Author: FX

USD/JPY trades lower around 158.00 on Friday at the time of writing, down 0.40% on the day, as the Japanese Yen (JPY) regains some traction against the US Dollar (USD). The move reflects increased caution among investors, with intervention risks from Japanese authorities returning to the forefront after several weeks of persistent Japanese Yen weakness.On the US side, the US Dollar continues to be supported by still-robust fundamentals. Recent macroeconomic data confirm the resilience of the US economy, particularly in the labor market and consumer spending. Weekly Initial Jobless Claims published by the US Department of Labor fell to 198,000…

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US Oil trades around $59.80 per barrel on Friday at the time of writing, up 1.60% on the day. The Crude Oil is recovering part of the ground lost over the previous two sessions as investors reassess geopolitical risks in the Middle East following more cautious remarks from the White House regarding Iran.US President Donald Trump said he had stepped back from the threat of military action after receiving assurances that no further executions would take place and that violence would subside. According to several sources cited by Reuters, Israel and other regional allies also urged…

GBP/USD flat near 1.3380 as strong data boosts the US DollarThe British Pound (GBP) trades sideways against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday during the North American session, after reaching a daily high of 1.3413, but solid US data released this week capped Sterling’s advance. GBP/USD trades at 1.3380 and continues to distance from the 200-day SMA key technical level at 1.3405. Read More…GBP/USD returns above 1.3400 as the US Dollar rally loses steamThe Pound is trimming losses against the US Dollar on Friday, with price action returning above 1.3400 ahead of the US session opening, up from Thursday’s lows near 1.3360.…

Federal Reserve (Fed) Vice Chair Michelle Bowman said that, given the risks, the Fed should not signal a pause in its rate-cutting campaign, in a speech at the New England Economic Forum in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Friday.Key takeawaysGiven risks, Fed should not signal a pause in rate-cutting campaign.US Central Bank should stand ready to cut interest rates again given labor market risks.Risk to Fed’s mandates is asymmetric, with job risks outweighing inflation concerns.Monetary policy is moderately restrictive right now.Inflation pressures are easing as tariff influences abate.Fed policymaking should be forward looking and driven by forecasts.Given risks, Fed policy should be…

The Euro (EUR) turns lower against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday, surrendering intraday gains as renewed demand for the Greenback keeps the pair on the defensive. At the time of writing, EUR/USD is trading flat near 1.1600, after briefly sliding to its lowest level since November 28.The US Dollar draws support from stronger-than-expected US economic data, which has reinforced the view that the Federal Reserve (Fed) can afford to hold off on cutting interest rates in the near term.Further supporting the US Dollar, comments from White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett helped ease investor concerns over recent…

The price of Silver continued its upward trajectory this week, reaching a record high of $93.75 per troy ounce on Thursday morning. As a result, the Gold/Silver ratio briefly slipped below the 50 mark for the first time since March 2012. Since the beginning of the year, Silver has risen in price by around 30%. By comparison, the price of Gold rose by ‘only’ 7% over the same period. Last year, Silver had already significantly outperformed Gold with a price increase of almost 150%, Commerzbank’s commodity analyst Carsten Fritsch notes. Trump talks ease tariff fears, Silver pulls back 7%”Now, US…

We haven’t heard much from Bowman since she was ruled out as a candidate for Fed Chair.US economy has been resilientWage growth consistent with 2% inflationFed has made considerable progress in lowering inflationUnderlying inflation levels closer to Fed’s 2% targetSays she is concerned about labor market fragilityFirms may start shedding workers unless there is demand improvementExpects ‘solid’ growth, lower inflation and stabilizing job marketGiven risks, Fed policy should be focused on supporting job marketFed policymaking should be forward looking and driven by forecastsInflation pressures are easing as tariff influences abateMonetary policy is ‘moderately restrictive’ right nowRisk to Fed’s mandates is…

Trump seems to rule out Hassett as Fed chair in comments.Trump said that Hassett was good on TV today and that he “may want to keep him where he is”. He added that “we’ll see how it works out”.Trump said to Hassett at a health care event, “I actually want to keep you where you are, if you want to know the truth.”Some Republican Senators have expressed reservations about Hassett because he’s so close to Trump, so he could be harder to confirm than the other three candidates.We have seen some US dollar buying on this headline, as it underscores…

Prior was 39Current single-family home sales 41 vs 42 priorProspective buyers 23 vs 26 priorHome sales expectations over the next six months 49 vs 52 priorIn the past month, US 30-year yields have ticked 5-7 basis points higher but there have been signs of buyers wading in via the latest existing home sales report.NAHB housing indexThe latest survey also revealed that 40% of builders reported cutting prices in December, marking the second consecutive month the share has been at 40% or higher since May 2020. It was 41% in November. Meanwhile, the average price reduction was 5% in December, down…

Sector OverviewToday’s market shows a robust performance in the technology and semiconductor sectors, with companies like Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) leading the gains. Nvidia soared +1.26%, while AMD saw an impressive rise of +2.16%. The semiconductor boom is further bolstered by Micron Technology (MU), climbing +6.55%.On the other side of the spectrum, the healthcare sector is showing signs of struggle, with major players like Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) dropping by -0.36% and UnitedHealth Group (UNH) declining -1.25%. This reflects ongoing market apprehensions surrounding healthcare regulations and industry pressures.Market Mood and TrendsThe current market mood is largely…