Macroeconomic risks were not fully priced into equity markets, according to BOE's senior leader Sarah Breeden. That is a rare move by a policymaker to be candid about expectations for capital markets. "The thing that really keeps me awake at night is the likelihood of a number of risks crystallizing

Oil prices extended gains on Thursday after Trump has rejected an Iranian proposal to first open the Strait of Hormuz and lift the blockade, while postponing nuclear talks to a later stage. Goldman Sachs estimates that exports through the waterway have fallen to just 4% of normal levels, but warns o

The Australian dollar edged down on Wednesday as investors awaited a closely watched Fed rate decision. Currencies held tight ranges in thinned Asia trade, with a slew of major central bank decisions still on deck. Consumer prices surged in Q1, marking its highest level in more than two years, while

​The Swiss franc dipped on Tuesday as Trump and his national security team discussed Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the US lifts its blockade. It remains unclear if Trump, who has repeatedly insisted the central goal of the conflict is keeping Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear we

The Nikkei 225 hit another record high despite higher oil prices. Japan's manufacturing activity expanded at its strongest pace in four years in April as firms boosted production over concerns about potential supply shortages. A second round of peace negotiations between the US and Iran unravelled a

Oil prices rose on Friday after Iran posted video of commandos in a speedboat storming a huge cargo ship after the collapse of peace talks. Trump said he would not set a "timetable" for ending the conflict. Israel and Lebanon are said to have agreed to extend their ceasefire by three weeks after a h

Corporate America is expected to deliver exceptionally strong Q1 earnings, partly due to One Big Beautiful Bill Act which is expected to boost growth and free more capitals this year. FactSet's estimates show that earnings growth could turn out to be as much as 19 percent. Such high level would like

Sterling dipped on Thursday as oil prices pushed above $100 per barrel, weighing on investor sentiment. UK inflation jumped to 3.3% in March, largely due to increased fuel prices. A majority of economists polled by Reuters expect the BOE to keep rates unchanged for the rest of the year, arguing poli

The Mexican peso hovered around its 6-momth high on Wednesday. Scepticism over Trump's announcement of an indefinite extension of a ceasefire with Iran lifted demand for the safe-haven ‌currency. Mexico's economy is forecast to log a third consecutive year of growth under 2%, a Reuters poll found, h

The Canadian dollar moved sideways on Tuesday, without clues on a US-Iran deal to reopen Gulf shipping. Tehran has yet to decide how to proceed with the diplomatic process. Trump on Monday again threatened Iran with overwhelming military force, saying "lots of bombs [will] start going off" 

Wall Street indexes scaled record highs on Friday, after Iran said the Strait of Hormuz was open for passage during a ceasefire in Lebanon and Trump said he expected to reach a deal to end the war soon. However, Iran has closed the waterway again to commercial vessels and that any ship that approach

The yen was headed for a third consecutive daily decline on Friday in tentative trade, after Trump said that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 10-day ceasefire – a sign of progress in a peace deal with Iran. Governor Kazuo Ueda steered clear of signalling a rate hike was on the cards this month, in

China's A50 jumped to the highest level in more than 3 months on Thursday. Trump reaffirmed that the war was "very close to over" with authorities in Tehran eager to agree a peace deal. The market became the latest in Asia to recoup losses driven by the Iran war, fuelling optimism that inv

The Russian economy will grow by 0.8% ‌this year, down from a forecast of 1% a month ago, according to ⁠a Reuters poll, echoing an earlier government announcement that the official forecast could be downgraded. The turmoil in the Middle East not only alleviates some fiscal pressures but also serves

The euro hovered near its highest since early March on Wednesday, amid growing optimism after a WSJ report that a second round of US-Iran negotiations are being considered. Eurozone growth is now seen slowing to 1.1% this year from 1.4% in 2025, as the war more than negates better-than-predicted exp