Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
BOJ Hawk Signals Faster Interest Rate Hikes Amid Inflation Risks 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Australia Jobs Growth Strengthens Rate Hike Outlook 
Gold Price Ends Lower for Fourth Week Despite Rebound as Fed Rate Hike Bets Strengthen 
Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
Asian Currencies Trade Mixed as Yen Hovers Near 40-Year Low, Dollar Holds Firm on Fed Outlook 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Oil Prices Drop as Middle East Supply Recovery Eases Market Concerns 
U.S. Dollar Reaches One-Year High as Tech Sell-Off and Fed Rate Hike Expectations Support Demand 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
Asian Markets Rally as Micron and Qualcomm AI Outlook Lifts Global Tech Stocks 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
Asian currencies were largely unchanged on Wednesday as subdued Lunar New Year trading kept market activity light across the region. With major financial centers such as China and Hong Kong closed for the holiday, foreign exchange markets saw limited volatility despite ongoing U.S. dollar consolidation ahead of key economic data releases.
The U.S. Dollar Index rose 0.1% after modest overnight gains, while U.S. Dollar Index futures also edged 0.1% higher in early GMT trading. Investors remained cautious as they awaited the Federal Reserve’s January meeting minutes and the upcoming U.S. personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index report, a key inflation indicator that could shape expectations for future interest rate policy.
The New Zealand dollar was the biggest mover in the region. The NZD/USD pair dropped nearly 1% after the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept its official cash rate unchanged at 2.25%. The central bank reiterated its accommodative monetary policy stance, signaling that interest rates would remain supportive as inflation gradually returns to its 2% midpoint target. The RBNZ noted that spare economic capacity and moderate wage growth are likely to keep price pressures contained over the next year. Following the announcement, markets scaled back expectations for near-term rate hikes, pushing tightening bets toward late 2026 and weighing on the kiwi dollar.
In Japan, fresh trade data showed exports surged 16.8% year-on-year in January, while imports declined, resulting in a narrower-than-expected trade deficit of 1.15 trillion yen. Despite the strong export performance, the USD/JPY pair edged 0.1% higher.
Elsewhere in Asia, currency movements were muted. The South Korean won traded flat against the dollar, the Singapore dollar gained 0.1%, and the offshore Chinese yuan remained steady. The Indian rupee posted marginal gains, while the Australian dollar slipped 0.2% against the greenback as traders positioned ahead of critical U.S. economic signals.
