China Keeps Loan Prime Rates Unchanged for 13th Straight Month as Policymakers Prioritize Credit Demand Recovery 
US Dollar Hits One-Year High as Hawkish Fed Outlook Overshadows Middle East Developments 
Japan, U.S. Discuss Yen Weakness as Currency Intervention Concerns Grow 
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Oil Prices Fall as Iran Peace Talks Progress, Hormuz Reopens, and U.S. SPR Hits 1983 Low 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oil Rebounds Amid Fed Rate Hike Fears 
Dollar Holds Firm as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Tensions, GBP/USD Slips Amid UK Political Uncertainty 
Asian Stocks Slide as AI Rally Pauses, South Korean Chipmakers Lead Regional Decline 
Japan Manufacturing Growth Accelerates in June as Orders Surge Despite Iran War Cost Pressures 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
South Korea Stocks Tumble as AI-Fueled Rally Faces Profit-Taking Pressure 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Alphabet Slumps, Middle East Developments and Fed Outlook Weigh on Markets 
Yen Near 40-Year Low as USD/JPY Approaches Key 162 Level, Raising Intervention Concerns 
The Japanese yen strengthened 0.27% to 151.94 per dollar on Monday after Japan's Q4 GDP data exceeded expectations, fueling speculation of further rate hikes by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) in 2024. Traders are now pricing in 35 basis points of hikes by December, with analysts like Marcel Thieliant from Capital Economics forecasting more aggressive BOJ tightening.
Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar remained under pressure following weaker-than-expected retail sales data, reigniting bets for Federal Reserve rate cuts. The dollar index stood at 106.79, down 1.2% from last week. Optimism over a delay in Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs and ongoing Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia also weighed on the greenback. National Australia Bank's Rodrigo Catril noted that weaker U.S. data and geopolitical optimism are challenging the dollar's strength.
The euro edged closer to $1.05, trading at $1.0487, while the British pound remained steady at $1.2582.
In the Asia-Pacific region, the Australian dollar rose 0.07% to $0.6357 ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) rate decision on Tuesday. Markets expect a 25-basis point cut, the first in over four years, aligning the RBA with other central banks’ easing cycles. The New Zealand dollar also inched up 0.03% to $0.5734, with the Reserve Bank of New Zealand set to announce a 50-basis point rate cut on Wednesday.
As forex markets react to economic data and policy shifts, traders remain focused on global central bank actions, geopolitical developments, and U.S. economic performance.
