Gold snapped its 4-day rally on Thursday after Trump signalled tougher US military action. Iran and Oman are reputedly drafting a protocol to "monitor transit" through the Strait of Hormuz. Gold's sharp selloff have pushed the metal firmly into bear market territory, but some market veterans are sti

The dollar headed for its biggest monthly gain since July on Tuesday though Fed Chair Powell signalled no rush to raise interest rates. The yuan moved sideways on the latest economic data. China's official gauge for manufacturing activity climbed more than expected in March to mark its best performa

Oil prices rose sharply on Thursday after Trump warned of further military aggression against Iran in the next two or three weeks, dampening hopes for an imminent de-escalation in the conflict. Iran said that the US would not regain access to the Strait of Hormuz and that from now on only "those who

Thousands of soldiers are heading to the Middle East, an exercise in coercive diplomacy designed to increase leverage as Trump turns up the pressure for Iran to come to the negotiating table. Teheran has declared it will not end the conflict unless Washington pays war reparations and affirms "exerci

The euro inched up on Wednesday, with the dollar's gains from safe-haven demand fading, as Trump said the war with Iran could wind down within two or three weeks. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the next few days would be decisive and said the conflict would intensify if it did not make a dea

Wall St tumbled on Friday, with each major index closing at their lowest levels in months. The Dow entered correction territory as the month-long Middle East war continued to suppress risk appetite. The VIX rose to ⁠31.05, the highest close since 21 April. The S&P 500 software and services index

Oil prices climbed on Thursday, recovering some of the previous day's losses amid de-escalation in the Middle East. Trump will hit Iran harder if Tehran fails to accept that the country has been "defeated militarily". Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country had no intention to hold

Putin congratulated Iranian leaders on Nowruz and said Moscow remained a loyal friend and reliable partner to Tehran, the Kremlin said on ‌Saturday. The military axis comes is deepening given their plight. According to a BBC report, Ukraine has embarked on a massive programme to deploy armed robots

The US dollar took a breather on Wednesday as easing crude oil prices sparked a glimmer of risk appetite in the markets. Meanwhile, the Australian dollar steadied following the rate decision. The RBA raised its main cash rate for a second straight month, saying higher borrowing costs were needed to

Currency markets showed signs of fatigue early in Asian trade on Wednesday, with the Australian dollar on the back foot. Australian consumer prices were flat in February, while core reading fell short of expectations. Employment rose by more than ‌expected in February, though the jobless rate ticked

The euro dipped on Monday as escalating retaliatory threats in the Middle East conflict curbed risk appetite and lifted demand for safe-haven assets. The ECB kept interest rates steady last week. JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and Barclays all revised their forecasts for the Eurozone to anticipate future

European shares rebounded on Monday, snapping a three-day losing streak after Trump said he had instructed the US military to delay planned strikes on Iran's power plants and energy facilities for five days. Hedge funds last week piled into bets against US shares and emerging markets stocks in Asia,