The USD sell-off has caused the AUD to appreciate beyond what the recent shift in the rates outlook would imply. Geopolitics and AI-generated investor nervousness have contributed to a growing pivot out of the USD since the beginning of the year, if not out of US-domiciled assets necessarily. The result has been compressed credit spreads…
US GDP and PCE inflation are main highlights, plus the Fed minutes. UK and Japan have busy calendars too with focus on CPI. Flash PMIs for February will also be doing the rounds. RBNZ meets, is unlikely to follow RBA’s hawkish path. Dovish Fed bets suffer a fresh blow The US jobs report for January,…
Australia’s Westpac Consumer Sentiment Index fell -2.6% mom to 90.5 in February, reflecting the immediate impact of the RBA’s first rate hike in more than two years. However, Westpac noted that the overall hit to confidence was “relatively mild” by historical standards. The February decline was smaller than the average fall typically seen after rate…
After days dominated by fears of an intensified tech rout and structural disruption from artificial intelligence, markets ended the week on a steadier footing. While volatility picked up meaningfully, Friday’s price action made clear that talk of an imminent trend reversal remains premature. Investors responded to midweek stress not by abandoning equities wholesale, but by…
In focus today The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced yesterday that the ongoing partial government shutdown will cause a delay to Friday’s January Jobs Report release. This also affects the annual NFP benchmark revisions that were due for release on Friday, as well as the December JOLTs data, that was supposed to be…
Week in review Kevin Warsh nominated as the next US Federal Reserve Chair. Commodity markets saw a sharp reversal, with silver down 27%. Key focus for the week ahead: Alphabet and Amazon earnings. Central Banks (RBA, BoE, ECB) meet ahead of the January NFP report. A blockbuster week for global markets with wild price swings,…
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), an independent government body acting as the national corporate regulator, has identified regulatory gaps in fast-growing fintech areas, especially digital assets. The regulator’s new report titled “Key issues outlook 2026” released Tuesday expressed concerns that consumers are exposed to the rapidly expanding and unlicensed crypto, payments and artificial…
Dollar found a modest bid early in the U.S. session after weekly jobless claims came in better than expected, offering a brief reminder that U.S. labor market conditions remain relatively resilient. The reaction, however, was restrained, and the greenback failed to generate meaningful follow-through. That muted response highlights the broader backdrop. Dollar remains the weakest…
December 10, 2025December 10, 2025 Australia’s new law banning social media for anyone under 16 officially kicked in on 10th December. It blocks children from creating accounts on major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X. Under the Online Safety Amendment Act 2024, the responsibility of age…
Dollar spent most of the week pinned to the bottom of the performance board, as a steady flow of data reinforced expectations for a Fed rate cut in December. Even though selling pressure eased slightly into Friday—thanks in part to a surprisingly firm rebound in longer-dated Treasury yields—the greenback still struggled to find a foothold….