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Asian stocks slide as chip selloff deepens amid bond, oil fears

Asian equity markets fell broadly on Wednesday, August 19, as a semiconductor selloff that began on Wall Street rippled across the region, dragging major chip stocks lower while elevated bond yields and geopolitical tensions kept investors in a defensive posture.

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Chinese yuan hits 3½-year high as dollar slides

The Chinese yuan strengthened to approximately 6.74 per dollar on Monday, extending a rally that has brought the currency to its highest level in roughly three and a half years as the U.S. dollar continues to weaken amid fading expectations…

US dollar slides to two-month low as Fed hike bets fade

The US dollar slid to its lowest level in more than two months on Monday as a string of soft economic data led traders to sharply reduce bets on further Federal Reserve interest rate increases, boosting rival currencies from the…

Asian markets mixed as Japan’s GDP growth misses forecasts

Japan's Nikkei 225 climbed in early Monday trading even as government data showed the economy grew at a slower-than-expected pace in the second quarter, while the yen edged higher against the dollar as traders recalibrated expectations for US monetary policy.

Asian currencies gain as Fed rate hike odds fall to 30%

Asian currencies strengthened against the US dollar on August 17, 2026, as market expectations for a Federal Reserve rate hike in September faded following a string of weaker-than-expected US economic data.

Global stocks slip as U.S.-Iran standoff lifts oil prices

Global equities retreated on Friday as rising oil prices driven by the deepening US-Iran standoff dampened investor appetite for risk, even as softer US economic data tempered expectations of further Federal Reserve tightening.

Global stocks hover near records as US inflation dims rate hike odds

Global stocks hovered near record highs on Friday as benign US inflation data released this week pushed back expectations for a Federal Reserve rate hike, with traders now pricing only a 35% chance of a September increase, down from 55%…

Dollar drifts lower as inflation data curbs Fed rate hike bets

The U.S. dollar drifted lower on Thursday after benign inflation readings reduced the likelihood of a September rate hike by the Federal Reserve, with the dollar index stalling below the 100.00 level even as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East…

Asian stocks rally as soft U.S. inflation dents Fed hike bets

Asian equities climbed broadly on Thursday after U.S. consumer prices rose in line with expectations in July, easing concerns about an imminent Federal Reserve rate hike and sending South Korea's Kospi surging nearly 5% in a rally led by semiconductor…

Yen holds near 159 after soft US CPI eases pressure

The Japanese yen clung to modest gains against the US dollar on Wednesday, trading near 159 per dollar, after the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index rose just 0.1% month-over-month in July — a reading soft…

Policy sentiment turns hawkish at 12 of 14 major central banks

Policy-outlook sentiment has turned more hawkish at 12 of 14 major central banks over the past year, even as the Federal Reserve and Bank of England have kept rates unchanged since December, according to data published Monday by Permutable.

Oil, gold climb on shipping attacks and tensions ahead of CPI

Oil and gold prices climbed on Wednesday as escalating geopolitical risks — including attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, a North Korean missile launch, and stalled negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz — drove investors toward safe-haven and energy…

Brent crude hits six-session winning streak as Hormuz talks stall

Brent crude rose for a sixth consecutive session on Tuesday, reaching around $89 a barrel, as fading hopes for a quick reopening of the Strait of Hormuz kept energy markets on edge and stoked inflation fears ahead of a pivotal…

EIA raises oil forecast as Hormuz standoff fuels inflation fears

Deutsche Bank strategists warned on Tuesday that the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz has pushed Brent crude oil above $85 a barrel, reviving inflation fears on both sides of the Atlantic and renewing speculation about hawkish central bank…

Emerging-market stocks, currencies climb after weak US jobs report

Emerging-market stocks and currencies rallied on Monday as investors recalibrated their expectations for Federal Reserve policy following Friday's unexpectedly weak US employment report, which showed the first monthly decline in payrolls in five months.

