The Bank of Japan did exactly what the market expected, raising the interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.25%, the highest level since 1995. In a textbook scenario, such tightening should support the currency. Meanwhile, the yen reacted with a weakening, and the USDJPY pair dynamically returned above the 157 barrier. This is the […]
USD/IDR halts its six-day winning streak, trading around 17,780 during Asian hours on Friday. The currency pair continues to hold its losses, with the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) drawing strength from a pullback in crude oil prices. Lower energy costs have helped ease fears of imported inflation across the region. Crude prices tumbled following reports that […]
Gold (XAU/USD) attracts some buyers for the second straight day, though it remains below the weekly top through the Asian session on Friday amid mixed cues. US bond yields retreat further from multi-year highs as the recent pullback in crude oil prices helped alleviate immediate fears of runaway inflation. This, in turn, keeps US Dollar […]
WTI crude oil prices are consolidating below the mid-$96 area on Friday after failing to extend the latest rebound from $94.65, but the broader technical structure remains constructive as escalating Middle East tensions keep a geopolitical risk premium embedded in oil prices. West Texas Intermediate is trading around $96.35 per barrel, down roughly 0.20% on […]
The EUR/USD pair trades in positive territory around 1.1490 during the early European session on Friday, bolstered by a weaker US Dollar (USD). However, the potential upside of the major pair might be limited amid a hawkish interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve (Fed). Traders will take more cues from Fed Governor Michelle Bowman’s speech later on Friday. The […]
US technology stocks staged a powerful rebound Thursday despite the Federal Reserve delivering its first interest-rate increase since 2023, with the Nasdaq Composite jumping 1.7%, the S&P 500 rising 1.1% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gaining 0.6%. At first glance, the move appears counterintuitive. The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 […]
The oil market entered the week with traders expecting a potentially sharp increase in crude prices after a major escalation in Middle Eastern supply risks. Attacks by the Houthis, an Iranian-backed group, targeted more than 70 sites in Saudi Arabia, including the strategically important East-West pipeline, which allows Saudi crude to bypass the Strait of […]
The Japanese yen weakened toward 157 per dollar on Friday, falling to a two-week low despite the Bank of Japan raising its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1.25%. The increase was widely expected and lifted the BOJ policy rate to its highest level since 1995, but investors are now looking beyond the rate […]
US heating oil prices eased to around $5.05 per gallon, retreating from a record high of $5.26 reached earlier this week as rising distillate inventories and potential alternative routes for Middle Eastern crude offered some relief to an exceptionally tight market. The pullback remains limited, however, with US distillate inventories still 13% below their five-year […]
US natural gas futures fell more than 1% on Friday to around $2.85/MMBtu, reversing the previous session’s gains as cooler weather forecasts reduced expectations for late-September cooling demand. The latest forecasts show above-average temperatures covering a smaller portion of the South and Southeast from September 22 through October 1, potentially reducing natural gas demand from […]