CZKCNY - Ticker AI Digest

United Overseas Bank’s (UOB) Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann highlight an unexpectedly sharp EUR/USD drop to 1.1577, with the pair closing weaker at 1.1584. They see scope for further downside but doubts a quick test of 1.1550 due to oversold conditions.

United Overseas Bank’s (UOB) Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann highlight an unexpectedly sharp EUR/USD drop to 1.1577, with the pair closing weaker at 1.1584. They see scope for further downside but doubts a quick test of 1.1550 due to oversold conditions.

Gold is generally seen as a garnish in retirement portfolios. Its rally has coincided with mounting concerns over America’s $40 trillion in government debt, rising deficits, and “dollar debasement”—the notion that the currency will be worth less as the government prints more money to finance its debt. Gold, conversely, yields nothing and imposes an opportunity cost: You forgo income if you swap bonds for gold. Continue Reading

MANILA, Philippines, Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitrade is sponsoring the World Snooker Tour (WST) as its Official Trading Partner. The move comes as Asia-Pacific's retail trading population turns markedly younger: CME Group cites participation in the region has grown 16% over the past five years, with younger Southeast Asian investors driving much of that expansion. That same generational shift is reshaping snooker's own following. 80% of the sport's fans in China are 50 or younger, against 27% in the UK, according to WST figures reported by TIME. Together, these trends strengthen the case for financial education and disciplined decision-making. Mitrade has been growing alongside that same generation. Since January 2026, the group reports that active trading clients increased 54% year on year, while the number of trades rose 79% and total lots traded grew 149%. The WST sponsorship gives Mitrade an international platform to deepen engagement with a growing community of traders and fans. "The World Snooker Tour is a prestigious international platform with a strong global following, and we are proud to support its reach," said Kevin Lai, Vice President of Mitrade Group. "The concentration, composure and judgement the sport demands reflect qualities we value: thoughtful decision-making, discipline and respect for risk. This sponsorship reflects our responsible growth and commitment to helping traders understand financial markets, and we look forward to a meaningful relationship with WST's community." "We are delighted to welcome Mitrade to the World Snooker Tour," said Peter Wright, Chief Commercial Officer of WST. "This is a significant partnership with a dynamic global brand, and we are excited about working together across our European events." Mitrade's involvement with WST will kick off at the British Open in Cheltenham on 31 August 2026. About Mitrade Group Mitrade is a globally recognised, award-winning CFD trading platform licensed under the Cayman Islands' CIMA (SIB1612446), Mauritius's FSC (GB20025791), Australia's ASIC (AFSL398528), South Africa's FSCA (FSP 54842), UAE's CMA (20200000397), and Cyprus's CySEC (CIF438/23). The group democratises market access, connecting 7M+ traders to 1,000+ OTC derivatives, including indices, forex, commodities, ETFs, and shares. The platform offers millisecond execution, tight spreads, advanced risk mitigation, and multi-device compatibility, ensuring an intuitive trading experience tailored to every trader. Trading involves risks. This article is for informational purposes only and not financial advice, an offer, or a solicitation. Visit https://www.mitrade.com for more information.Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/mitrade-backs-world-snooker-tour-as-official-trading-partner-as-new-generation-rises-across-asia-302859556.html View Comments

The EUR/USD pair edges higher to around 1.1655 during the early Asian session on Thursday. A hawkish stance of the European Central Bank (ECB) provides some support to the Euro (EUR) against the US Dollar (USD).

The EUR/USD pair edges higher to around 1.1655 during the early Asian session on Thursday. A hawkish stance of the European Central Bank (ECB) provides some support to the Euro (EUR) against the US Dollar (USD).

The GBP/USD pair trades with a negative bias below mid-1.3600s during the Asian session on Wednesday, eroding a part of the previous day's strong gains.

The Euro (EUR) continues to trade in a tight range at around 1.1660 against the US Dollar (USD) during the Asian trading session on Wednesday.

The USD/CAD pair edges higher during the Asian session on Wednesday, though it remains confined within the previous day’s range. Spot prices currently trade around mid-1.3800s as traders now look to the US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index for some meaningful impetus.

The EUR/USD pair flatlines near 1.1675 during the early Asian trading hours on Wednesday. The US Treasury's decision to expand its long-term bond buyback program could weigh on the US Dollar (USD) against the Euro (EUR).

[London Big Ben Westminster] RistoArnaudov/E+ via Getty Images The UK faces the biggest potential impact from AI disruption among major economies, according to Deutsche Bank analyst Shreyas Gopal. Gopal examined 30 currencies across labor-market and trade exposure to AI, with the UK ranking first overall, followed by Israel. [Chart] Deutsche Bank The UK stood out because a comparatively large share of its workforce was exposed to AI disruption, while the country was also a major exporter of AI-affected services. Among G10 currencies, the UK had the highest labor-market exposure to AI relative to GDP per capita, according to Deutsche Bank's analysis. The comparison showed the UK sitting above the broader trend between AI exposure and income levels. [Chart] Deutsche Bank The trade picture also left the UK highly exposed. Israel had the largest net exports of AI-affected services at about 8% of GDP, followed by the UK at 7.2%. India ranked third at 5.4%, while Singapore and the Philippines each recorded 4.1%. Deutsche Bank's ranking combined the labor-market and trade measures to identify economies where the magnitude of potential AI disruption was greatest. It did not take a view on whether that disruption would ultimately be positive or negative for currencies. For the UK, the findings could have significant policy implications as AI reshapes employment and services trade. Gopal said the recently announced UK AI Economics Institute was likely to be particularly important for the country's domestic policy response. From an FX perspective, Deutsche Bank said investors could express the longer-term AI theme without taking a directional view on sterling. With longer-dated implied volatility in EUR/GBP low by historical standards, the bank said strangles could offer a way to position for a larger currency move in either direction. MORE ON UK * GBP/USD Remains Firm Above 1.3479 Ahead Of US CPI [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4935322-gbpusd-remains-firm-above-1-3479-ahead-of-us-cpi] * New Political Instability Arrives In The U.K., EWU Prepares [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4916788-new-political-instability-arrives-in-the-uk-ewu-prepares] * U.K. Prime Minister Starmer Exits, But Expect More Turbulence [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4916754-uk-prime-minister-starmer-exits-but-expect-more-turbulence] * Europe indexes gain as tech selloff eases; Nvidia, Treasury buybacks in focus [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4636466-europe-indexes-gain-as-tech-selloff-eases-nvidia-treasury-buybacks-in-focus] * FX weekly: Dollar weakness on Treasury buyback supports major currencies [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4636295-fx-weekly-dollar-weakness-on-treasury-buyback-supports-major-currencies]

The British Pound (GBP) trades marginally higher against the US Dollar (USD) at around 1.3640 during the European trading session on Tuesday, even as the US Dollar Index (DXY) edges up, indicating strength in the British currency.

Commerzbank’s Michael Pfister analyses how the strong Swiss Franc (CHF) and an undervalued Chinese Yuan (CNY) are weighing on Switzerland’s export competitiveness.

Societe Generale says Poland’s elevated fiscal deficit and rapidly rising public debt could keep pressure on the zloty, with the draft 2027 budget set to provide the next key test for investor appetite.

[Global Business Strategy on Digital Display] London (UKX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/UKX]) -0.03%. The British pound traded above $1.36 in the final full week of August. Germany (DAX:IND [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DAX:IND]) -0.29%, reversing gains, pressured by technology stocks, amid nervousness ahead of Nvidia’s earnings. France (CAC:IND [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CAC:IND]) -0.24%. In other parts of Europe, retail sales in Poland eased to 3.9% Y/Y in July. The consumer confidence indicator in the Czech Republic dropped to 102.3 in August. Producer prices in Finland rose by 6.9% Y/Y in July. Norway’s general public domestic loan debt rose by 4.3% Y/Y to NOK 8.01T. The pan-European Stoxx 600 [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/STOXX] (STOXX) [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/STOXX] edged 0.10% lower to 653.5, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of a busy week. The AI trade remained under pressure ahead of a key test from Nvidia’s earnings on Wednesday. The euro held above $1.165 in the final full week of August, its strongest since mid-May. In the bond market, the yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury was down 3 basis points to 4.71%. UK's 10-year yield was down 2 basis points to 5.05%. Germany's 10-year yield was down less than 1 basis point to 3.25%. Currencies: (EUR:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/EUR:USD]) (GBP:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GBP:USD]) (CHF:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CHF:USD]) MORE ON EUROPE * Treasury Buybacks: America Has Three Doors, And None Solve The Problem [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4939416-treasury-buybacks-america-has-three-doors-and-none-solve-the-problem] * Week Ahead: Warsh At Jackson Hole [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4939393-week-ahead-warsh-at-jackson-hole] * Treasury Intervention Puts The Dollar Under Pressure [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4939186-treasury-intervention-puts-dollar-under-pressure] * Ray Dalio warns of impending U.S. debt crisis, urges gold, bitcoin hedging [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4635970-ray-dalio-warns-of-impending-us-debt-crisis-urges-gold-bitcoin-hedging] * BLS benchmark revision could erase 200K reported jobs, Pantheon Macro warns [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4635881-bls-benchmark-revision-could-erase-200k-reported-jobs-pantheon-macro-warns]

Geoff Yu at BNY notes that Europe is seeking a Goldilocks mix of improving activity without reigniting inflation, with Euro strength already tightening conditions.

The Euro (EUR) is trading a few pips below 1.1700 against a depressed US Dollar (USD) on Friday, on track for a more than 1% weekly rally, and with the three-month high of 1.1710 at a short distance.

The NZD/USD pair attracts buyers for the third straight day and climbs to a fresh high since early June, around the 0.5965-0.5970 region during the Asian session on Friday. Spot prices remain on track to register strong weekly gains amid a supportive fundamental backdrop.

United Overseas Bank’s Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann highlight that EUR/USD has broken to a three‑month high near 1.1680 as Dollar weakness and strong momentum underpin the pair.

