Forex News
- AUD/JPY softens to near 113.45 in Thursday’s early European session.
- The cross maintains a constructive outlook, with bullish RSI momentum.
- The immediate resistance level is seen at 113.70; the initial support level to watch is 112.65.
The AUD/JPY cross trades in negative territory around 113.45 during the early European trading hours on Thursday. Verbal intervention from Japanese authorities provides some support to the Japanese Yen (JPY) against the Australian Dollar (AUD).
Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Thursday that the authorities are ready to take appropriate action on currency anytime as needed. She added that the officials will track market trends and economic data to ensure fiscal sustainability.
Senior officials from the Bank of Japan (BoJ) noted that a delay in stimulus adjustment amid high inflation risk could trigger an economic downturn. However, a Reuters survey showed earlier Thursday that nearly half of Japanese firms are experiencing negative business impact from the BoJ's interest rate hikes, with higher borrowing costs hurting bottom lines and discouraging capital investment.
Technical Analysis:
In the daily chart, AUD/JPY holds a bullish near-term bias as price remains above the 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) and the Bollinger Bands 20-period middle band, suggesting the broader uptrend is still supported despite recent consolidation. The latest Relative Strength Index (14) reading around 57 keeps momentum on the constructive side, hinting that buyers retain control as long as the pair stays comfortably above the lower Bollinger band at 111.10.
On the topside, initial resistance emerges at the Bollinger upper band around 113.70, where a sustained break would open the door to the May 13 high of 114.74.
On the downside, the first layer of support is seen at the 100-day SMA at 112.65, followed by the Bollinger middle band near 112.40, while a deeper pullback towards the lower band at 111.10 would be needed to seriously challenge the prevailing bullish structure.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Japanese Yen FAQs
The Japanese Yen (JPY) is one of the world’s most traded currencies. Its value is broadly determined by the performance of the Japanese economy, but more specifically by the Bank of Japan’s policy, the differential between Japanese and US bond yields, or risk sentiment among traders, among other factors.
One of the Bank of Japan’s mandates is currency control, so its moves are key for the Yen. The BoJ has directly intervened in currency markets sometimes, generally to lower the value of the Yen, although it refrains from doing it often due to political concerns of its main trading partners. The BoJ ultra-loose monetary policy between 2013 and 2024 caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks. More recently, the gradually unwinding of this ultra-loose policy has given some support to the Yen.
Over the last decade, the BoJ’s stance of sticking to ultra-loose monetary policy has led to a widening policy divergence with other central banks, particularly with the US Federal Reserve. This supported a widening of the differential between the 10-year US and Japanese bonds, which favored the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen. The BoJ decision in 2024 to gradually abandon the ultra-loose policy, coupled with interest-rate cuts in other major central banks, is narrowing this differential.
The Japanese Yen is often seen as a safe-haven investment. This means that in times of market stress, investors are more likely to put their money in the Japanese currency due to its supposed reliability and stability. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen the Yen’s value against other currencies seen as more risky to invest in.
- USD/IDR holds ground as surging oil import costs pressure the Indonesian Rupiah's trade balance.
- The US Dollar recovers losses as rising US-Iran tensions boost oil prices, triggering risk aversion and fresh inflation concerns.
- The CME FedWatch Tool shows the implied probability of a September Fed rate hike falling to 44% from 50%.
USD/IDR gains ground after two days of losses, trading around 18,100 during the Asian hours on Thursday. The pair holds ground as the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) faces downward pressure as surging oil import costs stretch the nation's trade balance and stoke inflation. This heightens market anticipation ahead of Bank Indonesia’s (BI) policy meeting next week, with traders gauging whether the central bank will unleash further rate hikes to defend the currency following its cumulative 100 basis points of tightening in May–June.
While defensive monetary action and upcoming government fiscal interventions to cap food and industrial costs offer a safety net, the IDR remains vulnerable to broader risk-off sentiment.
