Gold traded just shy of last week's all-time high as unexpectedly weak economic data and rising expectations for inflation helped boost haven demand. Bullion was around $2,937 an ounce, after notching its eighth weekly gain — the longest run since 2020. Gains have been supported by a sharp increase in demand for bullion-backed exchange-traded funds, with holdings last week jumping the most since 2022. Reports on Friday showed US business activity slowed, consumer confidence waned and expectations for inflation surged. The Federal Reserve's Chicago President Austan...
AUD/USD drifts higher to near 0.6370 in Monday's early Asian session, adding 0.25% on the day. China vowed to adopt more targeted measures to stimulate consumer spending, supporting the Aussie. Renewed trade tensions could boost the US dollar and cap the upside for the pair. The AUD/USD pair edges higher to near 0.6370 during the early Asian session on Monday. The Australian Dollar (AUD) attracts some buyers as the Chinese government announced rural revitalisation plans in its annual policy blueprint. According to the State Council's annual rural policy blueprint, China will intensify rural...
The GBP/USD pair kicks off the new week on a positive note and climbs above mid-1.2600s during the Asian session, closer to over a two-month top touched on Friday. Spot prices now look to build on the momentum beyond the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) amid a weaker sentiment surrounding the US Dollar (USD). In fact, the USD Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback against a basket of currencies, drops to its lowest level since December 10 amid doubts about US consumer health, fueled by a disappointing sales forecast from Walmart. Moreover, worries over the impact of US President Donald...
The Japanese Yen (JPY) builds on last week's strong gains against its American counterpart and drags the USD/JPY pair below the 149.00 mark, or the lowest level since early December during the Asian session on Monday. Japan's strong Consumer Price Index (CPI) released on Friday comes on top of the upbeat Q4 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth report last week. This, along with expectations that sustained wage gains would spur consumer spending, suggests that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) might hike interest rates more aggressively than initially thought and continue to underpin the JPY. Apart...
The euro firmed on Monday after Germany's opposition conservatives won the national election as expected, while the dollar extended its decline on mounting worries over the growth outlook of the U.S. economy. Friedrich Merz was set to become Germany's next chancellor after his party emerged victorious in Sunday's election, though he faces complex and lengthy coalition negotiations after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to a historic second place in a fractured vote. The euro extended gains from early in the session to last trade 0.46% higher at $1.0508. Investors' focus...