The EUR/USD pair enters a bullish consolidation phase after touching its highest level since late May during the Asian session on Thursday. Bulls now await a move beyond the 1.1700 mark before placing fresh bets and positioning for an extension of an over a three-week-old uptrend.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's imports and exports set records in July and soaring energy costs and a weak yen helped extend a trade deficit for a third month, government data showed. Japan's trade deficit totaled 634.5 billion yen ($4 billion) last month, marking the third straight month of red ink, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report Thursday. Imports surged 27.8% from the same month a year ago to a seasonally adjusted 12.15 trillion yen ($77 billion). The war in Iran has sent crude oil prices soaring. Japan, which imports almost all its oil, previously relieved heavily on oil imports from the Middle East through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively closed. Exports rose 23.2% to 11.51 trillion yen ($73 billion), as auto exports to the U.S. and other nations remained strong. Shipments of semiconductors and other electronic devices were also healthy. Japan's exports have now grown every month for almost a year. By value, both imports and exports rose to the highest levels in July, since comparable data became available in January 1979, according to the ministry. Japan has been seeking alternative sources for energy imports, including the U.S. Japan's central bank has intervened to prop up the currency, but that has had little lasting impact. The yen's weakness is related to larger causes like Japan's socioeconomic clout, which has been weakening, analysts say. The U.S. dollar is trading at about 158 yen lately, lower than the levels in July, when it cost more than 160 yen, but still higher than what it was a year ago at 140 yen. A weak yen can work as a boon for Japan's giant exporters, like Toyota Motor Corp., because it boosts the value of overseas earnings. Toyota and other exporters have reported hefty earnings recently, raking in the benefits of the weak yen. But the weak yen makes raw materials and other essentials such as food and oil more expensive when purchased abroad. Analysts increasingly have said Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's policies have had minimal effect so far in turning around Japan's economy. Still, she is likely to stay in power, at least for the next several months, as no election is scheduled and her popularity with voters remains relatively high. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama View Comments

By Niket Nishant and Jiaxing Li Aug 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar slipped against major peers on Wednesday as a selloff in Treasuries eased, with investors counting on minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting to ‌offer fresh guidance later in the day. A light data calendar this week has left markets hungry for catalysts, potentially ‌putting greater emphasis on the minutes. The document is expected to offer a comprehensive read on policymakers' thinking at a time when Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has ​been reticent on the rate outlook and renewed Middle East tensions are adding to the unease. The euro rose 0.31% to $1.1611, remaining close to the two-month high touched earlier this week. Sterling was 0.22% higher at $1.3562 after data showed UK inflation in July rose in line with expectations. The Japanese yen also strengthened 0.35% to 159.04 per dollar, pulling away from the closely watched 160 level after giving back much ‌of its intervention gains. "Japan is struggling with ⁠structural problems. But I think the central banks have a strong incentive to keep the yen orderly," Tom Samuelson, chief investment officer at Vineyard Global Advisors, said. The dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency ⁠against six major peers, was down 0.29% at 99.36. A selloff in U.S. Treasuries appeared to be easing. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note declined to 4.696%, while that on the 30-year bond dipped to 5.283% after hitting its highest level in nearly 20 ​years. But some ​cautioned against complacency, warning that yields were still elevated and an ​increase could reverberate across stocks, bonds and currency markets. ‌Samuelson said a 4.8%-5% 10-year Treasury yield would mark the "warning track." "If we push through 4.8% to 5% on the 10-year Treasury, it can cause jitters and compress valuations of high-flying technology stocks," he added. The Fed minutes are set to be released at 2 p.m. Eastern Time (1800 GMT) on Wednesday. MIDDLE EAST IMPASSE KEEPS INFLATION RISK ALIVE Data released during recent weeks pointed to a softer U.S. economy, including unexpected job losses in July and mild inflation readings, leading investors to scale back rate-hike bets. "If the Fed does not ‌follow through with the rate hikes that are being discounted, the upside ​for bond yields should be very limited here," Harvinder Kalirai, chief global fixed ​income and currency strategist at Alpine Macro, said in ​a client webcast. "The labour market and inflation surprise are rolling over and usually that coincides with a ‌narrowing in the dollar's yield advantage, and that feeds ​through into a softer dollar." Story Continues Meanwhile, a ​stalemate in the Middle East lifted oil prices to nearly three-week highs, keeping the inflation risk alive. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday there were no talks with Iran and that the Strait of Hormuz was open. Iran said ​the strait remained shut to shipping. Elsewhere, the ‌Canadian dollar rose slightly to $1.3870 after Trump paused the implementation of a 50% tariff on Canadian goods for ​three days, saying the countries had reached a deal. (Reporting by Jiaxing Li in Hong Kong and Niket Nishant ​in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Barbara Lewis and Andrew Heavens) View Comments

The EUR/USD pair trades in positive territory near 1.1585 during the early European trading hours on Wednesday. The Euro (EUR) edges higher against the US Dollar (USD) as the German ZEW survey beat forecasts.

[Stock market activity shows price changes and trading movements in real time] FabrikaCr Asian stock markets lower on Tuesday tracking overnight losses on Wall Street [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633898-wall-street-edged-lower-as-investors-look-ahead-to-retail-earnings] as fading hopes for a Middle East peace deal drove oil prices higher, reigniting inflation concerns. Meanwhile, U.S. index futures fell further after the major averages started the week on a sour note; S&P 500 futures fell 0.35%, while Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.66% and Dow futures edged down 0.16%. In commodities, crude oil climbed above $85 per barrel, while gold prices eased below $4,400 an ounce. South Korea’s KOSPI down 0.64% to around 7,150, even as markets monitored bilateral trade talks regarding Seoul’s $200B U.S. investment pledge. Japan's (NKY:IND [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NKY:IND]) fell 2.08% toward 68,000, reversing the previous session’s gains as the yen depreciated past 159.5 per dollar. In corporate headlines, Nvidia agreed to invest up to $105 billion in SoftBank subsidiary SB Energy for an OpenAI data center project in Ohio. China's (SHCOMP [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SHCOMP]) fell 0.46% to around 3,991, while the Shenzhen Component fell 0.6% to 14,613, with markets turning choppy after recent gains in technology and semiconductor stocks following last week's tech rally and softer July economic metrics. Hong Kong (HSI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HSI]) fell 0.79% to 25,289, giving back part of previous sessions strong gains. India (SENSEX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SENSEX]) fell 0.44% to 77,450 on Tuesday, extending recent losses. Australia (AS51 [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AS51#hasComeFromMpArticle=false#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews]) shares rose 0.07% to 9,098, to break a four-session slide, supported by an 88.9 reading on the Westpac Consumer Sentiment Index (up 6.0% M/M). Investors await upcoming employment and quarterly wage releases. CURRENCIES: (JPY:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/JPY:USD]), (CNY:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CNY:USD]), (AUD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AUD:USD]), (INR:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/INR:USD]), (HKD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HKD:USD]), (NZD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NZD:USD]). MORE ON ASIA'S MARKETS AND ECONOMY: * Yen Intervention Narrative: What's True And Not [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4936723-yen-intervention-narrative-whats-true-and-not] * South Korea - Reiterating AI Warning Despite Good Performance [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4936060-south-korea-reiterating-ai-warning-despite-good-performance] * MCHI: Historically Cheap Versus Historically Expensive Tech Driven USA [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4934127-mchi-historically-cheap-versus-historically-expensive-tech-driven-usa] * Yen edges higher as traders push back Fed rate hike bets [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633647-yen-edges-higher-as-traders-push-back-fed-rate-hike-bets] * Asian markets trade mixed amid weak U.S. leads; China rebounds and Japan holds gains despite Q2 GDP miss [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633642-asian-markets-trade-mixed-amid-weak-us-leads-china-rebounds-and-japan-holds-gains-despite-q2-gdp-miss]

The USD/CAD pair struggles to build on the overnight bounce from the 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) support near the 1.3845 region, or the lowest level since June 3, and is seen consolidating during the Asian session on Tuesday.

Sanae Takaichi at a ceremony on Saturday marking the Japanese surrender in the Second World War. The weak yen makes it harder for her government to raise spending or cut taxes - Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images Japan's borrowing costs have hit a 30-year high as as traders bet its central bank will raise interest rates to rescue the sinking yen. The country's 10-year bond yield rose by more than 0.05 percentage points to as much as 2.93pc on Monday, the highest since 1996. The yield on 30-year bonds climbed a similar amount to 4.06pc, near a record high posted in May. The rising yields will drive up borrowing costs for Sanae Takaichi, the Japanese prime minister, just as she ramps up spending and cuts taxes to buoy the country's struggling economy. Economic growth unexpectedly slowed to 0.3pc in the three months to June 30, the cabinet office reported on Monday, kept afloat only by a 2.6pc surge in government spending. The Bank of Japan may have to raise interest rates even as the economy slows, because the plummeting yen could trigger faster inflation and rock global bond markets. Traders are betting that the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates again in September. The previous increase, in June, took the benchmark rate to its highest since 1995. Inflation hit 1.7pc that month, the highest so far this year. "The BOJ and markets have seemingly grown more concerned about the risk of an inflation overshoot," said Koichi Sugisaki, of Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities. The bond sell-off could make it harder for Ms Takaichi to support the economy with higher spending and tax cuts. The government's debt-to-GDP ratio is already 249pc, and has barely shifted since its recent peak during the Covid-19 pandemic. "A low-level debt crisis is already under way," said Robin Brooks, of the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. He posted on Substack that the Bank of Japan's bond-buying programme, which aims to stop yields rising too far, just shifted the debt problem onto the currency rather than addressing the underlying issue. "Depreciation pressure on the yen is just a symptom of too much debt," he said. The yen hit a 40-year low against the US dollar last month. The Trump administration fears that a persistently weak yen will distort currency and bond markets, potentially driving up the US government's own borrowing costs. The US treasury has even sold off some of its own stock of euro to buy yen and push the currency higher. This intervention, combined with Japan's own yen-buying, triggered a 4pc gain in the currency's value against the US dollar. But the yen has since fallen almost 2pc as the effect of the intervention has worn off. View Comments

The EUR/USD pair builds on last week's bounce from the vicinity of the 1.1500 psychological mark and gains strong follow-through positive traction on Monday.