The US Dollar (USD) recovers its daily losses amid rising risk aversion, which could be attributed to United States (US)-Iran tensions boosting oil prices and sparking fresh inflation concerns. This geopolitical friction threatens to prolong the Federal Reserve's (Fed) higher interest rate environment.
Traders are closely assessing the Federal Reserve's policy outlook in light of recently softened US inflation data. Tuesday’s US Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined to 3.5% in June from the three-year high of 4.2% set in May, coming in well below the market expectation of 3.8%. This weaker consumer inflation data initially helped reduce immediate concerns that the Fed would soon raise interest rates.
CME FedWatch Tool suggests that markets scaled back expectations for a Fed rate hike in September, with the implied probability falling to around 44% from 50% just a day earlier. However, because the interim US-Iran peace agreement reached last month has effectively unraveled, June’s inflation data does not yet capture the economic impact of this latest military escalation between the US and Iran.
Inflation FAQs
Inflation measures the rise in the price of a representative basket of goods and services. Headline inflation is usually expressed as a percentage change on a month-on-month (MoM) and year-on-year (YoY) basis. Core inflation excludes more volatile elements such as food and fuel which can fluctuate because of geopolitical and seasonal factors. Core inflation is the figure economists focus on and is the level targeted by central banks, which are mandated to keep inflation at a manageable level, usually around 2%.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices of a basket of goods and services over a period of time. It is usually expressed as a percentage change on a month-on-month (MoM) and year-on-year (YoY) basis. Core CPI is the figure targeted by central banks as it excludes volatile food and fuel inputs. When Core CPI rises above 2% it usually results in higher interest rates and vice versa when it falls below 2%. Since higher interest rates are positive for a currency, higher inflation usually results in a stronger currency. The opposite is true when inflation falls.
Although it may seem counter-intuitive, high inflation in a country pushes up the value of its currency and vice versa for lower inflation. This is because the central bank will normally raise interest rates to combat the higher inflation, which attract more global capital inflows from investors looking for a lucrative place to park their money.
Formerly, Gold was the asset investors turned to in times of high inflation because it preserved its value, and whilst investors will often still buy Gold for its safe-haven properties in times of extreme market turmoil, this is not the case most of the time. This is because when inflation is high, central banks will put up interest rates to combat it. Higher interest rates are negative for Gold because they increase the opportunity-cost of holding Gold vis-a-vis an interest-bearing asset or placing the money in a cash deposit account. On the flipside, lower inflation tends to be positive for Gold as it brings interest rates down, making the bright metal a more viable investment alternative.
- Gold meets with a fresh supply on Thursday as energy-driven inflation fears fuel Fed hike bets.
- Escalating US-Iran tensions support the safe-haven USD, which contributes to the intraday fall.
- The technical setup seems tilted in favor of bears and backs the case for further depreciation.
Gold (XAU/USD) attracts fresh sellers during the Asian session on Thursday and drops back closer to the previous day's swing low, around the $4,025 region in the last hour. Despite soft US Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) reports, elevated crude oil prices keep the possibility of a US Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate hike later this year firmly on the table. This offers some support to the US Dollar (USD) and drives flows away from the non-yielding bullion.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Wednesday that the PPI unexpectedly fell 0.3% in June after a downwardly revised 0.6% rise in the previous month. Moreover, the yearly rate decelerated from 6% in May to 5.5% last month. This comes on top of the steepest month-on-month decline in the US CPI since April 2020 and indicates easing price pressures. Traders reacted by paring their expectations of an immediate Fed rate hike, which dragged the USD to its lowest level since June 18 and offered some support to the Gold price on Wednesday.
However, risks of the energy-driven inflation persist as crude oil prices stand firm near a one-month high amid escalating US-Iran tensions and supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. In fact, the US carried out another round of airstrikes against Iran on Wednesday, targeting coastal defense systems and missile infrastructure. Iran responded with retaliatory drone and missile attacks on US-linked military facilities across the region. Moreover, US President Donald Trump warned that critical Iranian infrastructure could be targeted if the situation continues to deteriorate.
