The Japanese yen weakened slightly during the Asian session on Wednesday, as investors remained cautious while awaiting the Bank of Japan (BoJ) policy update. Market focus now turns to the two-day BoJ meeting next Friday, which is expected to provide clues regarding the interest rate path through 2026. Expectations for a BoJ interest rate hike this week are believed to be a supportive factor for the JPY. Investors anticipate a hawkish BoJ stance could boost the yen or at least prevent further depreciation, although more cautious market sentiment has limited the currency's...
According to a report from the US Department of Labour (DOL) released on Thursday, the number of US citizens submitting new applications for unemployment insurance went down to 191K for the week ending November 29. The latest print came in short of initial estimates (220K) and was lower than the previous week's 218K (revised from 216K). Additionally, the 4-week moving average decreased by 9.5K, bringing it to 214.75K from the revised average of the previous week. The report indicated a seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate of 1.3%, with Continuing Jobless Claims shrinking by 4K to...
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Wednesday predicted that the administration still will be able to implement its tariff agenda regardless of whether it prevails in a pending case before the Supreme Court. Repeating assertions he had made prior to the high court hearing a month ago, Bessent cited several sections of 1962 Trade Act that give the president sweeping powers over import duties. "We can recreate the exact tariff structure with sections 301, with 232, with 122," he said during an onstage interview at The New York Times DealBook Summit. Asked by host Andrew Ross Sorkin the...
Private businesses in the US cut 32K jobs in November 2025, following an upwardly revised 47K gain in October, and compared to forecasts of a 10K rise. Hiring was particularly weak in manufacturing (-18K), professional and business services (-26K), information (-20K), construction (-9K) and financial activities (-9K). On the other hand, job gains occurred in education and health services (33K), leisure and hospitality (13K), natural resources and mining (8K) and trade, transportation and utilities (1K). Hiring has been choppy of late as employers weather cautious consumers and an uncertain...
Ekonom terkenal Scott Bessent memprediksi bahwa Amerika Serikat kemungkinan akan mengalami pertumbuhan ekonomi yang kuat namun inflasi tetap rendah pada 2026. Menurut Bessent, faktor seperti harga energi yang diperkirakan turun, kebijakan fiskal dan moneter yang bijaksana, serta pengaturan pasar yang stabil, bisa membantu menjaga inflasi tetap terkendali sambil mendorong ekonomi tumbuh. Prediksi ini tentu menjadi perhatian investor, karena inflasi adalah salah satu indikator utama bagi Federal Reserve (The Fed) dalam menentukan kebijakan suku bunga. Inflasi rendah biasanya membuat The Fed...
A five-hour meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and his son-in-law Jared Kushner, in the Kremlin, failed to produce a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin confirmed that no compromise had been reached and much work remained. The talks lasted until midnight, and some of the US proposals were deemed inappropriate by Russia. Yuri Ushakov, Putin's top aide, said the meeting was constructive and opened up opportunities for US-Russia economic cooperation, although a direct meeting between Putin and Trump is not yet...
US President Donald Trump has hinted that Kevin Hassett, the current chairman of the National Economic Council, whom Donald Trump appointed to the position, is a likely choice from the shortlist of candidates for Fed Chair. Hassett's tenure in economic policy includes brief stints as a professor of economics and an economist in the Division of Research and Statistics of the Fed's Board of Governors. Neither position lasted more than five years. Hassett's most notable economic contributions were as a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, where he wrote a weekly opinion piece for the...
Vladimir Putin warned that Russia might consider attacking ships of countries supporting Ukraine if the surge in attacks on Moscow's tanker fleet continues, according to local media reports. There have been at least nine attacks on Russian commercial vessels, mostly tankers, in the past year. Most perpetrators have not claimed responsibility for the incidents, although a source familiar with the matter said Ukraine was behind two attacks last week. There has been a significant spike in the past week, with four similar incidents. "What the Ukrainian armed forces are doing now is piracy,"...
The U.S. dollar is expected to weaken further in 2026, albeit at a slower pace than this year, according to analysts at Deutsche Bank. Over the past one-year period, the dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of currency pairs, has edged lower by more than 6%. A range of policy moves under U.S. President Donald Trump have dented the dollar throughout 2025, including the White House's sweeping tariffs, fears over the sustainability of elevated U.S. government debt levels, and worries over the independence of the Federal Reserve. In a note, the Deutsche Bank analysts...
Gold rises in the early Asian trade. There's a broad commodities uptrend, driven by macro uncertainty, a weaker dollar, and persistent demand for "hard" assets, says Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst...
Oil extended declines after OPEC+ agreed to a bigger-than-expected production increase next month, raising concerns about oversupply just as US tariffs fan fears about the demand outlook.
Brent...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) weakened against its US counterpart and reversed part of Friday's recovery from the lowest level since July 23 following Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Kazuo Ueda's remarks....