but the pace. BoJ normalization is widely expected to remain