Adding to this, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened to expand the conflict by targeting additional regional energy supply routes. This suggests that Iran could use its Houthi allies in Yemen to threaten shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This continues to support crude oil prices, reviving inflationary fears and backing the case for at least one 25-basis-point (bps) Fed rate hike in 2026. This, in turn, might hold back the USD bears from placing aggressive bets and suggests that the path of least resistance for the Gold price remains to the downside.
XAU/USD daily chart
Gold bears might await break and acceptance below $4,000 before placing fresh bets
The XAU/USD pair keeps the near-term bias bearish below the 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) and within a broader downward parallel channel. However, mixed momentum indicators – a modestly positive Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) reading around 9.43 and a Relative Strength Index (RSI) near 40.77 – hint at only tentative stabilization rather than a sustained recovery.
That said, a sustained break and acceptance below the $4,000 psychological mark would expose the year-to-date low, around the $3,943-$3,942 region, touched in June. The subsequent fall could extend further and drag the Gold price to a key structural support around $3,675.71, representing the lower band of the channel. A decisive break below this level would reinforce the prevailing bearish tone.
On the topside, initial resistance emerges at the upper boundary of the descending channel near $4,093.63, where any rebound would likely face selling pressure. A sustained break above that area would expose the 200-day SMA as the next significant barrier around $4,495.94.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Interest rates FAQs
Interest rates are charged by financial institutions on loans to borrowers and are paid as interest to savers and depositors. They are influenced by base lending rates, which are set by central banks in response to changes in the economy. Central banks normally have a mandate to ensure price stability, which in most cases means targeting a core inflation rate of around 2%. If inflation falls below target the central bank may cut base lending rates, with a view to stimulating lending and boosting the economy. If inflation rises substantially above 2% it normally results in the central bank raising base lending rates in an attempt to lower inflation.
Higher interest rates generally help strengthen a country’s currency as they make it a more attractive place for global investors to park their money.
Higher interest rates overall weigh on the price of Gold because they increase the opportunity cost of holding Gold instead of investing in an interest-bearing asset or placing cash in the bank. If interest rates are high that usually pushes up the price of the US Dollar (USD), and since Gold is priced in Dollars, this has the effect of lowering the price of Gold.
The Fed funds rate is the overnight rate at which US banks lend to each other. It is the oft-quoted headline rate set by the Federal Reserve at its FOMC meetings. It is set as a range, for example 4.75%-5.00%, though the upper limit (in that case 5.00%) is the quoted figure. Market expectations for future Fed funds rate are tracked by the CME FedWatch tool, which shapes how many financial markets behave in anticipation of future Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.
Senior officials from the Bank of Japan (BoJ) said on Thursday that a delay in stimulus adjustment amid high inflation risk could trigger an economic downturn.
Key quotes
Delay in stimulus adjustment amid high inflation risk could trigger economic downturn.
Suitable monetary policy would ensure stable inflation, place economy on sustainable growth trajectory.
When upside inflation risk high as is the case now, delay in adjusting degree of stimulus could materialise such risk, lead to economic downturn in future.
Market reaction
At the time of writing, USD/JPY is down 0.06% on the day at 162.09.
Japanese Yen FAQs
The Japanese Yen (JPY) is one of the world’s most traded currencies. Its value is broadly determined by the performance of the Japanese economy, but more specifically by the Bank of Japan’s policy, the differential between Japanese and US bond yields, or risk sentiment among traders, among other factors.
One of the Bank of Japan’s mandates is currency control, so its moves are key for the Yen. The BoJ has directly intervened in currency markets sometimes, generally to lower the value of the Yen, although it refrains from doing it often due to political concerns of its main trading partners. The BoJ ultra-loose monetary policy between 2013 and 2024 caused the Yen to depreciate against its main currency peers due to an increasing policy divergence between the Bank of Japan and other main central banks. More recently, the gradually unwinding of this ultra-loose policy has given some support to the Yen.
