Gold Prices Fall Amid Rate Jitters; Copper Steady as China Stimulus Eyed 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
The UK gilts suffered Friday after the European Union has agreed to do every bit on its part to avoid a 'Hard Brexit' by the United Kingdom, leading to investors’ confidence in riskier assets, thus pulling bond prices down.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year gilts, rose 1 basis point to 1.39 percent, the super-long 30-year bond yields also climbed nearly 1 basis point to 1.95 percent and the yield on the short-term 2-year traded flat at 0.47 percent by 10:20 GMT.
For now, sterling appears to have locked in yesterday afternoon’s rebound, which seemed to respond to the Handelsblatt reports – ahead of next week’s key EU27 summit – that chief EU negotiator Barnier will seek support today at a meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels for the authority to offer the UK a transitional 2-year membership of the single market and customs union, conditional on the UK committing to meet all its financial obligations and all other responsibilities of an EU member (e.g. full ECJ jurisdiction throughout the transition).
The FT has a slightly different take, i.e. that EU leaders next week will give the green light to start “internal preparatory discussions” without the UK about the transition deal and longer-term future relationship. Certainly, the UK will need to budge further on the first-round issues of the financial settlement, citizens’ rights and Northern Irish border to be able to participate in negotiations on the key longer-term issues.
After the BCC’s latest quarterly economic survey presented today judged overall conditions to be ‘uninspiring’, highlighting notable new weakness in the all-important services sector, it should be a quiet end to the week for euro area economic data, with no top-tier releases due.
Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 traded 0.18 percent lower at 7,542.25 by 10:20 GMT, while at 10:00GMT, the FxWirePro's Hourly Pound Strength Index remained neutral at -5.97 (a reading above +75 indicates a bullish trend, while that below -75 a bearish trend). For more details, visit http://www.fxwirepro.com/currencyindex
FxWirePro launches Absolute Return Managed Program. For more details, visit http://www.fxwirepro.com/invest
