Gold was steady in early Asian trade on the prospect of a Fed rate cut that would boost the appeal of the non-yielding precious metal. Fed Chair Powell told lawmakers on Tuesday that recent economic data would likely justify a rate cut if there were no concerns that higher tariffs could derail policymakers' efforts to combat inflation. Two Fed officials, Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, have also recently indicated they could support a rate cut. "Gold prices are resilient on speculation about a U.S. rate cut," Thu Lan Nguyen, head of FX and Commodity Research at Commerzbank, said in...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) remained firm against its US counterpart during the Asian session on Wednesday (6/25) and remained close to a one-week high hit the previous day amid a combination of supportive factors. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) June meeting summary showed that some policymakers called for interest rates to be kept steady for the time being due to uncertainty over the impact of US tariffs on the Japanese economy. In addition, the fragile Israel-Iran ceasefire and trade-related uncertainties supported the JPY as a safe-haven asset. Meanwhile, investors appear convinced that the BOJ...
Oil prices edged up on Wednesday, finding some relief after falling in the past two sessions, as investors assessed the stability of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. Brent crude rose 75 cents, or 1.1%, to settle at $67.89 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 71 cents, or 1.1%, to settle at $65.08. Brent closed on Tuesday at its lowest since June 10 and WTI since June 5, both before Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran's main military and nuclear facilities on June 13. Prices had risen to a five-month high after the U.S. struck Iranian nuclear facilities over...