The AUD/USD pair attracts strong follow-through buying at the start of a new week and surges past the 0.7100 mark, hitting a fresh high since June 5 as sustained US Dollar (USD) selling offsets China's weak macro data dump.

US Dollar News: Fed Hike Bets Fade as Euro and Pound Gain Support The U.S. dollar begins the day on Wednesday, August 17, under pressure after a slow release of economic data reduced the likelihood of another rate hike from the Federal Reserve. U.S. retail sales slipped in July for the first time in nine months and cited worsening consumer sentiment in addition to last week's trends in the CPI and PPI. The odds of a September rate hike have dropped to 30% from 50%. It is now expected that rates will hold at current levels, as the markets' prediction is at a 70% chance of no change. There are now expectations that the Fed's July meeting documents will be released to see if the economic slowdown is of concern. The euro's outlook is looking more favorable with the expectation that the European Central Bank will be the first to hike in September. A Reuters poll conducted August 10-13, showed 57 of 69 economists showed the expectation for a 25-basis point increase to 2.50%. The eurozone's inflation data increased to 2.9% in July, citing persistent inflationary pressures due to the conflict in the Middle East. Economists also increased their outlook for growth from 2026 to 0.8%. The outlook for the flash PMIs and confidence indices for later this week will determine if growth has improved. Sterling still has a relatively strong domestic base following the quickening of UK second-quarter GDP growth by 0.4% and by 0.3% in June. For the first half of the year, Reuters noted UK growth was the fastest among G7 economies. Even with the data, markets envisage about one bank rate increase for the UK this year making data releases for inflation and the labour market due this week very important. From a currency point of view, the focus for August 17 is shrinking policy divergence. Slower U.S. data means the Fed is less likely to hike while the ECB and BoE both have tightening possibilities This means the EUR/USD, USD/JPY, and GBP/USD pairs shall be in focus for currency traders. U.S. Dollar Index Technical Analysis: DXY Breaks Rising Trendline as $99.42 Support Comes Under PressureDollar Index Price Chart – Source: Tradingview The U.S. Dollar Index is currently testing $99.41 on the daily chart after dropping to below the rising trendline showing the broad recovery after the spring lows. Price is also under the $100.23 50-day EMA and the $99.90 100-day EMA, and continues to put pressure on the structure. The latest bearish candle has pushed $DXY into the $99.38-$99.42 support zone, making this region critical for the next move. Story Continues RSI is at 36, showing weak momentum and is approaching oversold territory. Immediate resistance is at $100.06, then $100.82 and $101.62. Breaking below $99.38 would take out $98.76 and $98.18. I still believe the dollar is vulnerable until the broken trendline is cleared along with the EMA cluster. A move back above $100.06 would improve the outlook, and a break below $99.38 would negatively impact the dollar. GBP/USD Technical Analysis: Pound Extends Bullish Run Toward $1.3587GBP/USD Price Chart – Source: Tradingview GBP/USD is trading around $1.3558 on the 2-hour chart and is moving higher in a clear trend of higher highs and higher lows. Price is above the 50-EMA at $1.3514 and the 100-EMA at $1.3493, and rising trendline to further support the overall positive trend. Recent bullish candlesticks show steady buying, but are not impulsive, as price is moving much closer to important resistance. RSI is at 67 which is an strong increase and shows the pair moving in the bearish direction towards overbought territory. At the moment the resistance is projected at $1.3587, then $1.3627 and then at $1.3670. For the GBP/USD, from a bullish perspective, you are likely to find support at $1.3539, then $1.3475 and $1.3434. Where I stand, GBP/USD is especially bullish as long as it holds above $1.3510 and $1.3539. A break above $1.3587 would likely ignite a run toward $1.3627. If the bulls lose the trendline, it could weaken the bullish structure. EUR/USD Technical Analysis: Euro Breaks Higher as Momentum Reaches Overbought TerritoryEUR/USD Price Chart – Source: Tradingview EUR/USD is currently at $1.1598 on the 4-hour chart. It has broken above the recent consolidation zone and $1.1580. Price is above the 50-EMA at $1.1539 and the 100-EMA at $1.1512 and therefore, is showing that short-term momentum is in the hands of buyers. EUR/USD is also above the trend line that has been supporting the recovery from the recent lows, which were made in July. RSI is at the overbought region at 72, and therefore, could potentially mean a pullback or consolidation will happen in the short-term. Resistance is located at $1.1622, $1.1655, and $1.1686. Support is at $1.1580, $1.1545, and $1.1515. In my opinion, the structure is bullish as long as EUR/USD stays above the $1.1580 level. If there is a clean break of the $1.1622 level, the move could end at $1.1655. If there is a break of the $1.1545 level, the latest breakout will not be valid. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Forex Price Analysis – AUD/USD and NZD/USD Test Resistance as USD/CAD Hits Golden Zone Lowe's Earnings Preview: Can Pro Growth and Digital Momentum Offset Weak DIY Demand? Dollar Mostly Flat After Inflation Meets Expectations AI Sales Push Fortinet Shares to New Heights Pump.fun Price Prediction: PUMP Rally Should Keep Going as Protocol Revenues Jump Bitcoin Price Risks 30% Dip As US 30-Year Bond Yield Hits 25-Year High View Comments

OLDWICK, N.J., August 17, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Foreign currency exchange gains against the U.S. dollar have enabled Munich Re and Lloyd's to reach the top echelon in AM Best's companionrankings of the world's largest reinsurers, which differ based on accounting standards. Munich Re has reclaimed the top position among IFRS 17 reporting reinsurers, driven in part by the Euro's strong performance compared to the U.S. dollar. Meanwhile, Lloyd's moved to the top of the ranking for non-IFRS 17 reinsurers, lifted by premium growth and the British Pound appreciating against the U.S. dollar. The rankings are included in a new Best's Market Segment Report, "World's 50 Largest Reinsurers," which is a highly recognized part of AM Best's overall look at the global reinsurance industry ahead of the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo. Other reports, including AM Best's in-depth looks at the insurance-linked securities, Lloyd's, life/annuity, health and regional reinsurance segments, will be available during August and September. The depreciation of the U.S. dollar (USD) against most currencies in 2025 came into play and enhanced the rankings of many non-USD-denominated reinsurers, with currency rate fluctuations having a meaningful impact. AM Best converts all reporting currencies to USD using the foreign exchange rate as of the date of companies' financial statements. In addition, this now also marks the third full year of the ranking-related financial information being reported under IFRS-17, which has provided AM Best with additional insights into the year-over-year performance of reinsurers ranked in the report. The most notable change among the IFRS-17 reporters this year is Munich Re reclaiming the top position from Swiss Re. Swiss Re was ranked in the top position among non-IFRS reporters in 2023 and then among IFRS-17 reporters in 2024, after the group transitioned that year. Both groups had modest declines in reinsurance revenue year-over-year. Hannover Re stayed in third place, SCOR holds the fourth position and China Re remained in the fifth position. "The top 5 IFRS-17 players had solid performance in 2025, reporting a weighted combined ratio of 80.0%," said Christopher Pennings, senior financial analyst, AM Best. "This marked a notable decline from the prior year's weighted combined ratio of 84.9%." Among the top 5 non-IFRS 17 players, the most significant change is Lloyd's moving to the top position, overtaking Berkshire Hathaway after it took the top position last year, when Swiss Re transitioned to reporting under IFRS-17. The change in the ranking is the result of a combination of factors that are detailed in the report. Story Continues Other highlights from the annual ranking report include: • Reinsurers' underwriting performance remained strong in 2025, despite some material price softening. The industry generated record levels of capital, driven by multiple years of strong profitability after rates hardened and terms and conditions became more favorable for reinsurers. Additionally, investment returns supplemented strong operating profits. "Risk-adjusted rate reductions occurred during the more recent renewal cycles, as the market experienced tailwinds, with terms and conditions largely holding strong," said Dan Hofmeister, associate director, AM Best. • The absence of significant U.S. hurricane activity in 2025 improved profitability, with no major hurricane making landfall in 2025. However, the industry continued to experience the financial impact of severe convective storms in the United States, with loss estimates reaching as much as USD 61 billion, according to broker estimates. • The largest insured loss of 2025 occurred within weeks of the new year, namely the California wildfires. As the books closed on a very profitable 2024, 2025 started with many reinsurers producing their worst quarterly results in years. The event eroded a significant portion of exposed reinsurers' allotted catastrophe capacity for the year. To access the full copy of this market segment report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=367484. For global reinsurance reports ahead of Rendez-Vous de Septembre, as well as video coverage of the event, please visit AM Best's Reinsurance Information center. Lastly, AM Best will host its annual reinsurance market briefing at Rendez-Vous de Septembre on Sept. 6, 2026, at 10:15 a.m. (CEST) in Monte Carlo. For more information, please visit the event website. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright © 2026 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260817448836/en/ Contacts Christopher Pennings,CPCU Financial Analyst +1 908 882 2237 christopher.pennings@ambest.com Dan Hofmeister,CFA, FRM, CAIA, CPCU Associate Director +1 908 882 1893 dan.hofmeister@ambest.com Christopher Sharkey Associate Director, Public Relations +1 908 882 2310 christopher.sharkey@ambest.com Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 882 2318 al.slavin@ambest.com View Comments

