Explore the world.

Assess underlying market conditions and fundamentals in the world's major economies.

World

Stay ahead.

Follow the biggest stories in markets and economics in real time.

Subscribe

Get insight into the latest trends and developments in global currency markets with breaking news updates and research reports delivered right to your inbox.

After signing up, you will receive regular newsletters from Corpay, and may unsubscribe at any time. View Corpay’s Privacy Policy

Market Musing, Asia Pacific

US inflation: still a long way from home

Given its influence over US monetary policy and interest rates, which in turn shape broader asset and FX markets, trends in US inflation are critical to watch. Indeed, we would argue that while Australia’s inflation pulse influences domestic interest rates and the AUD, these impacts are swamped by US inflation developments as they can affect not only US macro-outcomes but also global growth expectations, credit spreads, commodity prices, global equities, and world bond markets. At a topline level, the April reading of US inflation shows that things are moving in the right direction. ‘Peak’ inflation is behind us, but genuine...

Read More Read More

Cross-Check: AUD/JPY – change is on the horizon

AUD/JPY has perked up a bit over the past few weeks, with the ~4% rebound since late-March helping push the pair back into positive territory for the year-to-date. In our view, the bounce back in AUD/JPY is unlikely to extend much further, at least not on a sustainable basis, and we would look to use any spikes back into the low- to mid-90s opportunistically. We think the unfolding macro environment is likely to see AUD/JPY fall back down to the mid-80’s over the coming months, largely as a reflection of JPY strength which we believe is likely to come about...

Read More Read More

Cross-Check: AUD/NZD – RBNZ Shock & Orr

AUD/NZD has slipped below ~$1.0630, touching a new 2023 year-to-date low in the wake of the diverging RBA and RBNZ decisions and shift in relative interest rates. The policy-driven Australia-NZ two-year swap spread has slumped to -175bps, the most negative since mid-2007. In contrast to the RBA who ‘paused’ its rate hike cycle and softened its conditional tightening bias at its April meeting (see Market Wire – RBA: over and out), the RBNZ unleashed its inner hawk and delivered another outsized 50bp hike. Consensus expectations were looking for a smaller 25bp lift, so the direction of travel wasn’t surprising, just...

Read More Read More

Buckle up, volatility should continue

Markets have hit an air pocket, with bonds in particular experiencing some extreme moves over recent days in reaction to the unfolding US regional banking situation. In our mind, the rather forceful emergency support measures unveiled yesterday by the US FDIC, Fed, and Treasury should help contain broader financial contagion risks. That said, while this should be somewhat of a short-term circuit breaker, and suggests that the scale and speed of the adjustment in some markets like bonds and the USD may be overdone, it doesn’t necessarily mean all is right in the world and that further market ructions shouldn’t...

Read More Read More