The Dollar Holds above JPY160 after BOJ Hikes, Aussie is Firmer after RBA Stands Pat north Investors are still in the dark over the precise details of the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, but they apparently are sufficiently comfortable to take July WTI to a new two-month low, with August Brent at three-month lows. Softer oil prices are helping ease interest [...]
Investors Don't Wait for Details to Celebrate US-Iran Agreement north The prospect of a deal between the US and Iran has bolstered risk-taking appetites today, even though the details are the agreement are not clear and Washington and Tehran seem to have different interpretations of what has been agreed. Brent and WTI are near two-month lows. Stocks and bonds [...]
Week Ahead: Surging Greenback on Robust Jobs Data, while ECB Hike Seen as a Done Deal north The war in the Middle East continues to disrupt flows from the region and helps shape risk appetites. After falling by almost 14% in the last two weeks of May, July WTI rose about 4.5% last week as there seemed to be little progress toward a resolution. The odds that Strait of Hormuz on [...]
New Fed may Sap Market's Reaction Function to US Jobs Report north The low-intensity war in the Middle East continues. Crude oil looks set to close the week higher for the first time in three weeks. Meanwhile, some poor earnings have hit the tech sector this week and it is evident in both Asia and the US. A dramatic revision to Ireland’s Q1 growth spurred a [...]
Softer Oil, Softer Greenback north A new ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon raises hopes of a breakthrough in US-Iran talks where a low intensity conflict has been waged under the flag of a ceasefire. The Israel-Lebanon deal reportedly does not include Hezbollah, underscoring the fragility and limits of the ceasefire claims. [...]
Polygon Open Money Stack Enters Technical Preview north A first look at Polygon Open Money Stack, one API that enables you to move funds globally with stablecoins: wallets, ramps, and settlement. Built to plug into existing systems and move money in seconds.
War and New Tariff Threat Strengthen the Dollar north While what has been dubbed China Shock 2.0 as the Chinese model moves into higher value-added goods is important, the most immediate challenge facing investors is the double shock from the US in the form or tariffs and war. And both are impacting the capital markets today. More clashes between [...]
Celo Core Co. north Celo Core Co. Appoints Dr. Markus Franke as Global Head of Stablecoins to Lead Next Phase of Stablecoin EconomyToday, Celo Core Co. announces the appointment of Dr. Markus Franke as Global Head of Stablecoins, responsible for leading the expansion of Celo’s onchain economy and leading [...]
Oil Gains on Apparent Lack of Middle East Progress north The war in the Middle East continues to hang over risk-taking appetites the sword of Damocles. There appears to have been little progress over the weekend, even though a US decision was expected after the meeting in the White House Situation Room at the end of last week. Reports suggest there [...]
June 2026 Monthly north The world enters June optimistic that an extended ceasefire in the Middle East is possible. The front month Brent oil futures contract finished May at its lowest level in a little more than five weeks. Major US and Japanese equity indices are at record highs. After a dramatic jump, European [...]
Hope Springs Eternal north There does not appear to be materially new developments from the Middle East today. While some US officials seem optimistic that progress has been made, it is not clear that an agreement is at hand. Still, oil prices are more than a dollar lower and equities are mostly firmer. The dollar is [...]
Restrained Market Reaction to Fraying Middle East Ceasefire north The market has taken the increase in Middle East hostilities in stride. The response in the capital markets has been fairly restrained, though risk appetites have been pulled back, reflected in the losses in equities. The dollar is also firmer against most currencies, though the yen has [...]