[Stock market activity shows price changes and trading movements in real time] FabrikaCr Asian stock markets delivered a mixed performance on Monday following Wall Street’s Friday pullback, which was weighed down by weak U.S. retail sales data and tech sector losses. Meanwhile, U.S. index futures traded mixed; S&P 500 futures gained 0.18%, while Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.50% and Dow futures edged down 0.05%, as investors awaited key retail earnings for insights into consumer health. In commodities, crude oil traded above $82 per barrel, while gold prices rose toward $4,400 an ounce. South Korea’s KOSPI market closed. Japan's (NKY:IND [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NKY:IND]) rose 0.61% toward 69,000. The Japanese yen climbed to around 159 per dollar. Japan’s GDP grew 0.3% quarter-on-quarter in Q2 2026, slowing from Q1’s pace and falling short of market expectations for 0.5%, flash data showed. Japan’s industrial production rose 1.9% month-over-month in June 2026, exceeding flash data of 1.3% and picking up from a 0.1% increase in the previous month. China's (SHCOMP [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SHCOMP]) rose 1.23% to around 3,937, while the Shenzhen Component gained 0.4% to 14,409, as investors positioned ahead of a busy week of economic data. Markets are awaiting key indicators, including fixed-asset investment, industrial production, retail sales, the unemployment rate, house prices, and foreign direct investment figures, for fresh clues based on China's economic recovery. Hong Kong (HSI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HSI]) rose 1.72% to 25,490, rebounding from a fourth consecutive session of decline. India (SENSEX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SENSEX]) fell 0.65% to 77,643, following losses in the previous session. The Indian rupee weakened to around 95.49 per dollar. Australia (AS51 [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AS51#hasComeFromMpArticle=false#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews]) shares fell 0.55% to 9,089, extending losses for a fourth straight session to hit a two-week low. The Australian dollar rose above $0.709, hitting a ten-week high. CURRENCIES: (JPY:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/JPY:USD]), (CNY:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CNY:USD]), (AUD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AUD:USD]), (INR:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/INR:USD]), (HKD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HKD:USD]), (NZD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NZD:USD]). MORE ON ASIA'S MARKETS AND ECONOMY: * Yen Intervention Narrative: What's True And Not [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4936723-yen-intervention-narrative-whats-true-and-not] * South Korea - Reiterating AI Warning Despite Good Performance [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4936060-south-korea-reiterating-ai-warning-despite-good-performance] * MCHI: Historically Cheap Versus Historically Expensive Tech Driven USA [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4934127-mchi-historically-cheap-versus-historically-expensive-tech-driven-usa] * Japan's Q2 GDP softens to 0.3%; industrial output rebounds to 1.9% [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633645-japan-q2-gdp-softens-to-03-industrial-output-rebound-to-19] * Trump orders reduction in U.S.-South Korea military exercises [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633617-trump-orders-reduction-in-u-s-south-korea-military-exercises]

By Gregor Stuart Hunter SINGAPORE, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The yen gained momentum against the dollar, largely shrugging off weaker-than-expected Japanese GDP data as traders reined in expectations the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates ‌this year. The yen was 0.2% stronger against the U.S. dollar at 159.075 yen, on track for ‌a second straight day of modest gains but still firmly within its trading range of the past week, after data on Monday showed Japanese ​GDP for the second quarter expanded at an annualised 1.1%. Japan's 10-year government bond yield jumped to a three-decade high. "The details were a mixed bag," Capital Economics analysts wrote in a research note. "GDP expanded at a decent pace in Q2 and with the government still limiting the pass-through from higher energy prices," they wrote, while a jump in government consumption "suggests ‌that Takaichi's expansionary fiscal policies are starting ⁠to have an impact." The euro was up 0.1% at $1.1585, breaching a two-month high, while the British pound was 0.1% stronger at $1.3551, approaching its firmest levels since May. The Australian ⁠dollar was 0.3% higher at $0.7101, while its kiwi counterpart advanced 0.4% to $0.5911, both at their strongest levels since June. Soggy U.S. data, including non-farm payrolls and gauges of price inflation for consumers and producers, have doused investor expectations of rate hikes from ​the Fed ​this year, with few clues expected from the U.S. central ​bank until the Jackson Hole symposium from August ‌27 to 29. "Softer U.S. data over recent weeks has reduced rate hike expectations, with less than one full hike now priced for December," BNY analysts wrote. "The back end of the Treasury curve remains elevated, with some commentators attributing higher yields to credibility concerns." Fed funds futures are pricing an implied 69.9% probability that Fed policymakers will hold interest rates at their next two-day meeting ending on September 16, up from a 47.6% chance a month ago, according ‌to the CME Group's FedWatch tool. The U.S. dollar index, which ​measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was 0.1% ​lower, trading near its lowest levels of the ​month at 99.501. Oil prices fluctuated between gains and losses, while U.S.-Iran talks to resolve ‌the Middle East conflict remain stalled. Brent crude was ​level at $88.51 a barrel as President ​Donald Trump told Americans to prepare for continued high fuel prices as a result of the war, while Iran called on the U.S. to accept defeat. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains ​at a trickle. Story Continues Against the Chinese yuan, ‌the U.S. dollar was flat at 6.7412 yuan in offshore trade ahead of activity data due for release ​later on Monday. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin was up 0.8% at $63,512.66, while ether gained 1.1% to $1,902.13. (Reporting by ​Gregor Stuart Hunter; Editing by Stephen Coates and Kate Mayberry) View Comments

The EUR/USD pair builds on last week's bounce from the vicinity of the 1.1500 psychological mark and attracts follow-through buyers for the third straight day.

Nordea strategists remain constructive on the Swedish Krona (SEK), viewing it as undervalued and supported by robust domestic fundamentals and improving macro data.

United Overseas Bank’s (UOB) Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann highlight that EUR/USD is consolidating after a brief spike, with the pair expected to trade intraday in a slightly higher 1.1515–1.1550 range as the underlying tone firms.

The US Dollar (USD) remains practically flat against the Japanese Yen (JPY) on Thursday, as fading hopes of a Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate hike in September have undermined speculative demand for the Greenback.

(Bloomberg) -- A jump in South Korean stocks drove emerging-market equities higher on Thursday as the revival in the global AI trade pushed Seoul's Kospi index into a technical bull market. Most Read from Bloomberg Walter Sells Lakers, Seeks More Cash to Pay Loans Amid DOJ Probe Phoebe Gates Knew Phia Shopping App Took Credit for Sales It Didn't Drive Trump Seeks Immediate Halt to Judge's Penalties in IRS Case Anthropic Said in Talks to Buy Startup Decart for $6 Billion Trump Weighs Call for Capital Gains Tax Cuts as Midterm Boost MSCI's developing-nation stocks benchmark rose 0.8% by 9:50 a.m. in London, with four of the top six contributors to the day's gains listed in South Korea. "We remain comfortable with our overweight position in the AI sector," Mohit Kumar, a strategist at Jefferies International, wrote in a note. "Earnings season has been strong and show no signs of slowdown in capex." The Kospi gained 3.6% on Thursday, extending its gain from a July 30 low to around 22%. Heavyweight memory chipmakers Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. drove the advance, both jumping about 5%. In other equities markets, the benchmark BUX index in Budapest traded around record levels on Thursday after closing above 150,000 points for the first time in the previous session. Most currency markets were less lively, with the relevant MSCI gauge less than 0.1% lower on the day and trading close to flat for the week so far. The continued stalemate on the war in Iran has left energy markets in limbo, affecting the outlook for oil-importing nations. "Geopolitics remains the focus with the Strait of Hormuz still shut," Jefferies' Kumar said. "A few more weeks of stalemate and the market should be able to take it well, but if the stalemate lasts for months instead of weeks, markets would need to reprice." Turkey's central bank on Thursday cited those geopolitical uncertainties as well as volatility in energy and food prices when it abandoned its below-consensus inflation call and moved its year-end forecast closer to market expectations. In Romania, the central bank also raised its inflation forecasts but said it will consider lowering interest rates after the inflation rate drops below the benchmark rate, which is the highest in the European Union. Authorities in Romania and neighboring Hungary continue to battle a scorching drought, which is curtailing electricity production along the Danube river. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek AI Music Startup Suno Bets Anyone Can Be a Rock Star The Steamy, Magical and Now Very Lucrative Romantasy Business ICE Arrests Are Pushing Immigrant Families Deeper Into Poverty With EV Sales Slowing, Hybrid Cars Are Hot Again Supercharged by Social Media, the GLP-1 Boom Is Warping Teen Psyches ©2026 Bloomberg L.P. View Comments

Japan’s yen extended its recent decline, falling back to a level that could trigger a fresh round of intervention from government officials that has the potential to roil U.S. stocks during the traditional August lull. Japan’s Ministry of Finance has spent billions propping up the yen this year, including a record $53 billion in late July when it joined forces with the U.S. Treasury Department for the first time since 1998 to arrest the currency’s yearslong slide. Since then, however, the yen has given back around half of the gains it established over those two trading sessions in July, and was last trading at 159.17 against the U.S. dollar. Continue Reading

(Bloomberg) -- This month's most lucrative emerging-market carry trade is attracting foreign investors to South African rand bonds at the fastest pace since January. Most Read from Bloomberg Phoebe Gates Knew Phia Shopping App Took Credit for Sales It Didn't Drive Five Takeaways From Zuckerberg's 6,500-Word Manifesto on AI Tata Sons Chairman to Step Down, Deepening Leadership Turmoil Trump Weighs Call for Capital Gains Tax Cuts as Midterm Boost Pakistan Says Deal Is Close Even as Iran, US Harden Stances Global investors bought a net 23.1 billion rand ($1.43 billion) of government debt in the first week of August, the largest weekly inflow since January, according to JSE Ltd. data. That's helped traders earn 2.5% in the dollar-funded carry trade so far this month, the most out of 22 developing-nation currencies tracked by Bloomberg. The renewed interest in South African bonds comes after yields jumped to six-months highs in March as the Iran war drove up oil prices, sparking inflation concerns. Since then, the 10—year yield has dropped more than 80 basis points to around 8.57% as crude prices moderated and the rand strengthened. Still, it remains well above well above February's decade-low of 7.95%, suggesting further gains are in store as the country's fiscal backdrop improves and inflation moves toward the central bank's target. "If we see continued rand appreciation, bonds could price out a lot of upside inflation risks that have come into the price of yields since the rise in oil prices," said Adam Furlan, a portfolio manager at Ninety One SA Ltd. "Strong currency performance definitely improves the outlook for local bonds in terms of the feed-through into lower inflation." The rand has strengthened 5% against the dollar since the end of March, buoyed by a hawkish central bank that's seen keeping the currency yield advantage over the dollar in place. That supports the carry trade, or borrowing one currency cheaply to invest in a higher-yielding asset elsewhere. Meanwhile, implied volatility for the rand versus the dollar over the next year fell below realized volatility this week for the first time in three years, suggesting options traders see price swings moderating into 2027. That also bolsters the carry trade, as smaller fluctuations imply less risk of currency weakness eroding returns. Easing concerns of Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes in the US are also positive for the South African currency, said Ning Sun, senior EM strategist at State Street in Boston. Traders are pricing in a roughly 50% chance of a quarter-point increase next month, compared with a 68% probability of a similar hike by the South African Reserve Bank. Story Continues "The rand is partly carry, partly beneficiary of a weak dollar and dovish Fed," Sun said. "We have a medium term bearish view on the dollar and we think the rand is the best in emerging-markets to express that view." --With assistance from Robert Brand. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek Supercharged by Social Media, the GLP-1 Boom Is Warping Teen Psyches ICE Arrests Are Pushing Immigrant Families Deeper Into Poverty Lululemon Is At War With Itself With EV Sales Slowing, Hybrid Cars Are Hot Again Suno Says AI Is the Future of Music. Record Labels Say It's Theft ©2026 Bloomberg L.P. View Comments

OCBC’s Sim Moh Siong and Christopher Wong report that Philippine Peso (PHP), Indian Rupee (INR), Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) and Thai Baht (THB) weakened as Oil’s rebound renewed pressure on net importers.

