Most major Asia Pacific equity indices started the week on a weaker note, as investors turned cautious ahead of the expiration of the White House’s 90-day pause on higher global reciprocal tariffs (excluding China), scheduled for Wednesday, 9 July. Asia Pacific equities (except Singapore) weaken as tariff uncertainty looms Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.6% to […]
The forex market opened the week with low volatility and mixed Asian equities, but politically driven developments are keeping some G10 currencies in motion. Dollar is the weakest performer so far, with the Canadian Dollar also under pressure despite rebounding from weekend lows. Yen leads amid safe-haven inflows, while Kiwi and Aussie post modest gains.
Dollar accelerated its broad-based selloff in early US trading, plunging to its lowest level against Euro since 2021. The latest catalyst came from softer-than-expected May PPI data, which followed Wednesday’s downside surprise in CPI. The tandem inflation prints have further calmed fears of immediate tariff-driven price pass-through, at least for now, and are reinforcing expectations
Sterling came under renewed pressure at the start of European session, triggered by a deeper-than-expected contraction in UK GDP for April. Services sector, the economy’s dominant component, posted its first monthly decline since October. Nine out of 14 services subsectors registered falls, pointing to broad-based weakness. It’s a disappointing start to Q2 and follows weaker-than-expected
Dollar fell broadly following weaker-than-expected US inflation report for May, reinforcing the narrative that consumer prices have not yet felt the full brunt of tariff pressures. The data offered some relief that the feared pass-through from tariffs to end consumers hasn’t materialized, at least not yet. However, it wasn’t enough to shift expectations for the
Asian equities edged modestly higher on Wednesday, lifted by the announcement that US and Chinese officials reached a “framework” to implement the Geneva trade consensus and advance commitments made in the latest Trump-Xi phone call. While officials from both sides struck an optimistic tone, the agreement remains preliminary, lacking substantive details on thornier issues. US
Global markets remain in a state of cautious anticipation as high-level trade negotiations between the US and China continue for a second day in London. While there’s no definitive outcome yet, mild optimism lingers. Asian equities reflected that mood, with Japan’s Nikkei and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index both trading slightly higher. Yet the prevailing
The cautious optimism in Asia failed to spill into European markets, as investors turned cautious ahead of today’s US-China trade talks in London. While no one expects a sweeping resolution to the broader trade conflict, hopes are centered on incremental progress—particularly around rare earths. Kevin Hassett, Director of the US National Economic Council, struck a
Asian equity markets opened the week on a positive note, supported by cautious optimism surrounding the high-stakes US-China trade negotiations in London. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, along with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, are meeting Chinese counterparts as efforts to revive dialogue intensify. The outcome of these talks could set
Risk sentiment improved last week, driven by the solid US non-farm payroll report that helped ease fears of a deepening slowdown. Adding to the optimism was a thaw in US-China relations. While no concrete breakthrough emerged, the fact that both sides were willing to engage again offered some relief to global markets weary of tariff
There was a fleeting uptick in sentiment overnight after US President Donald Trump spoke by phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping, calling the conversation “very positive” and announcing renewed lower-level trade talks. However, the initial optimism quickly faded, with major US indexes reversing early gains to end the session lower. The Chinese readout was more
Euro surged against Dollar after ECB President Christine Lagarde struck a relatively confident tone in her post-meeting press conference. She downplayed immediate trade war fallout, stating that U.S. tariffs would likely impact growth more in 2026, by which time EU fiscal expansion—particularly military spending—would help cushion the blow. Also, Lagarde emphasized that the ECB is
The US markets remain remarkably steady overnight despite a string of soft US economic releases overnight. Disappointing job and services data failed to trigger any meaningful selloff in equities, while Dollar edged slightly lower. Market pricing for Fed policy remains broadly unchanged, with a 96% chance of a hold at the upcoming meeting and a
Trading remains subdued as markets drift into the US session, with little conviction across asset classes. US futures dipped slightly after a dismal ADP employment report showing only 37k job additions in May, sharply below expectations. Still, the reaction was contained, with no clear evidence of a broad risk-off move. US President Donald Trump added
Global markets remain subdued as investors struggle to find a firm direction. US stocks closed higher overnight, with NASDAQ extending to fresh multi-week highs, suggesting some resilience in tech-led risk appetite. Asian equities followed suit to some extent, but the overall momentum has been tepid. In the currency markets, Dollar is attempting to recover from
Global markets remain mixed, reflecting a cautious investor mood amid heightened trade uncertainty and a lack of clear directional drivers. US stocks closed modestly higher overnight, reversing losses from earlier in the session. Asian equities broadly followed the rebound, seemingly brushing off disappointing Chinese manufacturing data. The overall tone, however, remains indecisive, with no strong
Risk sentiment remains fragile as the US session gets underway, with equity markets under pressure from renewed tariff threats. European stocks are particularly heavy after US President Donald Trump threatened to double tariffs on imported steel. UK equities, however, are finding some support from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s announcement of increased defense spending. In the
