Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as USD/JPY Nears 161 Amid Yen Weakness 
Trump Questions USMCA Renewal as Trade Talks Continue 
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Oil Prices Drop as U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Eases Supply Concerns 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
German Auto Suppliers Turn Bearish as Investment and Jobs Shift Overseas 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
Australia Eases Capital Gains Tax Reforms to Support Small Businesses and Startups 
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
Most Asian currencies slipped slightly on Friday but remained on track to close the week in positive territory, as traders adopted a cautious stance ahead of the U.S. March Consumer Price Index (CPI) release and monitored developments surrounding a fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement.
The U.S. Dollar Index ticked up 0.1% during Asian trading hours, though it was still heading toward a weekly loss of more than 1%, providing room for Asian currencies to advance. The week's broader optimism was fueled by hopes that a temporary two-week ceasefire between Washington and Tehran would hold, potentially stabilizing oil supply routes and easing geopolitical pressure across global markets.
However, investor sentiment remained cautious. Iran pushed back against reports of diplomatic talks in Islamabad, citing suspended negotiations due to Israeli military activity in Lebanon, casting doubt on the durability of the truce. Meanwhile, economists anticipated a modest monthly uptick in U.S. headline inflation for March, largely attributed to rising energy costs — a reading that could influence Federal Reserve policy expectations.
On the currency front, the Japanese yen edged marginally higher midweek but was set to finish the week down 0.2%, weighed down by domestic interest rate concerns. The South Korean won gained 0.4% on Friday but still faced a weekly decline of nearly 2%. The Chinese yuan remained largely range-bound, heading for a 0.8% weekly loss, even as China's factory-gate prices unexpectedly returned to growth. The country's Producer Price Index rose 0.5% year-on-year in March — its first expansion since September 2022 — driven by surging global energy costs. Consumer inflation, however, came in below forecasts, reflecting persistent disinflationary pressure in the domestic economy.
Elsewhere, the Indian rupee slipped 0.4%, the Singapore dollar gained 0.2%, and the Australian dollar dipped slightly but remained on course for a strong weekly rise of over 2.5%.
