USD/CHF finishes the week on a lower note, down 0.87% for the week and 0.27% in the day, as markets turn optimistic about a possible US-Iran deal over the weekend.
US President Donald Trump said he can trust Iranians, according to an interview with ABC News. Trump added that talks will take place only in Islamabad and resume over the weekend.
DBS Group Research expects Singapore’s March 2026 core and headline inflation to rise to 1.6% and 1.8% year-on-year, from 1.4% and 1.2% in February. The report links this to imported energy price pressures after the Middle East conflict.
UBS Chief Economist Paul Donovan assesses how Artificial Intelligence (AI) may affect productivity and whether the European Union (EU) could gain an advantage over the United States (US).
Silver (XAG/USD) price surges over 4% on Friday, reclaiming $81.00 a troy ounce as the Greenback gets battered on positive news around the Middle East conflict.
DBS Group Research economists highlight that China’s Q1 2026 GDP growth accelerated to 5.0% year-on-year, driven by strong external demand and resilient industrial production, while domestic demand in consumption, investment and credit stayed weak.
Gold (XAU/USD) price rallies on Friday ahead of the weekend, breaking past the $4,850 level and rising more than 1.50%, as the US-Iran conflict seems to be de-escalating after Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, easing inflationary pressures worldwide.
MUFG’s Senior Currency Analyst Lloyd Chan notes that improved diplomatic signals in the Middle East have boosted risk sentiment, softening the US Dollar (USD) and supporting Asian FX. However, high US front-end yields still underpin the Dollar, and bond markets remain cautious.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) is losing momentum near 98.00 as safe-haven demand fades on the reopening news, but downside remains limited amid lingering geopolitical risks.
USD/JPY edges lower on Friday as the Japanese Yen (JPY) strengthens against a softer US Dollar (USD), with easing Oil prices providing additional support, given Japan’s heavy reliance on imported energy. At the time of writing, the pair is trading around 158.18, down 0.61% on the day.
DBS Group Research expects the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) to keep the 1-year Loan Prime Rate at 3.00% as Chinese growth has firmed and price dynamics improved. The report notes external demand is supporting industrial activity while domestic momentum is uneven.
Christopher Waller, a member of the Federal Reserve (Fed), speaks about the economic outlook and monetary policy at Auburn University in Alabama on Friday. He stated that the break-even rate for the job market is currently likely around zero.
Societe Generale analysts flag that CNY is on course to test 6.80 for the first time in three years, even as the People's Bank of China (PBoC) moderates the pace of appreciation via weaker fixings.
The Swiss Franc (CHF) strengthens against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday, with USD/CHF on track for a second consecutive weekly decline as the Greenback remains under pressure amid improving market sentiment on hopes of a potential US-Iran deal.
UBS's Chief Economist Paul Donovan highlights that central banks are focused on second-round effects from Gulf developments rather than immediate policy shifts.
US equities ripped higher on Friday as a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, paired with Iran's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen to commercial traffic, triggered a broad risk-on rally.
Mary Daly, President of the Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of San Francisco, spoke at the University of California-Berkeley's Fisher Center on Friday. She indicated that, at this point, she is observing whether higher oil prices are affecting the prices of other goods and services.
GBP/USD advances during the North American session on Friday as breaking news revealed Iran’s reopening of the Strait of Hormuz following the agreement of a ceasefire in Lebanon, which pushed the British Pound (GBP) to a daily high near 1.3600.
Gold (XAU/USD) gains traction on Friday as US-Iran deal hopes and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz push Oil prices lower, easing inflation pressure and reinforcing expectations of Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate cuts.
USD/CAD declines on Friday, trading around 1.3670 at the time of writing, down 0.26% on the day. The pair remains under pressure as the Canadian Dollar (CAD) strengthens against the US Dollar (USD) despite a sharp drop in Oil prices.
The AUD/USD surged toward the 0.7200 price region on Friday, as improving headlines out of the Middle East weigh on the US Dollar (USD) and support risk-sensitive currencies like the Australian Dollar (AUD).
Silver (XAG/USD) surges on Friday, trading around $82.60 at the time of writing, up 5.40% on the day as the US Dollar (USD) weakens and markets reassess the outlook for United States (US) monetary policy.
Citing an Iranian official, Fars News Agency reported on Friday that if the US naval blockade persists, Tehran will consider it a violation of the ceasefire and close the Strait of Hormuz, per Reuters.
Nordea’s Henrik Unell maintains a constructive stance on the Swedish Krona, arguing that carry should be secondary to growth prospects and equity flows.
The Euro (EUR) edges higher against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday as the Greenback comes under heavy selling pressure after Iran’s decision to reopen the Strait of Hormuz improved overall market sentiment and raised hopes for a potential US-Iran peace agreement.
Deutsche Bank’s Robin Winkler argues that German manufacturing faces an ongoing "China shock" as Germany’s trade deficit with China has reached a record size and now exceeds its surplus with the US.
Volkmar Baur at Commerzbank flags surging trade and current account surpluses in China, Taiwan and South Korea alongside weak currencies versus Euro (EUR) and, for the Won (KRW), even versus US Dollar (USD).
Danske Research Team reviews Sweden’s March inflation, highlighting a downside surprise in core inflation and energy, driven by a sharper-than-expected fall in electricity prices and broad food price declines.
In a post published on Truth Social on Friday, United States (US) President Donald Trump said that they will get the "nuclear dust" from Iran, created by their B2 bombers.
BNP Paribas economist Hélène Baudchon compares the current Oil and gas price surge linked to the war in Iran with the 2022 energy shock.
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