Gold Price Holds Near Record High as Cooling U.S. Inflation Offsets Fed Caution 
Oil Prices Set for Weekly Surge as U.S.-Iran Conflict Fuels Supply Fears 
South Korea Raises Interest Rates to 2.75% as Inflation and Weak Won Drive Tightening 
Asian Stocks Rally as Cooling U.S. Inflation Boosts Fed Rate Cut Hopes 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Offset Weaker US Dollar 
Japan Core Inflation Seen Rising in June, Strengthening BOJ Rate Hike Outlook 
Brazil Weighs IP Curbs, Patent Suspensions After New U.S. Tariffs 
Oil Prices Rise as U.S. Strikes on Iran Raise Strait of Hormuz Supply Fears 
UBS Boosts China Tech Bets, Adds Kuaishou and Meituan to Focus List 
Asian Stocks Slide as Chip Selloff Deepens Ahead of TSMC Earnings 
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 
China Q2 2026 GDP Misses Forecast as Weak Domestic Demand Offsets Export Strength 
IEA Warns China Rare Earth Export Curbs Could Threaten $6.5 Trillion in Global Production 
South Korea’s KOSPI Enters Bear Market Despite Remaining 2026’s Best-Performing Major Stock Index 
US Stock Futures Hold Steady as Soft Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Fears 
The U.S. dollar is on track for a weekly loss, pressured by weak economic data and stalled trade talks. Markets are now focused on the upcoming U.S. nonfarm payrolls report, expected to show a 130,000 job increase, with the unemployment rate projected at 4.2%—though a rise to 4.3% is possible.
Recent U.S. data has fallen short of expectations, intensifying fears that tariffs under President Donald Trump are weighing on growth. The dollar index hovered at 98.72 after touching a six-week low, down 0.7% for the week.
Investors briefly welcomed news of a one-hour call between Trump and China’s Xi Jinping, though optimism faded as details remained vague. Meanwhile, a public dispute between Trump and Elon Musk stole attention from the call’s outcome, adding further market uncertainty.
The euro hit a 1.5-month high of $1.1495 after the European Central Bank's hawkish tone despite a rate cut. It last traded at $1.1449. Monex Europe’s Nick Rees noted caution but adjusted his forecast, now expecting only one more rate cut in September to 1.75%.
Sterling edged up 0.1% to $1.3583 and was set for a 0.9% weekly gain, following a surge to a three-year high. The yen dipped 0.1% to 143.74 per dollar. The Australian dollar rose 0.06% to $0.6512, and the New Zealand dollar climbed 0.17% to $0.6048—both on pace for 1.1% weekly gains.
Currency markets remain range-bound ahead of the U.S. jobs report, with traders watching for signs that the Fed’s tight policy may finally be impacting the labor market and dollar momentum.
