Trading news

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee said on Thursday that he is concerned about the timing of rising oil prices, stating that they could hinder efforts to reduce inflation.

The GBP/JPY consolidates at around 211.00 as risk appetite turned sour due to increasing tensions in the Middle East after US President Donald Trump revealed that the US forces' mission would extend between two and three weeks.

US President Donald Trump touted the destruction of a bridge in Tehran, Iran. He warned that there was “much more to follow” and urged Tehran to “make a deal before it is too late."

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that could slap up to 100% on certain imported medicines from companies that don't reach deals with his administration in the coming months, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

Gold price (XAU/USD) faces some selling pressure to near $4,675 during the early Asian session on Friday. The precious metal falls as US President Donald Trump's comments about the war with Iran spiked oil prices. Trading activity remains muted due to Good Friday.

UOB’s Global Economics & Markets Research, led by Enrico Tanuwidjaja and Vincentius Ming Shen, notes that Indonesia’s trade surplus widened slightly in February 2026 to USD1.27bn, extending 70 months of gains.

ING’s Min Joo Kang notes that South Korea’s March consumer price inflation rose modestly, with government fuel caps and food vouchers limiting the impact of higher Oil costs. Core inflation eased slightly, but ING expects recent energy and currency moves to push prices higher in coming months.

The NZD/USD pair is trading around the 0.5710 region, maintaining a bearish tone amid heightened geopolitical tensions and risk aversion, as the US Dollar (USD) strengthens.

Thursday's session was a downer for the British Pound. GBP/USD opened near 1.3300, sold off steadily through the day, and closed around 1.3220, losing 0.65%.

USD/JPY is heading into Friday's Asia session trading just below 159.60, and the setup going into the long Easter weekend is about as uncomfortable as it gets for Yen traders on either side.

Commerzbank’s Volkmar Baur highlights that China’s economy started 2026 slightly better than expected, driven by a sharp rise in exports and a swelling current account surplus.

South Korea FX Reserves dipped from previous 427.62B to 423.66B in March

United Overseas Bank’s Quek Ser Leang notes that USD/SGD is currently under near-term pressure toward 1.2760, but the broader technical backdrop still points to a recovery phase in the second quarter.

The Australian Dollar retreats by 0.36% on Thursday following harsh remarks by US President Donald Trump, who, rather than seeking to de-escalate the conflict, warned that it would last 2 to 3 weeks and would hit Iran harder.

DBS Group Research economist Radhika Rao discusses new Reserve Bank of India (RBI) measures aimed at defending the Indian Rupee (INR). The RBI has barred banks from offering rupee NDF contracts to residents and offshore users while keeping deliverable hedging channels open.

Standard Chartered’s Ethan Lester notes that global manufacturing PMIs stayed in expansionary territory in March for an eighth straight month, even as the pace of growth eased from February’s 44‑month high.

Silver (XAG/USD) trades with a downside bias on Thursday, coming under pressure as macro headwinds stemming from the ongoing US–Israel war with Iran weigh on sentiment.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) bounced back toward the 100.00 area after United States (US) President Donald Trump said the US would intensify strikes on Iran over the next two to three weeks, crushing hopes for a near-term de-escalation and reviving safe-haven demand for the Greenback.

Gold price recoils by some 2% as the US Dollar rises after US President Donald Trump revealed that the war on Iran would last from two to three weeks, pouring cold water on hopes for a quick resolution to the Middle East conflict.

Commerzbank’s Volkmar Baur expects the Chinese Yuan (CNY) to edge higher against the US Dollar (USD) while staying undervalued versus most other currencies. The bank projects USD/CNY at 6.90 by June 2026 and 6.70 by late 2027, with EUR/CNY broadly stable.