Gold tops $4,400 for first time in two months ahead of key US inflation data

Gold advanced past $4,400 an ounce on Tuesday to reach a two-month high, rising for a third consecutive session as traders positioned ahead of key US inflation data that could shape the Federal Reserve's next move on interest rates.

Dollar climbs as crude oil rally and Middle East tensions boost safe-haven demand

The U.S. dollar index rose 0.22% on Monday as a sharp rally in crude oil prices and climbing Treasury yields bolstered the greenback, while escalating Middle East tensions drove safe-haven demand.

Global markets slide as Hormuz ceasefire collapses

The FTSE 100 opened sharply lower on Monday as the collapse of a fragile ceasefire agreement over transit rights through the Strait of Hormuz rattled investor confidence across European and emerging markets, threatening to reignite inflation in energy-dependent economies.

Dollar sinks to two-month low as markets await CPI data

Global financial markets opened the week in a cautious holding pattern on Monday as investors awaited the US July Consumer Price Index report due Wednesday, August 12, with the dollar hovering near a two-month low after unexpectedly weak jobs data…

European stocks hold flat as Iran’s Hormuz demands cloud outlook

Global stocks held broadly steady on Monday as Iran announced it was nearing a final agreement with Oman on new shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, offering a glimmer of progress on a geopolitical flashpoint that has kept energy…

Asian markets rise as soft US jobs data eases Fed rate hike fears

Asian share markets rose on Monday, tracking Wall Street's record-setting session after a weaker-than-expected US jobs report reduced expectations of a near-term Federal Reserve interest rate hike. Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 0.6 percent, South Korea's Kospi rose 0.5 percent, and…

Yen strengthens as carry trades unwind amid US rate volatility

The Japanese yen has gained ground against the US dollar as rising volatility in American interest rates pushes investors to unwind carry trades and seek safety in the traditional haven currency, according to an analysis from BNY Mellon The Bank…

Pound tops $1.35 after US economy sheds jobs in July

The British pound climbed above the 1.3500 mark against the US dollar on Friday after the US economy unexpectedly shed jobs in July, intensifying bets that the Federal Reserve will ease monetary policy. The GBP/USD pair touched a high of…

Oil swings as Hormuz deal stalls, weak jobs data lifts prices

Crude oil prices whipsawed this week as fragile negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz lurched between hope and disappointment, leaving both major benchmarks on track for weekly losses of more than 9% after a sharp retreat from recent highs above…

Yen gives back intervention gains despite weak US jobs data

The Japanese yen erased much of its post-intervention gains this week, trading near 158.50 per dollar on Friday even as a shockingly weak US jobs report briefly boosted the currency. The USD/JPY pair's resilience above intervention-era lows underscores the market's…

European stocks post best week since June after U.S. jobs miss

European equity markets closed the week on a high note Friday, capping their strongest weekly performance since late June as a sharply disappointing U.S. employment report reshaped expectations for Federal Reserve monetary policy.

Global stocks eye best week since May ahead of key jobs data

Global equities were on course Friday for their strongest weekly gain since May, buoyed by robust corporate earnings fueled by artificial intelligence investment, even as investors braced for a pivotal U.S. jobs report and monitored escalating tensions in the Middle…

Gold surges past $4,350 after U.S. economy sheds jobs in July

Gold surged past $4,350 an ounce on Friday after the U.S. economy unexpectedly shed jobs in July, delivering a dramatic miss that slashed expectations for further Federal Reserve rate hikes and sent investors rushing into the precious metal.

UBS sees gold reaching $5,000 after rally past $4,200

Gold rallied more than 4% on Wednesday, pushing above $4,200 an ounce in its largest single-day gain in months, as the fallout from a rare U.S.-Japan currency intervention continued to reshape market dynamics and raise questions about policymakers' grip on…

Markets on edge ahead of July jobs report amid Fed hike bets

Global markets adopted a cautious posture on Friday as investors awaited the US July Nonfarm Payrolls report, a release expected to shape expectations for the Federal Reserve's next interest rate decision amid persistent inflation concerns tied to the Iran conflict…