The AUD/USD pair prolongs its consolidative price move for the third straight day and trades around mid-0.7000s through the early European session on Wednesday.

United Overseas Bank’s (UOB) Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann highlight an unexpectedly sharp EUR/USD drop to 1.1577, with the pair closing weaker at 1.1584. They see scope for further downside but doubts a quick test of 1.1550 due to oversold conditions.

Gold is generally seen as a garnish in retirement portfolios. Its rally has coincided with mounting concerns over America’s $40 trillion in government debt, rising deficits, and “dollar debasement”—the notion that the currency will be worth less as the government prints more money to finance its debt. Gold, conversely, yields nothing and imposes an opportunity cost: You forgo income if you swap bonds for gold. Continue Reading

MANILA, Philippines, Aug. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitrade is sponsoring the World Snooker Tour (WST) as its Official Trading Partner. The move comes as Asia-Pacific's retail trading population turns markedly younger: CME Group cites participation in the region has grown 16% over the past five years, with younger Southeast Asian investors driving much of that expansion. That same generational shift is reshaping snooker's own following. 80% of the sport's fans in China are 50 or younger, against 27% in the UK, according to WST figures reported by TIME. Together, these trends strengthen the case for financial education and disciplined decision-making. Mitrade has been growing alongside that same generation. Since January 2026, the group reports that active trading clients increased 54% year on year, while the number of trades rose 79% and total lots traded grew 149%. The WST sponsorship gives Mitrade an international platform to deepen engagement with a growing community of traders and fans. "The World Snooker Tour is a prestigious international platform with a strong global following, and we are proud to support its reach," said Kevin Lai, Vice President of Mitrade Group. "The concentration, composure and judgement the sport demands reflect qualities we value: thoughtful decision-making, discipline and respect for risk. This sponsorship reflects our responsible growth and commitment to helping traders understand financial markets, and we look forward to a meaningful relationship with WST's community." "We are delighted to welcome Mitrade to the World Snooker Tour," said Peter Wright, Chief Commercial Officer of WST. "This is a significant partnership with a dynamic global brand, and we are excited about working together across our European events." Mitrade's involvement with WST will kick off at the British Open in Cheltenham on 31 August 2026. About Mitrade Group Mitrade is a globally recognised, award-winning CFD trading platform licensed under the Cayman Islands' CIMA (SIB1612446), Mauritius's FSC (GB20025791), Australia's ASIC (AFSL398528), South Africa's FSCA (FSP 54842), UAE's CMA (20200000397), and Cyprus's CySEC (CIF438/23). The group democratises market access, connecting 7M+ traders to 1,000+ OTC derivatives, including indices, forex, commodities, ETFs, and shares. The platform offers millisecond execution, tight spreads, advanced risk mitigation, and multi-device compatibility, ensuring an intuitive trading experience tailored to every trader. Trading involves risks. This article is for informational purposes only and not financial advice, an offer, or a solicitation. Visit https://www.mitrade.com for more information.Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/mitrade-backs-world-snooker-tour-as-official-trading-partner-as-new-generation-rises-across-asia-302859556.html View Comments

The EUR/USD pair edges higher to around 1.1655 during the early Asian session on Thursday. A hawkish stance of the European Central Bank (ECB) provides some support to the Euro (EUR) against the US Dollar (USD).

The EUR/USD pair edges higher to around 1.1655 during the early Asian session on Thursday. A hawkish stance of the European Central Bank (ECB) provides some support to the Euro (EUR) against the US Dollar (USD).

The GBP/USD pair trades with a negative bias below mid-1.3600s during the Asian session on Wednesday, eroding a part of the previous day's strong gains.

The Euro (EUR) continues to trade in a tight range at around 1.1660 against the US Dollar (USD) during the Asian trading session on Wednesday.

The USD/CAD pair edges higher during the Asian session on Wednesday, though it remains confined within the previous day’s range. Spot prices currently trade around mid-1.3800s as traders now look to the US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index for some meaningful impetus.

The EUR/USD pair flatlines near 1.1675 during the early Asian trading hours on Wednesday. The US Treasury's decision to expand its long-term bond buyback program could weigh on the US Dollar (USD) against the Euro (EUR).

[London Big Ben Westminster] RistoArnaudov/E+ via Getty Images The UK faces the biggest potential impact from AI disruption among major economies, according to Deutsche Bank analyst Shreyas Gopal. Gopal examined 30 currencies across labor-market and trade exposure to AI, with the UK ranking first overall, followed by Israel. [Chart] Deutsche Bank The UK stood out because a comparatively large share of its workforce was exposed to AI disruption, while the country was also a major exporter of AI-affected services. Among G10 currencies, the UK had the highest labor-market exposure to AI relative to GDP per capita, according to Deutsche Bank's analysis. The comparison showed the UK sitting above the broader trend between AI exposure and income levels. [Chart] Deutsche Bank The trade picture also left the UK highly exposed. Israel had the largest net exports of AI-affected services at about 8% of GDP, followed by the UK at 7.2%. India ranked third at 5.4%, while Singapore and the Philippines each recorded 4.1%. Deutsche Bank's ranking combined the labor-market and trade measures to identify economies where the magnitude of potential AI disruption was greatest. It did not take a view on whether that disruption would ultimately be positive or negative for currencies. For the UK, the findings could have significant policy implications as AI reshapes employment and services trade. Gopal said the recently announced UK AI Economics Institute was likely to be particularly important for the country's domestic policy response. From an FX perspective, Deutsche Bank said investors could express the longer-term AI theme without taking a directional view on sterling. With longer-dated implied volatility in EUR/GBP low by historical standards, the bank said strangles could offer a way to position for a larger currency move in either direction. MORE ON UK * GBP/USD Remains Firm Above 1.3479 Ahead Of US CPI [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4935322-gbpusd-remains-firm-above-1-3479-ahead-of-us-cpi] * New Political Instability Arrives In The U.K., EWU Prepares [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4916788-new-political-instability-arrives-in-the-uk-ewu-prepares] * U.K. Prime Minister Starmer Exits, But Expect More Turbulence [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4916754-uk-prime-minister-starmer-exits-but-expect-more-turbulence] * Europe indexes gain as tech selloff eases; Nvidia, Treasury buybacks in focus [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4636466-europe-indexes-gain-as-tech-selloff-eases-nvidia-treasury-buybacks-in-focus] * FX weekly: Dollar weakness on Treasury buyback supports major currencies [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4636295-fx-weekly-dollar-weakness-on-treasury-buyback-supports-major-currencies]

The British Pound (GBP) trades marginally higher against the US Dollar (USD) at around 1.3640 during the European trading session on Tuesday, even as the US Dollar Index (DXY) edges up, indicating strength in the British currency.

Commerzbank’s Michael Pfister analyses how the strong Swiss Franc (CHF) and an undervalued Chinese Yuan (CNY) are weighing on Switzerland’s export competitiveness.

Societe Generale says Poland’s elevated fiscal deficit and rapidly rising public debt could keep pressure on the zloty, with the draft 2027 budget set to provide the next key test for investor appetite.

[Global Business Strategy on Digital Display] London (UKX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/UKX]) -0.03%. The British pound traded above $1.36 in the final full week of August. Germany (DAX:IND [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/DAX:IND]) -0.29%, reversing gains, pressured by technology stocks, amid nervousness ahead of Nvidia’s earnings. France (CAC:IND [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CAC:IND]) -0.24%. In other parts of Europe, retail sales in Poland eased to 3.9% Y/Y in July. The consumer confidence indicator in the Czech Republic dropped to 102.3 in August. Producer prices in Finland rose by 6.9% Y/Y in July. Norway’s general public domestic loan debt rose by 4.3% Y/Y to NOK 8.01T. The pan-European Stoxx 600 [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/STOXX] (STOXX) [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/STOXX] edged 0.10% lower to 653.5, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of a busy week. The AI trade remained under pressure ahead of a key test from Nvidia’s earnings on Wednesday. The euro held above $1.165 in the final full week of August, its strongest since mid-May. In the bond market, the yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury was down 3 basis points to 4.71%. UK's 10-year yield was down 2 basis points to 5.05%. Germany's 10-year yield was down less than 1 basis point to 3.25%. Currencies: (EUR:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/EUR:USD]) (GBP:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GBP:USD]) (CHF:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CHF:USD]) MORE ON EUROPE * Treasury Buybacks: America Has Three Doors, And None Solve The Problem [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4939416-treasury-buybacks-america-has-three-doors-and-none-solve-the-problem] * Week Ahead: Warsh At Jackson Hole [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4939393-week-ahead-warsh-at-jackson-hole] * Treasury Intervention Puts The Dollar Under Pressure [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4939186-treasury-intervention-puts-dollar-under-pressure] * Ray Dalio warns of impending U.S. debt crisis, urges gold, bitcoin hedging [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4635970-ray-dalio-warns-of-impending-us-debt-crisis-urges-gold-bitcoin-hedging] * BLS benchmark revision could erase 200K reported jobs, Pantheon Macro warns [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4635881-bls-benchmark-revision-could-erase-200k-reported-jobs-pantheon-macro-warns]

Geoff Yu at BNY notes that Europe is seeking a Goldilocks mix of improving activity without reigniting inflation, with Euro strength already tightening conditions.

