Oil Prices Climb on Venezuela Blockade, Russia Sanctions Fears, and Supply Risks 
Precious Metals Rally as Silver and Platinum Outperform on Rate Cut Bets 
Chinese Robotaxi Stocks Rally as Tesla Boosts Autonomous Driving Optimism 
BoE Set to Cut Rates as UK Inflation Slows, but Further Easing Likely Limited 
Oil Prices Rebound as Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Venezuelan Tankers 
Asian Stocks Slide as AI Spending Fears and Global Central Bank Decisions Weigh on Markets 
U.S. Dollar Steadies Near October Lows as Rate Cut Expectations Keep Markets on Edge 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip After CPI-Fueled Rally as Markets Weigh Economic Uncertainty 
Yen Near Lows as Markets Await Bank of Japan Rate Decision, Euro Slips After ECB Signals Caution 
South Korea Warns Weak Won Could Push Inflation Higher in 2025 
Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Strengthens; Indian Rupee Rebounds on Intervention Hopes 
RBA Unlikely to Cut Interest Rates in 2026 as Inflation Pressures Persist, Says Westpac 
Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Oil Tankers, Raising Venezuela Tensions and Oil Prices 
Gold and Silver Surge as Safe Haven Demand Rises on U.S. Economic Uncertainty 
Asian Markets Rebound as Tech Rally Lifts Wall Street, Investors Brace for BOJ Rate Hike 
Canada Signals Delay in US Tariff Deal as Talks Shift to USMCA Review 
Silver Prices Hit Record High as Safe-Haven Demand Surges Amid U.S. Economic Uncertainty 
The U.S. dollar held steady on Wednesday but is set for its worst monthly decline since November 2022, falling sharply amid rising global uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s volatile trade policies. Retreats from initial sweeping tariff plans have rattled investor confidence, driving capital flows into traditionally safer currencies such as the euro, yen, and Swiss franc.
Trump’s administration softened auto tariffs this week by offering credits and easing levies on raw materials. Additionally, it touted a trade agreement with an unnamed partner, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinting at pending deals with India and South Korea. Despite these efforts, fears persist that tariffs will hurt U.S. growth, increase inflation, and spike unemployment.
The euro traded at $1.1387, up 5.26% in April—its best month since November 2022. The Swiss franc rose over 7% this month, marking its strongest performance in a decade, while the yen gained more than 5% as investors await Thursday’s Bank of Japan policy meeting.
Markets remain on edge following weak U.S. economic indicators. Job openings fell sharply in March, and consumer confidence dropped to a five-year low in April. The U.S. trade deficit also hit a record, and major corporations like UPS and General Motors have issued negative outlooks, citing rising costs.
Analysts at ING warn that front-loaded imports to avoid tariffs could drag Q1 GDP. Economist David Kohl of Julius Baer expects the Fed to hold rates steady for now but predicts two 50-basis-point cuts in July and September if labor market weakness emerges.
The dollar index hovered near a three-year low at 99.219, down 4.76% in April. Meanwhile, sterling, the Australian dollar, and the New Zealand dollar posted monthly gains of 3.8%, 2%, and 4.4%, respectively.