Over the last decade, the BoJ’s stance of sticking to ultra-loose monetary policy has led to a widening policy divergence with other central banks, particularly with the US Federal Reserve. This supported a widening of the differential between the 10-year US and Japanese bonds, which favored the US Dollar against the Japanese Yen. The BoJ decision in 2024 to gradually abandon the ultra-loose policy, coupled with interest-rate cuts in other major central banks, is narrowing this differential.
The Japanese Yen is often seen as a safe-haven investment. This means that in times of market stress, investors are more likely to put their money in the Japanese currency due to its supposed reliability and stability. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen the Yen’s value against other currencies seen as more risky to invest in.
- USD/CHF remains stronger as the US Dollar recovers, fueled by safe-haven buying and prolonged high Fed rates.
- June CPI and PPI reports fell below market expectations, temporarily easing immediate fears of further rate hikes.
- Swiss Franc safe-haven demand, fueled by oil supply disruptions and rising inflation fears, points to further downside for USD/CHF.
USD/CHF inches lower after opening at a bullish gap, remaining in positive territory and trading around 0.8060 during the Asian hours on Thursday. The pair holds ground as the US Dollar (USD) recovers its daily losses amid rising risk aversion, which could be attributed to United States (US)-Iran tensions boosting oil prices and sparking fresh inflation concerns. This geopolitical friction threatens to prolong the Federal Reserve's (Fed) higher interest rate environment.
The Guardian reported that the US Central Command (CENTCOM) launched another wave of strikes as part of a concerted effort to keep the critical Strait of Hormuz open. In a direct escalation of hostilities, CENTCOM confirmed that US aircraft fired missiles into an oil tanker’s smokestack within the strategic passage, effectively disabling the vessel and keeping global markets on edge.
Amid this escalating conflict in the Middle East, traders are closely assessing the Federal Reserve's policy outlook in light of recently softened US inflation data. Tuesday’s US Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined to 3.5% in June from the three-year high of 4.2% set in May, coming in well below the market expectation of 3.8%. This weaker consumer inflation data initially helped reduce immediate concerns that the Fed would soon raise interest rates.
CME FedWatch Tool suggests that markets scaled back expectations for a Fed rate hike in September, with the implied probability falling to around 44% from 50% just a day earlier. However, because the interim US-Iran peace agreement reached last month has effectively unraveled, June’s inflation data does not yet capture the economic impact of this latest military escalation between the US and Iran.
Further supporting this cooling trend, Wednesday's data showed the US Producer Price Index (PPI) declined to 5.5% on a yearly basis in June, down from 6% in May and below the market expectation of 6.2%. On a monthly basis, the PPI dropped by 0.3%, a notable shift from the 0.6% increase recorded in May and an improvement compared to analysts' estimates of no change.
The USD/CHF pair faces further downside as rising inflation fears, triggered by oil supply disruptions, fuel safe-haven demand for the Swiss Franc (CHF). Meanwhile, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) maintained its policy rate at 0%. The central bank reconfirmed its readiness to step into the foreign exchange markets to prevent an excessive appreciation of the franc and shield the economy from imported inflation.
Swiss Franc FAQs
The Swiss Franc (CHF) is Switzerland’s official currency. It is among the top ten most traded currencies globally, reaching volumes that well exceed the size of the Swiss economy. Its value is determined by the broad market sentiment, the country’s economic health or action taken by the Swiss National Bank (SNB), among other factors. Between 2011 and 2015, the Swiss Franc was pegged to the Euro (EUR). The peg was abruptly removed, resulting in a more than 20% increase in the Franc’s value, causing a turmoil in markets. Even though the peg isn’t in force anymore, CHF fortunes tend to be highly correlated with the Euro ones due to the high dependency of the Swiss economy on the neighboring Eurozone.
