Safe-haven puzzle and SNB signals – Commerzbank
Commerzbank’s Michael Pfister notes that despite the war-related volatility in G10 FX, the Swiss Franc (CHF) has been one of the weakest G10 currencies, even though it remains a key safe haven. He highlights limited actual safe-haven demand, verbal intervention by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and possible FX purchases. Pfister also flags confusing EUR/CHF […]
Surplus shrinks sharply amid massive Import surges
China’s Trade Balance for March, in Chinese Yuan (CNY) terms, arrived at CNY354.75 billion, narrowing sharply from the previous figure of CNY1.5 trillion. Exports fell 0.7% year-over-year (YoY) in March from a 19.2% increase seen in January-February. The country’s imports jumped by a whopping 23.8% YoY in the same period vs. 17.1% recorded previously. In US Dollar (USD) […]
GBP/USD reclaims 1.3500 for the first time since late February
GBP/USD opened the new week on the soft side, dipping to a session low near 1.3380, but staged a strong recovery through Monday’s session to close around 1.3510, up 0.35% on the day. The move pushed the pair to its highest level since late February, decisively reclaiming the 1.3500 handle for the first time since […]
MAS tightening and key levels – OCBC
OCBC strategists Sim Moh Siong and Christopher Wong expect the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to tighten policy on 14 April 2026 by increasing the Singapore Dollar (SGD) Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (S$NEER) slope to counter imported inflation. With expectations skewed to tightening, they see scope for modest USD/SGD downside on a hawkish tone, but […]
Spending resilience with higher energy costs – Danske Bank
Danske Bank’s Louise Aggerstrøm Hansen and Asger Wilhelm Dalsjö report that Danish private consumption strengthened in March, with real spending excluding energy up 1.2% month-on-month and 3.8% year-on-year. Retail and grocery spending continued to recover, and services such as beauty, travel and leisure also expanded. Higher energy prices lifted gas-station outlays but did not materially […]
Political shift boosts forint and EU ties – MUFG
MUFG’s Senior Currency Analyst Lee Hardman reports that Hungary’s election ended Viktor Orban’s 16-year rule, with Peter Magyar’s Tisza party on course for a supermajority. Planned institutional and constitutional changes could restore EU norms and unlock over EUR20 billion in frozen EU funds. The forint has rallied over 2% versus Euro and US Dollar, reinforcing […]
EUR/JPY dips as US-Iran talks fail, energy surge lifts BoJ hike bets
EUR/JPY trades around 186.65 on Monday, down 0.08% at the time of writing, as risk aversion increases following the failure of talks between the United States (US) and Iran. The pressure on the cross mainly stems from weakness in the Euro (EUR), as heightened geopolitical tensions prompt investors to reduce exposure to risk-sensitive assets. Negotiations […]
Safe-haven demand returns as US-Iran talks collapse
Here is what you need to know on Monday, April 13: Financial markets turn risk-averse at the beginning of the week after Iran and the United States (US) failed to make any progress in this weekend’s negotiations. The only data featured in the US economic calendar will be Existing Home Sales for March. US Dollar […]
Rallies to $98 as Trump aims to blockade Hormuz
West Texas Intermediate (WTI), futures on NYMEX, trade 7.6% higher to near $98.00 during the Asian trading session on Monday. The oil price rises after a warning from United States (US) President Donald Trump, through a post on Truth.Social, that he has instructed the navy to blockade “any or all ships trying to enter or […]
NZD/USD stays weak above 0.5800 as Hormuz risks and oil rally lift USD
The NZD/USD pair opens with a bearish gap at the start of a new trading week in reaction to failed US-Iran peace talks over the weekend and trades around the 0.5800 mark during the Asian session. High-level negotiations between the US and Iran ended without a breakthrough, despite nearly 21 hours of intense discussions mediated […]
