G7 finance leaders warn of growing economic risks from the Middle East war
Finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) on Friday emphasized the urgent need to limit the economic repercussions of an ongoing Middle East conflict, highlighting a commitment to pursuing enduring peace. Key quotes G7 finance ministers concluded unanimously it was urgent to limit cost for global economy of an enduring Middle East conflict statement.G7 […]
Growth beat overshadowed by weak demand – TD Securities
TD Securities strategists highlight that China’s Q1 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 5.0% year-on-year, at the top of the official target range, driven by strong exports and early bond quota usage. However, they underline soft retail sales, property-related weakness, higher unemployment and slowing export growth, suggesting current activity concerns overshadow the solid headline, with implications […]
Conflict risks and GCC flows – Standard Chartered
Standard Chartered Bank economists Madhur Jha and Ethan Lester assess how the Middle East conflict could affect global remittances. They argue that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies are key sources of remittance inflows for countries such as Egypt, Pakistan, Philippines, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. While the non-oil impact is seen as smaller than COVID-19, a […]
Price pressures and rupee controls – DBS
DBS Group Research economist Radhika Rao assesses early post-conflict data for India, highlighting stronger wholesale inflation and modestly higher CPI. She notes that the Wholesale Price Index is more sensitive to commodity and imported costs and is likely to rise further. Rao also discusses range-bound Indian bond yields, abundant banking liquidity, and RBI’s administrative measures […]
XAU/USD steadies near $4,850 amid hopes of new peace talk
Gold’s (XAU/USD) nurses minor gains in an “inside day” on Thursday, trading at around $4,820, with price action constrained within Wednesday’s ranges. Hopes of new peace talks between the US and Iran keep precious metals buoyed, but the XAU/USD pair is failing to break resistance at the $4,850 area. US President Donald Trump boosted market […]
US Dollar Index inches higher above 98.00 despite risk-on mood
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the US Dollar (USD) against six major currencies, halts its losing streak that began on April 6 and is trading around 98.20 during the European hours on Thursday. The US Dollar (USD) receives some support as traders view the situation around the Strait of Hormuz […]
Pound Sterling gains against its peers as UK GDP data beats estimates
The Pound Sterling (GBP) attracts bids against its major currency peers, trading 0.14% higher to near 1.3580 against the US Dollar (USD) during the European trading session on Thursday after the release of the stronger-than-projected United Kingdom (UK) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for February. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported that economy […]
China’s economy expands 1.3% QoQ in Q1 2026 as expected
China’s economy expanded 1.3% QoQ in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, compared to a 1.2% growth in Q4 of 2025, the official data published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Thursday. The figure came in line with the market consensus. On an annual basis, the Chinese Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rate rose 5.0% […]
Australia unemployment rate seen steady in March amid hawkish RBA stance
Australia will publish the monthly employment report for March on Thursday at 01:30 GMT, and market participants expect a modest increase in job creation. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is expected to announce that the country added 20K new jobs in the month, while the Unemployment Rate is forecast at 4.3%, unchanged from February. […]
Gold slips below $4,800 as risk appetite drains safe-haven demand anew
Gold price retreats during the session, down nearly 1%, as risk appetite improves and flows rotate toward US equities, pushing the S&P 500 index past the 7,000 figure, poised to test the all-time high at around 7.014. At the time of writing, XAU/USD trades below $4,800 after reaching a peak of $4,871. Bullion eases as […]