The Swiss Franc (CHF) is considered a safe-haven asset, or a currency that investors tend to buy in times of market stress. This is due to the perceived status of Switzerland in the world: a stable economy, a strong export sector, big central bank reserves or a longstanding political stance towards neutrality in global conflicts make the country’s currency a good choice for investors fleeing from risks. Turbulent times are likely to strengthen CHF value against other currencies that are seen as more risky to invest in.
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) meets four times a year – once every quarter, less than other major central banks – to decide on monetary policy. The bank aims for an annual inflation rate of less than 2%. When inflation is above target or forecasted to be above target in the foreseeable future, the bank will attempt to tame price growth by raising its policy rate. Higher interest rates are generally positive for the Swiss Franc (CHF) as they lead to higher yields, making the country a more attractive place for investors. On the contrary, lower interest rates tend to weaken CHF.
Macroeconomic data releases in Switzerland are key to assessing the state of the economy and can impact the Swiss Franc’s (CHF) valuation. The Swiss economy is broadly stable, but any sudden change in economic growth, inflation, current account or the central bank’s currency reserves have the potential to trigger moves in CHF. Generally, high economic growth, low unemployment and high confidence are good for CHF. Conversely, if economic data points to weakening momentum, CHF is likely to depreciate.
As a small and open economy, Switzerland is heavily dependent on the health of the neighboring Eurozone economies. The broader European Union is Switzerland’s main economic partner and a key political ally, so macroeconomic and monetary policy stability in the Eurozone is essential for Switzerland and, thus, for the Swiss Franc (CHF). With such dependency, some models suggest that the correlation between the fortunes of the Euro (EUR) and the CHF is more than 90%, or close to perfect.
- The South Korean Won ticks up against the US Dollar as BoK raises interest rates for the first time in three-and-a-half years.
- The BoK was expected to hike policy rates to counter persistent inflationary pressures.
- Traders have dialed down the Fed’s interest rate hike expectations as US inflation cools down.
The South Korean Won (KRW) reflects broader strength against the US Dollar (USD) as the Bank of Korea (BoK) delivers its first interest rate hike in three-and-a-half years, raising rates by 25 basis points (bps) to 2.75%. The USD/KRW pair gives back slight early gains and ticks down to near 1,484.68 in the Asian trade on Thursday.
The pair will likely remain firm as the BoK has kept the door open for further interest rate hikes, in an attempt to stabilize a slumping KRW and tame persistent price pressures. “We will respond until inflation stabilizes to BoK's target level,” BoK Governor Hyun-Song Shin said in a statement. Shin added, “Demand side price pressure may need careful monitoring as it can turn into stronger inflationary pressure if robust increase in Gross Domestic Income (GDI) sustained.”
The Asian currency has been outperforming the US Dollar for over two weeks, as market participants had already priced in an interest rate hike by the BoK.
Meanwhile, the US Dollar strives to regain ground after a sharp sell-off in the last two trading days. As of writing, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which gauges the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, trades marginally higher to near 100.50.
The USD Index fell sharply in the past two trading days as soft United States (US) inflation figures on both the retail and the wholesale level have forced traders to reconsider Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate expectations.
According to the CME FedWatch tool, the odds of the Fed delivering an interest rate hike in the July meeting have dropped significantly to 10.2% from 31% recorded a week ago.
US Dollar FAQs
The US Dollar (USD) is the official currency of the United States of America, and the ‘de facto’ currency of a significant number of other countries where it is found in circulation alongside local notes. It is the most heavily traded currency in the world, accounting for over 88% of all global foreign exchange turnover, or an average of $6.6 trillion in transactions per day, according to data from 2022. Following the second world war, the USD took over from the British Pound as the world’s reserve currency. For most of its history, the US Dollar was backed by Gold, until the Bretton Woods Agreement in 1971 when the Gold Standard went away.
