Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
US Stock Futures Rise as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Market Sentiment 
Canada Grants C$7 Million to Greenland Molybdenum Mine to Strengthen Critical Minerals Supply 
Economic pessimism has set in – but there are reasons for Australians to be hopeful 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
Asian Currencies Stay Range-Bound as Investors Eye China Data, RBNZ Outlook and U.S.-Iran Ceasefire 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion 
Gold Price Ends Lower for Fourth Week Despite Rebound as Fed Rate Hike Bets Strengthen 
China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
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.