The Euro (EUR) is trading a few pips below 1.1700 against a depressed US Dollar (USD) on Friday, on track for a more than 1% weekly rally, and with the three-month high of 1.1710 at a short distance.

The NZD/USD pair attracts buyers for the third straight day and climbs to a fresh high since early June, around the 0.5965-0.5970 region during the Asian session on Friday. Spot prices remain on track to register strong weekly gains amid a supportive fundamental backdrop.

United Overseas Bank’s Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann highlight that EUR/USD has broken to a three‑month high near 1.1680 as Dollar weakness and strong momentum underpin the pair.

The EUR/USD pair enters a bullish consolidation phase after touching its highest level since late May during the Asian session on Thursday. Bulls now await a move beyond the 1.1700 mark before placing fresh bets and positioning for an extension of an over a three-week-old uptrend.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's imports and exports set records in July and soaring energy costs and a weak yen helped extend a trade deficit for a third month, government data showed. Japan's trade deficit totaled 634.5 billion yen ($4 billion) last month, marking the third straight month of red ink, the Finance Ministry said in a preliminary report Thursday. Imports surged 27.8% from the same month a year ago to a seasonally adjusted 12.15 trillion yen ($77 billion). The war in Iran has sent crude oil prices soaring. Japan, which imports almost all its oil, previously relieved heavily on oil imports from the Middle East through the Strait of Hormuz, which remains effectively closed. Exports rose 23.2% to 11.51 trillion yen ($73 billion), as auto exports to the U.S. and other nations remained strong. Shipments of semiconductors and other electronic devices were also healthy. Japan's exports have now grown every month for almost a year. By value, both imports and exports rose to the highest levels in July, since comparable data became available in January 1979, according to the ministry. Japan has been seeking alternative sources for energy imports, including the U.S. Japan's central bank has intervened to prop up the currency, but that has had little lasting impact. The yen's weakness is related to larger causes like Japan's socioeconomic clout, which has been weakening, analysts say. The U.S. dollar is trading at about 158 yen lately, lower than the levels in July, when it cost more than 160 yen, but still higher than what it was a year ago at 140 yen. A weak yen can work as a boon for Japan's giant exporters, like Toyota Motor Corp., because it boosts the value of overseas earnings. Toyota and other exporters have reported hefty earnings recently, raking in the benefits of the weak yen. But the weak yen makes raw materials and other essentials such as food and oil more expensive when purchased abroad. Analysts increasingly have said Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's policies have had minimal effect so far in turning around Japan's economy. Still, she is likely to stay in power, at least for the next several months, as no election is scheduled and her popularity with voters remains relatively high. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama View Comments

By Niket Nishant and Jiaxing Li Aug 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar slipped against major peers on Wednesday as a selloff in Treasuries eased, with investors counting on minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting to ‌offer fresh guidance later in the day. A light data calendar this week has left markets hungry for catalysts, potentially ‌putting greater emphasis on the minutes. The document is expected to offer a comprehensive read on policymakers' thinking at a time when Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has ​been reticent on the rate outlook and renewed Middle East tensions are adding to the unease. The euro rose 0.31% to $1.1611, remaining close to the two-month high touched earlier this week. Sterling was 0.22% higher at $1.3562 after data showed UK inflation in July rose in line with expectations. The Japanese yen also strengthened 0.35% to 159.04 per dollar, pulling away from the closely watched 160 level after giving back much ‌of its intervention gains. "Japan is struggling with ⁠structural problems. But I think the central banks have a strong incentive to keep the yen orderly," Tom Samuelson, chief investment officer at Vineyard Global Advisors, said. The dollar index, which measures the U.S. currency ⁠against six major peers, was down 0.29% at 99.36. A selloff in U.S. Treasuries appeared to be easing. The yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury note declined to 4.696%, while that on the 30-year bond dipped to 5.283% after hitting its highest level in nearly 20 ​years. But some ​cautioned against complacency, warning that yields were still elevated and an ​increase could reverberate across stocks, bonds and currency markets. ‌Samuelson said a 4.8%-5% 10-year Treasury yield would mark the "warning track." "If we push through 4.8% to 5% on the 10-year Treasury, it can cause jitters and compress valuations of high-flying technology stocks," he added. The Fed minutes are set to be released at 2 p.m. Eastern Time (1800 GMT) on Wednesday. MIDDLE EAST IMPASSE KEEPS INFLATION RISK ALIVE Data released during recent weeks pointed to a softer U.S. economy, including unexpected job losses in July and mild inflation readings, leading investors to scale back rate-hike bets. "If the Fed does not ‌follow through with the rate hikes that are being discounted, the upside ​for bond yields should be very limited here," Harvinder Kalirai, chief global fixed ​income and currency strategist at Alpine Macro, said in ​a client webcast. "The labour market and inflation surprise are rolling over and usually that coincides with a ‌narrowing in the dollar's yield advantage, and that feeds ​through into a softer dollar." Story Continues Meanwhile, a ​stalemate in the Middle East lifted oil prices to nearly three-week highs, keeping the inflation risk alive. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday there were no talks with Iran and that the Strait of Hormuz was open. Iran said ​the strait remained shut to shipping. Elsewhere, the ‌Canadian dollar rose slightly to $1.3870 after Trump paused the implementation of a 50% tariff on Canadian goods for ​three days, saying the countries had reached a deal. (Reporting by Jiaxing Li in Hong Kong and Niket Nishant ​in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Barbara Lewis and Andrew Heavens) View Comments

The EUR/USD pair trades in positive territory near 1.1585 during the early European trading hours on Wednesday. The Euro (EUR) edges higher against the US Dollar (USD) as the German ZEW survey beat forecasts.

[Stock market activity shows price changes and trading movements in real time] FabrikaCr Asian stock markets lower on Tuesday tracking overnight losses on Wall Street [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633898-wall-street-edged-lower-as-investors-look-ahead-to-retail-earnings] as fading hopes for a Middle East peace deal drove oil prices higher, reigniting inflation concerns. Meanwhile, U.S. index futures fell further after the major averages started the week on a sour note; S&P 500 futures fell 0.35%, while Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.66% and Dow futures edged down 0.16%. In commodities, crude oil climbed above $85 per barrel, while gold prices eased below $4,400 an ounce. South Korea’s KOSPI down 0.64% to around 7,150, even as markets monitored bilateral trade talks regarding Seoul’s $200B U.S. investment pledge. Japan's (NKY:IND [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NKY:IND]) fell 2.08% toward 68,000, reversing the previous session’s gains as the yen depreciated past 159.5 per dollar. In corporate headlines, Nvidia agreed to invest up to $105 billion in SoftBank subsidiary SB Energy for an OpenAI data center project in Ohio. China's (SHCOMP [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SHCOMP]) fell 0.46% to around 3,991, while the Shenzhen Component fell 0.6% to 14,613, with markets turning choppy after recent gains in technology and semiconductor stocks following last week's tech rally and softer July economic metrics. Hong Kong (HSI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HSI]) fell 0.79% to 25,289, giving back part of previous sessions strong gains. India (SENSEX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SENSEX]) fell 0.44% to 77,450 on Tuesday, extending recent losses. Australia (AS51 [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AS51#hasComeFromMpArticle=false#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews]) shares rose 0.07% to 9,098, to break a four-session slide, supported by an 88.9 reading on the Westpac Consumer Sentiment Index (up 6.0% M/M). Investors await upcoming employment and quarterly wage releases. CURRENCIES: (JPY:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/JPY:USD]), (CNY:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CNY:USD]), (AUD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AUD:USD]), (INR:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/INR:USD]), (HKD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HKD:USD]), (NZD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NZD:USD]). MORE ON ASIA'S MARKETS AND ECONOMY: * Yen Intervention Narrative: What's True And Not [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4936723-yen-intervention-narrative-whats-true-and-not] * South Korea - Reiterating AI Warning Despite Good Performance [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4936060-south-korea-reiterating-ai-warning-despite-good-performance] * MCHI: Historically Cheap Versus Historically Expensive Tech Driven USA [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4934127-mchi-historically-cheap-versus-historically-expensive-tech-driven-usa] * Yen edges higher as traders push back Fed rate hike bets [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633647-yen-edges-higher-as-traders-push-back-fed-rate-hike-bets] * Asian markets trade mixed amid weak U.S. leads; China rebounds and Japan holds gains despite Q2 GDP miss [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633642-asian-markets-trade-mixed-amid-weak-us-leads-china-rebounds-and-japan-holds-gains-despite-q2-gdp-miss]

The USD/CAD pair struggles to build on the overnight bounce from the 200-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) support near the 1.3845 region, or the lowest level since June 3, and is seen consolidating during the Asian session on Tuesday.

Sanae Takaichi at a ceremony on Saturday marking the Japanese surrender in the Second World War. The weak yen makes it harder for her government to raise spending or cut taxes - Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images Japan's borrowing costs have hit a 30-year high as as traders bet its central bank will raise interest rates to rescue the sinking yen. The country's 10-year bond yield rose by more than 0.05 percentage points to as much as 2.93pc on Monday, the highest since 1996. The yield on 30-year bonds climbed a similar amount to 4.06pc, near a record high posted in May. The rising yields will drive up borrowing costs for Sanae Takaichi, the Japanese prime minister, just as she ramps up spending and cuts taxes to buoy the country's struggling economy. Economic growth unexpectedly slowed to 0.3pc in the three months to June 30, the cabinet office reported on Monday, kept afloat only by a 2.6pc surge in government spending. The Bank of Japan may have to raise interest rates even as the economy slows, because the plummeting yen could trigger faster inflation and rock global bond markets. Traders are betting that the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates again in September. The previous increase, in June, took the benchmark rate to its highest since 1995. Inflation hit 1.7pc that month, the highest so far this year. "The BOJ and markets have seemingly grown more concerned about the risk of an inflation overshoot," said Koichi Sugisaki, of Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities. The bond sell-off could make it harder for Ms Takaichi to support the economy with higher spending and tax cuts. The government's debt-to-GDP ratio is already 249pc, and has barely shifted since its recent peak during the Covid-19 pandemic. "A low-level debt crisis is already under way," said Robin Brooks, of the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank. He posted on Substack that the Bank of Japan's bond-buying programme, which aims to stop yields rising too far, just shifted the debt problem onto the currency rather than addressing the underlying issue. "Depreciation pressure on the yen is just a symptom of too much debt," he said. The yen hit a 40-year low against the US dollar last month. The Trump administration fears that a persistently weak yen will distort currency and bond markets, potentially driving up the US government's own borrowing costs. The US treasury has even sold off some of its own stock of euro to buy yen and push the currency higher. This intervention, combined with Japan's own yen-buying, triggered a 4pc gain in the currency's value against the US dollar. But the yen has since fallen almost 2pc as the effect of the intervention has worn off. View Comments

The EUR/USD pair builds on last week's bounce from the vicinity of the 1.1500 psychological mark and gains strong follow-through positive traction on Monday.