The most important single factor impacting on the value of the US Dollar is monetary policy, which is shaped by the Federal Reserve (Fed). The Fed has two mandates: to achieve price stability (control inflation) and foster full employment. Its primary tool to achieve these two goals is by adjusting interest rates. When prices are rising too quickly and inflation is above the Fed’s 2% target, the Fed will raise rates, which helps the USD value. When inflation falls below 2% or the Unemployment Rate is too high, the Fed may lower interest rates, which weighs on the Greenback.
In extreme situations, the Federal Reserve can also print more Dollars and enact quantitative easing (QE). QE is the process by which the Fed substantially increases the flow of credit in a stuck financial system. It is a non-standard policy measure used when credit has dried up because banks will not lend to each other (out of the fear of counterparty default). It is a last resort when simply lowering interest rates is unlikely to achieve the necessary result. It was the Fed’s weapon of choice to combat the credit crunch that occurred during the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. It involves the Fed printing more Dollars and using them to buy US government bonds predominantly from financial institutions. QE usually leads to a weaker US Dollar.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse process whereby the Federal Reserve stops buying bonds from financial institutions and does not reinvest the principal from the bonds it holds maturing in new purchases. It is usually positive for the US Dollar.
- EUR/JPY near the 186.10 ascending triangle ceiling suggests building bullish pressure.
- The 14-day Relative Strength Index at 56 indicates positive, sustainable upward momentum.
- The currency cross could find the initial support at the nine-day EMA at 185.35.
EUR/JPY depreciates after three days of gains, trading around 185.90 during the Asian hours on Thursday. The currency cross is retaining a constructive bullish bias as it holds above both the nine-period and 50-period Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs). The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) around 56 suggests positive but not overextended momentum, hinting that buyers still control the near-term tone.
The daily chart technical analysis shows the EUR/JPY cross positioning near the upper boundary of an ascending triangle around 186.10, suggesting that price crowding right against that flat ceiling indicates that buyers are aggressively absorbing all selling pressure at that level. This positioning shows immense bullish pressure. Since the dips are getting shallower, staying near the top suggests a breakout above resistance is likely building up.
A decisive daily close above this upper boundary typically triggers a powerful bullish continuation, which could expose the all-time high of 187.95, which was recorded on April 17.
On the downside, primary support lies at the nine-day EMA at 185.35, followed by the 50-day EMA at 185.05. Further declines would put downward pressure on the EUR/JPY cross to test the ascending triangle’s lower boundary around 184.70. A break below the triangle would expose the four-month low of 181.87, recorded on March 16, and the six-month low of 180.81.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool. Know more.)
Euro Price Today
The table below shows the percentage change of Euro (EUR) against listed major currencies today. Euro was the weakest against the Japanese Yen.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.00% | 0.12% | -0.05% | 0.08% | 0.09% | 0.12% | 0.11% | |
| EUR | -0.00% | 0.11% | -0.04% | 0.08% | 0.19% | 0.13% | 0.10% | |
| GBP | -0.12% | -0.11% | -0.15% | -0.02% | 0.06% | 0.02% | 0.00% | |
| JPY | 0.05% | 0.04% | 0.15% | 0.09% | 0.20% | 0.16% | 0.15% | |
| CAD | -0.08% | -0.08% | 0.02% | -0.09% | 0.10% | 0.07% | 0.05% | |
| AUD | -0.09% | -0.19% | -0.06% | -0.20% | -0.10% | -0.01% | -0.05% | |
| NZD | -0.12% | -0.13% | -0.02% | -0.16% | -0.07% | 0.01% | -0.03% | |
| CHF | -0.11% | -0.10% | -0.01% | -0.15% | -0.05% | 0.05% | 0.03% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/USD (quote).
- DXY struggles to attract any meaningful buyers as signs of easing inflation temper Fed hike bets.
