Asian Stocks Slide as Nikkei Leads Losses on Tech Selloff and Rising U.S.-Iran Tensions 
Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Middle East Tensions, Weak China GDP Weigh on Sentiment 
Japan Core Inflation Seen Rising in June, Strengthening BOJ Rate Hike Outlook 
US Inflation Expected to Ease in June, but Fed Rate Hike Risks Persist Amid Middle East Tensions 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
Oil Prices Climb as Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Strait of Hormuz Risks Grow 
ECB's Kocher Says No Inflation Spillover Yet From Iran Conflict, Warns Risks Remain 
Port of Los Angeles Posts Record June Cargo Volume as Importers Rush Ahead of U.S. Tariffs 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
Oil Prices Set for Weekly Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
US Stock Futures Fall as Netflix Outlook, Chip Selloff and Iran Tensions Weigh on Markets 
Dollar Slides as Softer US Inflation Dims Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Nikkei Plunges 5% as AI Stock Selloff Spreads Across Asia 
Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Asian Stocks Rise as Softer U.S. Inflation Boosts Sentiment Despite Middle East Tensions 
The U.S. dollar took a breather on Thursday after rallying on easing tensions over Federal Reserve leadership and U.S.-China trade policy. President Donald Trump stepped back from threats to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell, while the White House signaled a more flexible stance on tariffs, reducing market anxiety.
After briefly dipping below 140 yen earlier in the week, the greenback rebounded and was last seen trading at 143.25 yen. Support also came from U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who stated the U.S. had no fixed currency target ahead of discussions with Japan. He added that the current trade embargo with China was "unsustainable," but emphasized the U.S. would not be the first to ease its steep tariffs on Chinese imports.
The euro edged lower to $1.1338 after recovering from a three-and-a-half-year low of $1.1572. ING currency strategist Francesco Pesole noted that the dollar remains highly sensitive to trade developments, cautioning that while short-term risks for the USD are tilted to the downside, recent heavy selling may not persist.
The euro-dollar exchange rate, Pesole added, is closely tied to broader dollar movements, with a rise above $1.15 possible if concerns resurface over the Fed’s independence.
Commodity-linked currencies also retreated slightly. The Australian dollar hovered at $0.6361, with resistance seen near its 50-day moving average of $0.6286 amid global growth concerns. The New Zealand dollar remained firm at $0.5949.
Sterling stabilized at $1.3263, and the Swiss franc held steady at 0.8290 per dollar. China’s yuan was little changed, trading around 7.29 per dollar during early Asia hours.