The AUD/USD pair attracts strong follow-through buying at the start of a new week and surges past the 0.7100 mark, hitting a fresh high since June 5 as sustained US Dollar (USD) selling offsets China's weak macro data dump.

US Dollar News: Fed Hike Bets Fade as Euro and Pound Gain Support The U.S. dollar begins the day on Wednesday, August 17, under pressure after a slow release of economic data reduced the likelihood of another rate hike from the Federal Reserve. U.S. retail sales slipped in July for the first time in nine months and cited worsening consumer sentiment in addition to last week's trends in the CPI and PPI. The odds of a September rate hike have dropped to 30% from 50%. It is now expected that rates will hold at current levels, as the markets' prediction is at a 70% chance of no change. There are now expectations that the Fed's July meeting documents will be released to see if the economic slowdown is of concern. The euro's outlook is looking more favorable with the expectation that the European Central Bank will be the first to hike in September. A Reuters poll conducted August 10-13, showed 57 of 69 economists showed the expectation for a 25-basis point increase to 2.50%. The eurozone's inflation data increased to 2.9% in July, citing persistent inflationary pressures due to the conflict in the Middle East. Economists also increased their outlook for growth from 2026 to 0.8%. The outlook for the flash PMIs and confidence indices for later this week will determine if growth has improved. Sterling still has a relatively strong domestic base following the quickening of UK second-quarter GDP growth by 0.4% and by 0.3% in June. For the first half of the year, Reuters noted UK growth was the fastest among G7 economies. Even with the data, markets envisage about one bank rate increase for the UK this year making data releases for inflation and the labour market due this week very important. From a currency point of view, the focus for August 17 is shrinking policy divergence. Slower U.S. data means the Fed is less likely to hike while the ECB and BoE both have tightening possibilities This means the EUR/USD, USD/JPY, and GBP/USD pairs shall be in focus for currency traders. U.S. Dollar Index Technical Analysis: DXY Breaks Rising Trendline as $99.42 Support Comes Under PressureDollar Index Price Chart – Source: Tradingview The U.S. Dollar Index is currently testing $99.41 on the daily chart after dropping to below the rising trendline showing the broad recovery after the spring lows. Price is also under the $100.23 50-day EMA and the $99.90 100-day EMA, and continues to put pressure on the structure. The latest bearish candle has pushed $DXY into the $99.38-$99.42 support zone, making this region critical for the next move. Story Continues RSI is at 36, showing weak momentum and is approaching oversold territory. Immediate resistance is at $100.06, then $100.82 and $101.62. Breaking below $99.38 would take out $98.76 and $98.18. I still believe the dollar is vulnerable until the broken trendline is cleared along with the EMA cluster. A move back above $100.06 would improve the outlook, and a break below $99.38 would negatively impact the dollar. GBP/USD Technical Analysis: Pound Extends Bullish Run Toward $1.3587GBP/USD Price Chart – Source: Tradingview GBP/USD is trading around $1.3558 on the 2-hour chart and is moving higher in a clear trend of higher highs and higher lows. Price is above the 50-EMA at $1.3514 and the 100-EMA at $1.3493, and rising trendline to further support the overall positive trend. Recent bullish candlesticks show steady buying, but are not impulsive, as price is moving much closer to important resistance. RSI is at 67 which is an strong increase and shows the pair moving in the bearish direction towards overbought territory. At the moment the resistance is projected at $1.3587, then $1.3627 and then at $1.3670. For the GBP/USD, from a bullish perspective, you are likely to find support at $1.3539, then $1.3475 and $1.3434. Where I stand, GBP/USD is especially bullish as long as it holds above $1.3510 and $1.3539. A break above $1.3587 would likely ignite a run toward $1.3627. If the bulls lose the trendline, it could weaken the bullish structure. EUR/USD Technical Analysis: Euro Breaks Higher as Momentum Reaches Overbought TerritoryEUR/USD Price Chart – Source: Tradingview EUR/USD is currently at $1.1598 on the 4-hour chart. It has broken above the recent consolidation zone and $1.1580. Price is above the 50-EMA at $1.1539 and the 100-EMA at $1.1512 and therefore, is showing that short-term momentum is in the hands of buyers. EUR/USD is also above the trend line that has been supporting the recovery from the recent lows, which were made in July. RSI is at the overbought region at 72, and therefore, could potentially mean a pullback or consolidation will happen in the short-term. Resistance is located at $1.1622, $1.1655, and $1.1686. Support is at $1.1580, $1.1545, and $1.1515. In my opinion, the structure is bullish as long as EUR/USD stays above the $1.1580 level. If there is a clean break of the $1.1622 level, the move could end at $1.1655. If there is a break of the $1.1545 level, the latest breakout will not be valid. This article was originally posted on FX Empire More From FXEMPIRE: Forex Price Analysis – AUD/USD and NZD/USD Test Resistance as USD/CAD Hits Golden Zone Lowe's Earnings Preview: Can Pro Growth and Digital Momentum Offset Weak DIY Demand? Dollar Mostly Flat After Inflation Meets Expectations AI Sales Push Fortinet Shares to New Heights Pump.fun Price Prediction: PUMP Rally Should Keep Going as Protocol Revenues Jump Bitcoin Price Risks 30% Dip As US 30-Year Bond Yield Hits 25-Year High View Comments

OLDWICK, N.J., August 17, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Foreign currency exchange gains against the U.S. dollar have enabled Munich Re and Lloyd's to reach the top echelon in AM Best's companionrankings of the world's largest reinsurers, which differ based on accounting standards. Munich Re has reclaimed the top position among IFRS 17 reporting reinsurers, driven in part by the Euro's strong performance compared to the U.S. dollar. Meanwhile, Lloyd's moved to the top of the ranking for non-IFRS 17 reinsurers, lifted by premium growth and the British Pound appreciating against the U.S. dollar. The rankings are included in a new Best's Market Segment Report, "World's 50 Largest Reinsurers," which is a highly recognized part of AM Best's overall look at the global reinsurance industry ahead of the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo. Other reports, including AM Best's in-depth looks at the insurance-linked securities, Lloyd's, life/annuity, health and regional reinsurance segments, will be available during August and September. The depreciation of the U.S. dollar (USD) against most currencies in 2025 came into play and enhanced the rankings of many non-USD-denominated reinsurers, with currency rate fluctuations having a meaningful impact. AM Best converts all reporting currencies to USD using the foreign exchange rate as of the date of companies' financial statements. In addition, this now also marks the third full year of the ranking-related financial information being reported under IFRS-17, which has provided AM Best with additional insights into the year-over-year performance of reinsurers ranked in the report. The most notable change among the IFRS-17 reporters this year is Munich Re reclaiming the top position from Swiss Re. Swiss Re was ranked in the top position among non-IFRS reporters in 2023 and then among IFRS-17 reporters in 2024, after the group transitioned that year. Both groups had modest declines in reinsurance revenue year-over-year. Hannover Re stayed in third place, SCOR holds the fourth position and China Re remained in the fifth position. "The top 5 IFRS-17 players had solid performance in 2025, reporting a weighted combined ratio of 80.0%," said Christopher Pennings, senior financial analyst, AM Best. "This marked a notable decline from the prior year's weighted combined ratio of 84.9%." Among the top 5 non-IFRS 17 players, the most significant change is Lloyd's moving to the top position, overtaking Berkshire Hathaway after it took the top position last year, when Swiss Re transitioned to reporting under IFRS-17. The change in the ranking is the result of a combination of factors that are detailed in the report. Story Continues Other highlights from the annual ranking report include: • Reinsurers' underwriting performance remained strong in 2025, despite some material price softening. The industry generated record levels of capital, driven by multiple years of strong profitability after rates hardened and terms and conditions became more favorable for reinsurers. Additionally, investment returns supplemented strong operating profits. "Risk-adjusted rate reductions occurred during the more recent renewal cycles, as the market experienced tailwinds, with terms and conditions largely holding strong," said Dan Hofmeister, associate director, AM Best. • The absence of significant U.S. hurricane activity in 2025 improved profitability, with no major hurricane making landfall in 2025. However, the industry continued to experience the financial impact of severe convective storms in the United States, with loss estimates reaching as much as USD 61 billion, according to broker estimates. • The largest insured loss of 2025 occurred within weeks of the new year, namely the California wildfires. As the books closed on a very profitable 2024, 2025 started with many reinsurers producing their worst quarterly results in years. The event eroded a significant portion of exposed reinsurers' allotted catastrophe capacity for the year. To access the full copy of this market segment report, please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=367484. For global reinsurance reports ahead of Rendez-Vous de Septembre, as well as video coverage of the event, please visit AM Best's Reinsurance Information center. Lastly, AM Best will host its annual reinsurance market briefing at Rendez-Vous de Septembre on Sept. 6, 2026, at 10:15 a.m. (CEST) in Monte Carlo. For more information, please visit the event website. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright © 2026 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260817448836/en/ Contacts Christopher Pennings,CPCU Financial Analyst +1 908 882 2237 christopher.pennings@ambest.com Dan Hofmeister,CFA, FRM, CAIA, CPCU Associate Director +1 908 882 1893 dan.hofmeister@ambest.com Christopher Sharkey Associate Director, Public Relations +1 908 882 2310 christopher.sharkey@ambest.com Al Slavin Senior Public Relations Specialist +1 908 882 2318 al.slavin@ambest.com View Comments

