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AUD

BoJ Loosens Its Grip

The tide looks to be (finally) turning when it comes to the Bank of Japan’s ultra-accommodative policy stance, albeit slowly. At today’s meeting, while the BoJ maintained its policy rate at -0.1% and its 10-year bond yield target at “about 0%”, its yield curve control framework was adjusted. Rather than having a rigid +/- 0.5% band around its 10-year bond yield target, things will now be controlled “flexibly”. Importantly, the BoJ also announced that it will offer to purchase 10-year Japanese government bonds at 1% each business day. In our mind this provides a guide to the BoJ’s new upper...

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Shake, rattle & roll

• Divergence. A ‘dovish’ ECB hike & solid US data weighed on the EUR. Reports the BoJ could tweak its policy settings today also boosted the JPY.• AUD weaker. The USD rebound pushed down the AUD. Locally, retail sales are due today. The US PCE deflator & employment cost index are released.• BoJ in focus. Higher inflation means the BoJ’s ultra-loose stance is untenable. A change would be step along the normalisation path & could jolt markets. Markets were jolted overnight by the combination of a ‘dovish’ ECB rate hike, strong US data, and reports the Bank of Japan could...

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Data dependent Fed, lower Australian CPI

• Fed hike. Another rate rise from the US Fed. But it remains data dependent when it comes to future moves. USD a bit softer, tracking a slight dip in US yields.• AUD weaker. AUD underperforms after Q2 CPI undershot predictions. In response markets have reduced RBA rate hike expectations.• AUD events. ECB meeting, US GDP & jobless claims tonight. Australian retail sales & BoJ announcement tomorrow. RBA next week. The US Fed decision and Chair Powell’s press conference were in focus overnight. As widely expected, the US Fed hiked interest rates by another 25bps, taking the target range up...

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Australian inflation: lower but not low

For the first time in a while, the more detailed quarterly Australian CPI figures undershot expectations. The downside inflation surprise has seen the AUD dip in knee-jerk fashion towards its recent lows (now $0.6760) with the data creating a bit of doubt in the minds of markets as to whether the RBA will hike rates again at the 1 August meeting. In terms of the data, headline inflation slowed to 6%pa. This is down from 7%pa in Q1 and a peak of 7.8%pa in Q4 2022. The market was looking for headline inflation to slow to 6.2%pa, while the RBA...

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Diverging growth trends

• European growth. EUR lower after Eurozone PMIs underwhelm. The shift in relative yield differentials supported the USD.• China Politburo. The leadership acknowledged the “difficulties”, & while it signaled it may inject fresh stimulus, no concrete measures were unveiled.• AUD events. Australia Q2 CPI due tomorrow, with the US Fed rate announcement & Chair Powell’s press conference on Thursday morning. Mixed performance across markets overnight, with divergence in the US and European business PMI data in focus. The impact of the rapid-fire policy tightening is bubbling to the surface. In Europe, falls in the PMI suggest growth momentum has slowed...

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