Gold Prices Rebound on U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Optimism Despite Fed Rate Hike Signals 
Dollar Surges After Fed Holds Rates Steady, Signals Potential Tightening Ahead 
Trump Questions USMCA Renewal as Trade Talks Continue 
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details 
Oil Prices Drop as U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Eases Supply Concerns 
Europe EV Demand Surges as Fuel Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Dollar Hits One-Month High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Boosts Greenback 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
Asian Stocks Rally as Japan and South Korea Reach Record Highs on US-Iran Peace Deal 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as USD/JPY Nears 161 Amid Yen Weakness 
Asian Currencies Stabilize as Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High After Fed Hawkish Signal 
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Signals Policy Overhaul as Hawkish Rate Outlook Rattles Markets 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Asian currencies traded in a narrow range on Friday as the U.S. dollar rebounded modestly from a near four-year low, following comments from U.S. President Donald Trump that he would announce his nominee for the next Federal Reserve Chairman later in the day. Despite the dollar’s late recovery, most Asian currencies were on track to post strong gains for January, reflecting a broad shift by traders away from the greenback amid rising global uncertainty.
The U.S. dollar has been under sustained pressure this month as concerns over Trump’s economic policies, fiscal health, and escalating geopolitical tensions weighed heavily on sentiment. Investors increasingly rotated into gold, physical assets, and regional currencies, driving the dollar index to its worst monthly performance since August 2025, with losses of around 1.8%.
Among Asian currencies, the Australian dollar emerged as the strongest performer, with the AUD/USD pair rising nearly 5% in January. Although the pair slipped about 0.6% on Friday, it remained close to a two-year high. The Australian dollar was supported by expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia will raise interest rates by at least 25 basis points at its upcoming policy meeting, following a sharp uptick in fourth-quarter inflation data. Signs of resilience in the Australian economy have further strengthened the case for tighter monetary policy.
The Japanese yen also posted solid gains this month as speculation grew over potential government intervention to stabilize currency markets. The USD/JPY pair declined about 1.8% in January, although it rebounded slightly on Friday after Tokyo inflation data showed a sharp slowdown, potentially complicating the Bank of Japan’s rate hike outlook.
The Chinese yuan benefited from sustained dollar weakness, with USD/CNY touching its strongest level in nearly three years, aided by firm midpoint fixings from the People’s Bank of China. In contrast, the Indian rupee lagged behind its regional peers, hitting record lows and falling more than 2% this month due to concerns over slowing economic growth and stalled U.S.-India trade talks.
Elsewhere, the South Korean won and Singapore dollar both posted monthly gains, reflecting broader strength across Asian currencies despite short-term volatility in global markets.