- Energy-driven inflation fears and escalating US-Iran tensions help limit losses for the Greenback.
- Traders now look to US economic data for some impetus amid a mixed fundamental backdrop.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback against a basket of currencies, is seen consolidating around the 100.50 region during the Asian session on Thursday, close to the nearly four-week low touched the previous day. Receding US Federal Reserve (Fed) rate hike expectations favor USD bears, though energy-driven inflation fears and escalating US-Iran tensions help limit further losses.
Data released on Wednesday showed that the US Producer Price Index (PPI) fell 0.3% in June, compared to a revised 0.6% rise in the previous month. This comes on top of a soft US Consumer Price Index (CPI) report on Tuesday and eased concerns about the Fed keeping interest rates higher for an extended period. This, in turn, is seen as a key factor that acts as a headwind for the US Dollar (USD) and validates the near-term negative outlook.
On the geopolitical front, the conflict between the US and Iran has intensified sharply since the beginning of this week, with both sides carrying out fresh rounds of attacks. US forces launched new airstrikes on Wednesday, targeting Iranian missile and drone infrastructure. Tehran responded with retaliatory drone and missile attacks on US-linked military facilities across the region, which points to a deepening military confrontation.
US President Donald Trump further escalated tensions and warned that critical Iranian infrastructure, such as power plants and bridges, could be targeted if the situation continues to deteriorate. Furthermore, a US aircraft fired on an unladen oil tanker as it tried to break the naval blockade of Iranian ports. Meanwhile, Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to expand disruptions to the Bab el-Mandeb strait.
This could severely affect maritime trade and global energy supply, which remains supportive of elevated oil prices and keeps the geopolitical risk premium in play. Moreover, bets for at least one 25-basis-points (bps) rate hike by the Fed remain firmly on the table, which, in turn, is holding back the USD bears from positioning for any further losses. Traders now look to the US macroeconomic releases for some impetus later this Thursday.
US Dollar Price This week
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies this week. US Dollar was the strongest against the Japanese Yen.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.54% | -1.01% | 0.21% | -0.75% | -0.61% | -1.27% | -0.23% | |
| EUR | 0.54% | -0.48% | 0.78% | -0.22% | -0.12% | -0.74% | 0.32% | |
| GBP | 1.01% | 0.48% | 1.23% | 0.29% | 0.36% | -0.27% | 0.84% | |
| JPY | -0.21% | -0.78% | -1.23% | -1.05% | -0.82% | -1.53% | -0.49% | |
| CAD | 0.75% | 0.22% | -0.29% | 1.05% | 0.23% | -0.49% | 0.57% | |
| AUD | 0.61% | 0.12% | -0.36% | 0.82% | -0.23% | -0.63% | 0.34% | |
| NZD | 1.27% | 0.74% | 0.27% | 1.53% | 0.49% | 0.63% | 1.11% | |
| CHF | 0.23% | -0.32% | -0.84% | 0.49% | -0.57% | -0.34% | -1.11% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).
Forex Market News
Our dedicated focus on forex news and insights empowers you to capitalise on investment opportunities in the dynamic FX market. The forex landscape is ever-evolving, characterised by continuous exchange rate fluctuations shaped by vast influential factors. From economic data releases to geopolitical developments, these events can sway market sentiment and drive substantial movements in currency valuations.
At Rakuten Securities Hong Kong, we prioritise delivering timely and accurate forex news updates sourced from reputable platforms like FXStreet. This ensures you stay informed about crucial market developments, enabling informed decision-making and proactive strategy adjustments. Whether you’re monitoring forex forecasts, analysing trading perspectives, or seeking to capitalise on emerging trends, our comprehensive approach equips you with the insights needed to navigate the FX market effectively.
Stay ahead with our comprehensive forex news coverage, designed to keep you informed and prepared to seize profitable opportunities in the dynamic world of forex trading.
