Action Insight

Movements in the currency markets today are somewhat mixed today. Commodity currencies are generally underperforming, led by a sharp decline in Australian Dollar. Investor sentiment in Asia was dampened by the lack of detailed stimulus measures from China, following the much-anticipated post-holiday announcement. This disappointment was starkly reflected in...

Hong Kong markets experienced another day of intense volatility, with benchmark HSI plunging over -5% during the morning session as traders rushed to lock in profits from the recent rally. The sell-off came as disappointment spread among investors after China's National Development and Reform Commission failed to deliver concrete...

Risk sentiment is a little bit subdued as US futures trade in the red ahead of North American session. Yen is recovering broadly, partly supported by Japan’s renewed verbal intervention efforts, with traders closely monitoring the possibility of action if USD/JPY breaches 150 psychological level. Swiss Franc and Dollar...

Japan’s verbal intervention re-entered the spotlight today as USD/JPY briefly surged above the 149 mark amid a quiet Asian session. Yen continues to face pressure from the strong rebound in Dollar, driven by traders abandoning bets on of a 50bps Fed rate cut in November. Additionally, rising US and...

The financial markets gained much-needed clarity last week as strong US employment data aligned market expectations with Fed’s own monetary policy outlook. The possibility of a 50bps rate cut in November has now vanished, with traders anticipating two more standard 25bps cuts this year, matching Fed's dot plot. This development...

Dollar surged across the board during early US trading after the all-around stronger-than-expected non-farm payroll report. The data showed much higher-than-anticipated job growth, a slight decrease in unemployment rate, and an acceleration in wage growth. This robust set of figures has led traders to largely abandon bets on a...

Dollar continues to dominate the currency markets this week, holding its position as the strongest performer as focus shifts to the upcoming non-farm payroll report from the US. Market reactions to this data will be crucial in shaping financial movements leading up to FOMC rate decision in November. If...

Sterling fell sharply today after BoE Governor Andrew Bailey surprised markets by suggesting the possibility of aggressive rate cuts in an interview with The Guardian. Market expectations quickly adjusted, with swaps now fully pricing in a 25bps cut in November. The odds of a second 25bps cut in December...

Dollar is gaining some traction, emerging as the strongest currency of the week so far. Several factors are underpinning this momentum. First, Fed Chair Jerome Powell has reaffirmed the expectation of two additional rate cuts this year, adhering to the script established in the latest dot plot. This stance...

Japanese Yen weakened notably in early US session, reacting to rising US Treasury yields, which were boosted by stronger-than-expected US ADP job data. Adding to Yen’s decline, Japan’s new Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, who was initially perceived as a monetary hawk, has softened his stance on interest rate hikes....

Global markets are showing mixed performance as sentiment diverges across regions. In the US, stocks closed lower with traders displaying increased caution. ISM manufacturing report indicated continuation of the prolonged recession in the sector, though without any sharp deterioration. Attention is now focused on upcoming key economic data, including...

Euro declined broadly today after ECB Governing Council member Olli Rehn became the first official to openly indicate that risks are now tilted toward another rate cut in October. Additionally, data showed that Eurozone's headline CPI fell below the ECB's 2% target for the first time since 2021, even...

Dollar stabilized overnight and is attempting to regain ground following recent losses. The greenback found some support after Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks, where he indicated that Fed is in no rush to implement rapid rate cuts. This has reduced market expectations for a 50bps cut at the November...

Forex market activity was relatively subdued during European trading hours, with Euro recovering against both Sterling and Swiss Franc despite lower-than-expected inflation reading from Germany. However, the common currency continues to face resistance in breaking out of its range against Dollar. Markets will keep a close eye on ECB...

Asian financial markets are displaying significant divergence today. Japan's Nikkei index has plummeted over -4%, reacting sharply to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's election results from last Friday. Shigeru Ishiba, the newly elected LDP leader and Japan's incoming Prime Minister, attempted to soften his previously hawkish stance on the...

Unexpected developments from Asia significantly influenced global financial markets last week. China's surprise stimulus measures invigorated investor sentiment, leading to substantial gains in Chinese and Hong Kong equities, as well as strengthening Chinese Yuan. This positive shift boosted commodity-linked currencies, with New Zealand Dollar and Australian Dollar emerging as...

Risk-on sentiment returned to global markets again in early US trading, driven by lower-than-expected inflation data. While annual PCE core inflation edged up to 2.7%, the monthly increase was a modest 0.1%. This tamer monthly inflation growth suggests that underlying price pressures would, at least, not obstruct Fed's to...

Risk-on sentiment continues to dominate global financial markets today, driven by widespread monetary easing and a significant boost from China’s latest stimulus measures. US equities finished strong overnight, with all major indexes posting gains. S&P 500 hit a fresh record for the third consecutive time this week. Meanwhile, Germany’s...

Swiss Franc remained relatively stable today following SNB's decision to cut its policy rate by 25bps, bringing it down to 1.00%. This move defied some market speculations that anticipated a larger 50bps reduction. Despite opting for a smaller cut, SNB issued a decidedly dovish statement, sharply downgrading its inflation...

Asian markets are maintaining a risk-on tone today, despite the lackluster US market performance overnight. Sentiment remains buoyed by China’s recent monetary stimulus measures, even as doubts linger about their overall effectiveness due to the absence of significant fiscal support. Nevertheless, stocks in Hong Kong and China continue to...