Analysis: Currencies

Japan PM vows to act against speculative market moves after yen spike

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Sunday her government will take necessary steps against speculative market moves, in the wake of a yen spike that heightened traders' alert over the...

Supreme Court may leave big questions unresolved on Trump bid to fire Fed's Lisa Cook

U.S. Supreme Court justices appear reluctant to grant President Donald Trump's request to let him immediately remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. But their eventual ruling following this week's...

NY Fed carried out dollar/yen rate checks, source says

The New York Federal Reserve conducted rate checks on the dollar/yen pair around midday on Friday, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Analysts say the move may have...

Yen volatile on rate check speculation, dollar set for sharp weekly drop

The yen was volatile on Friday, with a sudden spike raising market speculation that authorities had conducted a rate check, often a precursor to intervention, while the dollar was set for its steepest...

Euro zone business activity expands steadily but price pressures reemerge

Euro zone business activity growth held steady this month as a weaker expansion in the dominant services industry offset milder factory contraction, according to a survey, while price pressures picked...

BOJ keeps rates steady as expected, ups growth and inflation forecasts

The Bank of Japan kept interest rates steady on Friday and raised its economic and inflation forecasts, signalling its readiness to continue hiking still-low borrowing costs. As widely...

Trump 'not a huge fan' of adviser's plan to open 401(k) plans for buying homes

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he does not like the idea of letting people use 401 retirement funds for a down payment on a house, even though it was floated by his own chief economic...

Japan's core inflation slows in December but stays above BOJ goal

Japan's core consumer inflation slowed in the year to December but stayed above the central bank's 2% target, data showed on Friday, keeping alive market expectations of future interest rate rises. ...

BOJ signals more hikes in hawkish tilt, warns of action against yield spike

The Bank of Japan retained its hawkish inflation forecasts on Friday and stressed it will remain vigilant to price risks from a weak yen, signalling that policymakers intend to keep raising still-low...

Trump's mortgage-backed bond purchases not moving needle on housing costs

There's scant evidence so far that U.S. President Donald Trump's bid to make housing more affordable by purchasing mortgage-backed bonds has had its desired effect, and to the extent it has, broader...

US consumer spending increases solidly in October and November

U.S. consumer spending increased solidly in November and October, likely keeping the economy on track for a third straight quarter of strong growth. Consumer spending, which accounts...

Japan retains cautious economic view, flags risks from US trade policies  

The Japanese government largely retained its cautiously optimistic view of the economy in its economic report published on Thursday, while warning of downside risks from U.S. trade policies. ...

What are Japan's policy options to soothe its bond rout?

Wild swings in Japanese government bonds are unsettling for investors in an asset class that has long been regarded as a stable store of value. Nerves about Japan's fiscal position...

US Supreme Court sees risk in Trump running roughshod over Fed

U.S. Supreme Court justices during arguments over President Donald Trump's bid to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook seemed to embrace the idea that the central bank's independence to set...

India's RBI taps $2 billion-plus FX swaps to blunt liquidity hit from spot intervention, bankers say

The Reserve Bank of India has conducted more than $2 billion in FX swaps over the last two days to offset the drain in liquidity caused by spot dollar sales, four bankers said, suggesting a focus on...

Small but rising opposition party warns BOJ raising rates too rapidly

The Bank of Japan may be raising interest rates too rapidly, which could hurt the economy, the head of a small but rising opposition party said, as the country gears up for a general election next...

Rupee recovers slightly on equity rally after Trump backpedals on Europe tariff threat

The Indian rupee staged a modest recovery on Thursday, buoyed by an improvement in risk appetite after U.S. President Donald Trump stepped back from tariff threats against Europe linked to the...

Japan's exports up for fourth straight month, US dip clouds outlook

Japan's exports rose for a fourth straight month in December thanks to solid data centre-related demand, government data showed on Thursday, but a decline in shipments to the U.S. cast doubts over...

Trump says he may be down to one candidate to head the Fed

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday indicated he was close to choosing the new chair of the Federal Reserve, adding he liked the idea of keeping White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett in his...