The United States (US) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) will publish the 2025 preliminary benchmark revision to the Establishment Survey Data on Tuesday, September 9. The preliminary revision will cover the 12-month period through March 2025 before the final benchmark revision is reported within the employment report of February 2026. "Official establishment survey estimates are not updated based on this preliminary benchmark revision. The final benchmark revision will be incorporated into official estimates with the publication of the January 2026 Employment Situation news release in...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) edged higher during the Asian session on Thursday (1/23) following the release of better-than-expected Trade Balance data from Japan, although it remained near a one-week low against the US currency hit the previous day. Prospects of an imminent interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BoJ) on Friday continued to underpin the JPY. Moreover, a subdued US Dollar (USD) price action, amid bets that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will cut interest rates twice this year, capped the USD/JPY pair's recovery from a more than one-month low hit on Tuesday. However, JPY market players...
Gold held above $2,750 an ounce on Thursday, extending a three-day rally and near its highest level since early November, relatively close to its record peak of $2,790. The precious metal continued to benefit from its safe-haven appeal amid uncertainty surrounding President Donald Trump's tariff plans, which have raised concerns about a potential trade war. On the monetary policy front, ECB policymakers endorsed further interest rate cuts on Wednesday, signaling a cut next week is almost certain, which would benefit non-yielding bullion. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve is expected to keep...
The dollar index was steady around 108.2 on Thursday after facing pressure earlier in the week, as investors awaited more clarity on President Donald Trump's policy plans. The index is down about 1% so far this week, following Trump's decision not to implement tariffs that have raised concerns about potential inflationary pressures. However, he has issued tariff threats against China, Mexico, Canada and the European Union in recent remarks. Investors are also focused on next week's Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting. The central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged...
The Australian dollar (AUD) held steady against the US dollar (USD) on Thursday (23/1), as market concerns eased after news that China-specific tariffs proposed under US President Donald Trump's revised plan were much smaller than previously expected. The development helped calm investor concerns, especially given the strong trade ties between China and Australia, which make the Australian market sensitive to changes in China's economic landscape. President Trump announced plans to impose 10% tariffs on Chinese imports from February 1, citing concerns over fentanyl shipments from China to...
Brent crude fell below $79 a barrel on Thursday, falling for a fifth straight session after an industry report revealed a fresh build in U.S. crude inventories. API data showed a 1 million-barrel increase in crude inventories last week, the first increase in five weeks of declines. Traders also continued to assess the potential impact on energy markets from President Trump's proposed tariffs on China, the European Union, Canada and Mexico, along with warnings of penalties for Russia if President Putin fails to end the Ukraine war. In other news, Saudi Arabia's crude exports hit an...
President Donald Trump said he would fire Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors if she does not resign her post over mortgage-fraud accusations from a top...
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) maintained its cash rate at 4.1% during its April meeting, holding borrowing costs unchanged after slashing 25 bps in the February meeting, aligning with market...