Australia Bans Card Payment Surcharges Starting October 2025 
ECB Eyes Rate Hike Amid Iran Conflict-Driven Energy Price Surge 
Bank of Japan Eyes Further Rate Hikes Amid Middle East Tensions and Inflation Pressures 
Bank of Japan's Ueda Flags Low Real Interest Rates as Key Factor in Rate Hike Timing 
Bank of Japan Governor Signals Accommodative Stance Amid Negative Real Rates 
Bank of Japan Officials Signal Continued Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Concerns 
RBNZ Holds Rates at 2.25% as Middle East Conflict Fuels Inflation Concerns 
Not many economic data and events scheduled for today, and some with high volatility risks associated.
Upcoming:
- United Kingdom: BRC shop price index up 0.7 percent y/y in February.
- Australia: Construction work declined 3.1 percent in Q4.
Upcoming:
- Italy: Consumer and business confidence report will be released at 8:00 GMT, followed by January trade balance report at 9:00 GMT.
- Eurozone: ECB’s Benoît Cœuré set to give a speech at 8:30 GMT. Private loans and money supply statistics will be published at 9:00 GMT. Sentiment reports will be released at 10:00 GMT.
- Switzerland: ZEW survey sentiment report will be released at 9:00 GMT.
- Germany: Bundesbank President Weidmann set for a speech at 10:00 GMT.
- United States: MBA mortgage applications report will be released at 12:00 GMT, followed by the December goods trade balance and durable goods order report at 13:30 GMT. Pending home sales report and factory orders report will be released at 15:00 GMT. EIA will release its weekly crude oil inventory report at 15:30 GMT.
- Japan: Industrial production report will be published at 23:50 GMT, along with January retail trade numbers.
- Auction: Germany and Italy would auction 10-year bond today.
