Price shock impact on US growth – Commerzbank
Commerzbank economists Bernd Weidensteiner and Christoph Balz assess how the recent surge in Brent and WTI prices affects the US economy. They stress that the United States is structurally less vulnerable than in the 1970s thanks to lower oil intensity and higher domestic production. Their base case assumes a short-lived war-related spike, with Oil settling […]
XAU/USD rallies further with the $5,000 level on focus
Gold (XAU/USD) appreciates for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday. The US Dollar (USD) tumbles as hopes of a quick end to the Iran war have improved risk appetite and triggered significant pullbacks in US Treasury yields. The precious metal has rallied to nearly two-week highs past $4,600, bringing the $5,000 target into the bull’s […]
Energy vulnerability threatens recent resilience – MUFG
MUFG’s Head of Research Derek Halpenny warns that the Pound’s (GBP) strong March performance looks vulnerable. He links Sterling’s gains mainly to yields, while highlighting the UK’s rising energy import dependency, shrinking refinery capacity, and risks of refined fuel shortages. With potential risk aversion and a larger terms-of-trade hit, he sees an increased risk of […]
Petrodollar shift and chip trade – Commerzbank
Commerzbank’s Volkmar Baur argues that fears over an end to the petrodollar do not automatically imply a loss of the US Dollar’s reserve status. He notes Gulf oil’s declining share in global exports, the stagnation of Oil volumes, and the rising dominance of semiconductor trade, with Taiwan’s USD‑invoiced chip exports and Treasury holdings now rivaling […]
XAG/USD holds losses near $74.00 on Middle East peace hopes
Silver price (XAG/USD) halts its three-day winning streak, trading around $74.20 per troy ounce during the Asian hours on Wednesday. The safe-haven demand for Silver weakens as optimism grows over easing tensions in the Middle East. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the United States (US) would be “leaving very soon” from the […]
Australian Dollar extends gains vs USD on Iran de-escalation hopes
The AUD/USD pair is seen building on the previous day’s recovery move from over a two-month low and gaining traction for the second consecutive day on Wednesday. The momentum lifts spot prices to a fresh weekly high, around the 0.6925-0.6930 region during the Asian session, and is fueled by hopes for de-escalation of Middle East […]
KRW: Policy easing under consideration
BNY’s Head of Markets Macro Strategy Bob Savage notes that the Bank of Korea (BoK) may consider policy easing as Middle East geopolitical shocks threaten domestic growth. Savage highlights that the new BoK governor is prioritizing market stability and signaling a relaxed stance toward South Korean Won (KRW) weakness. Simultaneously, South Korean President Lee Jae […]
Higher energy costs reshape outlook – Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered’s Senior Economist Tommy Wu revises Taiwan’s 2026 macro outlook as higher Oil and LNG prices from Middle East tensions lift import costs. The bank now sees CPI inflation at 2.1% instead of 1.5%, and trims GDP growth to 7.6% from 8.0%. CBC is expected to keep rates at 2.0%, with a conditional risk […]
Dow Jones surges over 500 points on hopes Iran war nears resolution
The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped around 500 points, or roughly 1.0%, on Tuesday as investors staged a recovery attempt on the final trading day of March. The S&P 500 gained 1.5% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 2%. All three major indexes have been under significant pressure in recent weeks, with the Nasdaq still in […]
Gold hovers below $4,600 as worst monthly drop since 2008 looms
Gold (XAU/USD) trades with an upside bias on Tuesday, on hopes of de-escalation in the Middle East conflict. However, price action remains trapped in a one-week-old trading range, reflecting indecision among traders amid mixed signals on geopolitical developments, a firm US Dollar (USD), and shifting expectations around Federal Reserve (Fed) monetary policy path. At the […]
