Japan PMI Data Signals Manufacturing Stabilization as Services Continue to Drive Growth 
Silver Prices Hit Record High as Safe-Haven Demand Surges Amid U.S. Economic Uncertainty 
Bank of Japan Poised for Historic Rate Hike as Inflation Pressures Persist 
U.S. Dollar Steadies Near October Lows as Rate Cut Expectations Keep Markets on Edge 
U.S. Dollar Slips Near Two-Month Low as Markets Await Key Jobs Data and Central Bank Decisions 
South Korea Warns Weak Won Could Push Inflation Higher in 2025 
Oil Prices Climb on Venezuela Blockade, Russia Sanctions Fears, and Supply Risks 
Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Oil Tankers, Raising Venezuela Tensions and Oil Prices 
Oil Prices Rebound as Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Venezuelan Tankers 
Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Weakens Ahead of Key U.S. Data 
The United Kingdom’s gilts remained steady amid a silent trading session that witnessed data of little economic significance ahead of the country’s 10-year auction and manufacturing production for the month of February, scheduled to be released on April 9 and 10 by 09:45GMT and 08:30GMT respectively.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year gilts, hovered around 1.115 percent, the super-long 30-year bond yields remained flat at 1.656 percent and the yield on the short-term 2-year traded tad lower at 0.715 percent by 11:20GMT.
All eyes in the coming week should be on Wednesday evening’s special EU summit to discuss the UK's request for an extension of the Article 50 deadline beyond this Friday. At the end of last week, Prime Minister Theresa May repeated last month’s request for a postponement to June 30 at the latest, Daiwa Capital Markets reported.
But, in order to reduce the risk of generating repeated bouts of uncertainty through a series of short extensions, EU President Tusk has reportedly proposed a longer 'flextension', with a delay perhaps of up to a year, but shorter if the UK approves the Withdrawal Agreement before that time.
France, Spain and Belgium, and to some extent the European Commission, however, all appear sceptical of the merits of the longer extension, wary of infecting the EU's processes with the UK's political poison, the report added.
Meanwhile, the FTSE 100 remained nearly flat at 7,454.86 by 11:25GMT, while at 11:00GMT, the FxWirePro's Hourly Pound Strength Index remained slightly bearish at -76.56 (a reading above +75 indicates a bullish trend, while that below -75 a bearish trend). For more details, visit http://www.fxwirepro.com/currencyindex
