The Nikkei 225 Index climbed 0.5% to above 42,800, while the broader Topix Index advanced 0.75% to 3,080 on Friday, rebounding from the prior session's losses as stronger-than-expected GDP data lifted sentiment. Japan's economy expanded 0.3% in the second quarter, accelerating from a 0.1% growth in Q1 which was also the consensus forecast. The upside surprise driven mainly by net exports, which added 0.3 percentage points to growth despite headwinds from US tariffs. Globally, a hotter-than-expected US producer price inflation reading tempered bets on a supersized half-point Federal Reserve...
Gold (XAU/USD) is rising sharply on Tuesday, supported by a convergence of geopolitical conflict, trade policy uncertainty, and investor defensiveness ahead of Wednesday's Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate decision and Chair Jerome Powell's press conference. At the time of writing, Gold is trading around $3,396 per ounce, up 1.90% on the day and 4.5% on the week, as investors seek refuge from mounting global risks and a weakening US Dollar (USDThe rally in Gold reflects deepening global unease. Israel's expanding military campaign in Gaza, coupled with increased activity by Iranian-backed...
Oil gained more than $1.50 per barrel on Tuesday, rebounding on technical factors and bargain hunting after a decision by OPEC+ to boost output sent prices down in the previous session, although concerns about a market surplus persisted. Brent crude futures were up $1.80, or 3%, to $62.03 a barrel by 1310 GMT, the first gain after six consecutive declines, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude added $1.81, or 3.2%, to $58.94 a barrel. Both benchmarks had settled at their lowest levels since February 2021 on Monday, driven by an OPEC+ decision over the weekend to further speed up oil...
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the performance of the US Dollar (USD) against six major currencies, edges lower while remaining stuck in a very tight range on Tuesday. Market participants are assessing the recent sharp move in the Taiwan Dollar (TWD), which appreciated by more than 5% against the Greenback on Monday before retreating somewhat on Tuesday. Markets are trying to assess if a spillover effect could occur, affecting bigger Asian currencies such as the South Korean Won (KRW), the Japanese Yen (JPY) or the Chinese Renminbi (CNH). Meanwhile, on the geopolitical front, a...
Gold prices rose to a two-week high on Tuesday, as tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump lifted demand for the safe-haven metal, while the Federal Reserve's policy decision this week was also in focus. Spot gold rose 1.4% to $3,381.37 an ounce, as of 1009 GMT, after hitting its highest since April 22 earlier in the session. U.S. gold futures gained 2% to $3,389.20. "The structural factors that supported gold in recent weeks are all still around - trade tensions are not fixed, concern about the dollar as a reserve currency," said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo. "We are still...
The AUD/USD pair corrects sharply to near 0.6450 in Tuesday's European session from the five-month high of 0.6500 posted on Monday. The Aussie pair retraces as the Australian Dollar (AUD) underperforms across the board due to a slowdown in business activity in China. Signs of moderate growth in economic activities in China weigh heavily on the Aussie Dollar, given Australia's significant reliance on its exports to Beijing. Caixin Manufacturing and Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data for April have demonstrated that businesses are facing pressure due to the fallout of higher...