The USD/JPY pair continues to move higher and, just under 118.50, is on course for an eighth successive day in the green territory.The pair is eyeing a break above late-2016/early-2017 highs in the 118.60s. Markets are risk-on in the lead up to the Fed announcement amid signs of progress in …
Read More »Ukraine Rejects Neutrality In Peace Discussions
Ukraine has reportedly rejected Russian claims that it was open to adopting a model of neutrality comparable to Sweden in peace talks, reported the Independent on Wednesday. Russian negotiators said that Kyiv had offered to become a de-militarised state, but Ukraine responded by saying that it needs “legally verified security …
Read More »Market Drivers – US Session – 15 March
The US dollar started the day on the back foot but managed to recover the ground lost during US trading hours. The EUR/USD pair is trading at around 1.0940, while GBP/USD changes hands at 1.3035.Economic DataCanada’s benchmark index extended losses for a third straight session on Tuesday, as weakness in …
Read More »Could US Retail Sales Data Redirect FOMC’s Decision?
Economists expect US Retail Sales to have risen by a modest 0.4% in February. Robust consumption figures in previous months open the door to an upside surprise.Surge in the dollar could serve as a selling opportunity ahead of a potentially dovish Fed. Even war cannot stop America’s shopping extravaganza and …
Read More »Biden to announce $1 billion military aid to Ukraine Wednesday
US President Biden is expected to announce more than $1 billion in new military assistance to the Ukraine government as early as Wednesday, according to US officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to make a plea to Congress for more aid to defend his country.The money would come from …
Read More »EUR/USD Slides As FOMC Meeting Awaited
The shared currency extended its weekly advance for two consecutive days but retraced from around 1.1000 as the Federal Reserve is set to embark on the beginning of its hiking cycle for the first time since 2018. The EUR/USD is trading at 1.0961 at the time of writing.On Tuesday, the …
Read More »Will FOMC Meeting Be A Tough Call?
The FOMC has an unenviable task of trying to guide monetary policy through a period of turbulence. The March 15-16 meeting will be essential to communicate its present action and set the monetary policy path and tone for the future.Leaning the stance of individual policymakers will matter more than usual …
Read More »Will BoE Be Trapped In Tightening Corner?
The Bank of England is almost certain to increase borrowing costs on Thursday, marking the third consecutive meeting where it has hiked rate as it continues its exit from pandemic-related stimulus. One problem is that BoE hike expectations are not happening in a vacuum or in isolation. Other Developed Market …
Read More »Markets Optimistically Await Wednesday’s Ukraine, Russian Talks
Mykhailo Podoliyak, one of the representatives of Ukraine at Russian-Ukrainian negotiations, has said, ”We’ll continue tomorrow. A very difficult and vicious negotiation process. There are fundamental contradictions. But there is certainly room for compromise. During the break, work in subgroups will be continued”.Russia lobbed more missiles into Kyiv, amid heightened …
Read More »Lagarde: Eurozone heading for growth despite Ukraine war
The euro zone economy is still set for robust growth this year, even if war in Ukraine is going to be a drag via high commodity prices, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said on Tuesday.“If the baseline scenario of the staff projections materializes, the economy should still grow robustly …
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