[Stock market activity shows price changes and trading movements in real time] FabrikaCr Asian stock markets delivered a mixed performance on Monday following Wall Street’s Friday pullback, which was weighed down by weak U.S. retail sales data and tech sector losses. Meanwhile, U.S. index futures traded mixed; S&P 500 futures gained 0.18%, while Nasdaq 100 futures fell 0.50% and Dow futures edged down 0.05%, as investors awaited key retail earnings for insights into consumer health. In commodities, crude oil traded above $82 per barrel, while gold prices rose toward $4,400 an ounce. South Korea’s KOSPI market closed. Japan's (NKY:IND [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NKY:IND]) rose 0.61% toward 69,000. The Japanese yen climbed to around 159 per dollar. Japan’s GDP grew 0.3% quarter-on-quarter in Q2 2026, slowing from Q1’s pace and falling short of market expectations for 0.5%, flash data showed. Japan’s industrial production rose 1.9% month-over-month in June 2026, exceeding flash data of 1.3% and picking up from a 0.1% increase in the previous month. China's (SHCOMP [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SHCOMP]) rose 1.23% to around 3,937, while the Shenzhen Component gained 0.4% to 14,409, as investors positioned ahead of a busy week of economic data. Markets are awaiting key indicators, including fixed-asset investment, industrial production, retail sales, the unemployment rate, house prices, and foreign direct investment figures, for fresh clues based on China's economic recovery. Hong Kong (HSI [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HSI]) rose 1.72% to 25,490, rebounding from a fourth consecutive session of decline. India (SENSEX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SENSEX]) fell 0.65% to 77,643, following losses in the previous session. The Indian rupee weakened to around 95.49 per dollar. Australia (AS51 [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AS51#hasComeFromMpArticle=false#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews]) shares fell 0.55% to 9,089, extending losses for a fourth straight session to hit a two-week low. The Australian dollar rose above $0.709, hitting a ten-week high. CURRENCIES: (JPY:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/JPY:USD]), (CNY:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CNY:USD]), (AUD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/AUD:USD]), (INR:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/INR:USD]), (HKD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HKD:USD]), (NZD:USD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NZD:USD]). MORE ON ASIA'S MARKETS AND ECONOMY: * Yen Intervention Narrative: What's True And Not [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4936723-yen-intervention-narrative-whats-true-and-not] * South Korea - Reiterating AI Warning Despite Good Performance [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4936060-south-korea-reiterating-ai-warning-despite-good-performance] * MCHI: Historically Cheap Versus Historically Expensive Tech Driven USA [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4934127-mchi-historically-cheap-versus-historically-expensive-tech-driven-usa] * Japan's Q2 GDP softens to 0.3%; industrial output rebounds to 1.9% [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633645-japan-q2-gdp-softens-to-03-industrial-output-rebound-to-19] * Trump orders reduction in U.S.-South Korea military exercises [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4633617-trump-orders-reduction-in-u-s-south-korea-military-exercises]

By Gregor Stuart Hunter SINGAPORE, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The yen gained momentum against the dollar, largely shrugging off weaker-than-expected Japanese GDP data as traders reined in expectations the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates ‌this year. The yen was 0.2% stronger against the U.S. dollar at 159.075 yen, on track for ‌a second straight day of modest gains but still firmly within its trading range of the past week, after data on Monday showed Japanese ​GDP for the second quarter expanded at an annualised 1.1%. Japan's 10-year government bond yield jumped to a three-decade high. "The details were a mixed bag," Capital Economics analysts wrote in a research note. "GDP expanded at a decent pace in Q2 and with the government still limiting the pass-through from higher energy prices," they wrote, while a jump in government consumption "suggests ‌that Takaichi's expansionary fiscal policies are starting ⁠to have an impact." The euro was up 0.1% at $1.1585, breaching a two-month high, while the British pound was 0.1% stronger at $1.3551, approaching its firmest levels since May. The Australian ⁠dollar was 0.3% higher at $0.7101, while its kiwi counterpart advanced 0.4% to $0.5911, both at their strongest levels since June. Soggy U.S. data, including non-farm payrolls and gauges of price inflation for consumers and producers, have doused investor expectations of rate hikes from ​the Fed ​this year, with few clues expected from the U.S. central ​bank until the Jackson Hole symposium from August ‌27 to 29. "Softer U.S. data over recent weeks has reduced rate hike expectations, with less than one full hike now priced for December," BNY analysts wrote. "The back end of the Treasury curve remains elevated, with some commentators attributing higher yields to credibility concerns." Fed funds futures are pricing an implied 69.9% probability that Fed policymakers will hold interest rates at their next two-day meeting ending on September 16, up from a 47.6% chance a month ago, according ‌to the CME Group's FedWatch tool. The U.S. dollar index, which ​measures the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was 0.1% ​lower, trading near its lowest levels of the ​month at 99.501. Oil prices fluctuated between gains and losses, while U.S.-Iran talks to resolve ‌the Middle East conflict remain stalled. Brent crude was ​level at $88.51 a barrel as President ​Donald Trump told Americans to prepare for continued high fuel prices as a result of the war, while Iran called on the U.S. to accept defeat. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains ​at a trickle. Story Continues Against the Chinese yuan, ‌the U.S. dollar was flat at 6.7412 yuan in offshore trade ahead of activity data due for release ​later on Monday. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin was up 0.8% at $63,512.66, while ether gained 1.1% to $1,902.13. (Reporting by ​Gregor Stuart Hunter; Editing by Stephen Coates and Kate Mayberry) View Comments

The EUR/USD pair builds on last week's bounce from the vicinity of the 1.1500 psychological mark and attracts follow-through buyers for the third straight day.

Nordea strategists remain constructive on the Swedish Krona (SEK), viewing it as undervalued and supported by robust domestic fundamentals and improving macro data.

United Overseas Bank’s (UOB) Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann highlight that EUR/USD is consolidating after a brief spike, with the pair expected to trade intraday in a slightly higher 1.1515–1.1550 range as the underlying tone firms.

The US Dollar (USD) remains practically flat against the Japanese Yen (JPY) on Thursday, as fading hopes of a Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate hike in September have undermined speculative demand for the Greenback.

(Bloomberg) -- A jump in South Korean stocks drove emerging-market equities higher on Thursday as the revival in the global AI trade pushed Seoul's Kospi index into a technical bull market. Most Read from Bloomberg Walter Sells Lakers, Seeks More Cash to Pay Loans Amid DOJ Probe Phoebe Gates Knew Phia Shopping App Took Credit for Sales It Didn't Drive Trump Seeks Immediate Halt to Judge's Penalties in IRS Case Anthropic Said in Talks to Buy Startup Decart for $6 Billion Trump Weighs Call for Capital Gains Tax Cuts as Midterm Boost MSCI's developing-nation stocks benchmark rose 0.8% by 9:50 a.m. in London, with four of the top six contributors to the day's gains listed in South Korea. "We remain comfortable with our overweight position in the AI sector," Mohit Kumar, a strategist at Jefferies International, wrote in a note. "Earnings season has been strong and show no signs of slowdown in capex." The Kospi gained 3.6% on Thursday, extending its gain from a July 30 low to around 22%. Heavyweight memory chipmakers Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. drove the advance, both jumping about 5%. In other equities markets, the benchmark BUX index in Budapest traded around record levels on Thursday after closing above 150,000 points for the first time in the previous session. Most currency markets were less lively, with the relevant MSCI gauge less than 0.1% lower on the day and trading close to flat for the week so far. The continued stalemate on the war in Iran has left energy markets in limbo, affecting the outlook for oil-importing nations. "Geopolitics remains the focus with the Strait of Hormuz still shut," Jefferies' Kumar said. "A few more weeks of stalemate and the market should be able to take it well, but if the stalemate lasts for months instead of weeks, markets would need to reprice." Turkey's central bank on Thursday cited those geopolitical uncertainties as well as volatility in energy and food prices when it abandoned its below-consensus inflation call and moved its year-end forecast closer to market expectations. In Romania, the central bank also raised its inflation forecasts but said it will consider lowering interest rates after the inflation rate drops below the benchmark rate, which is the highest in the European Union. Authorities in Romania and neighboring Hungary continue to battle a scorching drought, which is curtailing electricity production along the Danube river. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek AI Music Startup Suno Bets Anyone Can Be a Rock Star The Steamy, Magical and Now Very Lucrative Romantasy Business ICE Arrests Are Pushing Immigrant Families Deeper Into Poverty With EV Sales Slowing, Hybrid Cars Are Hot Again Supercharged by Social Media, the GLP-1 Boom Is Warping Teen Psyches ©2026 Bloomberg L.P. View Comments

Japan’s yen extended its recent decline, falling back to a level that could trigger a fresh round of intervention from government officials that has the potential to roil U.S. stocks during the traditional August lull. Japan’s Ministry of Finance has spent billions propping up the yen this year, including a record $53 billion in late July when it joined forces with the U.S. Treasury Department for the first time since 1998 to arrest the currency’s yearslong slide. Since then, however, the yen has given back around half of the gains it established over those two trading sessions in July, and was last trading at 159.17 against the U.S. dollar. Continue Reading

(Bloomberg) -- This month's most lucrative emerging-market carry trade is attracting foreign investors to South African rand bonds at the fastest pace since January. Most Read from Bloomberg Phoebe Gates Knew Phia Shopping App Took Credit for Sales It Didn't Drive Five Takeaways From Zuckerberg's 6,500-Word Manifesto on AI Tata Sons Chairman to Step Down, Deepening Leadership Turmoil Trump Weighs Call for Capital Gains Tax Cuts as Midterm Boost Pakistan Says Deal Is Close Even as Iran, US Harden Stances Global investors bought a net 23.1 billion rand ($1.43 billion) of government debt in the first week of August, the largest weekly inflow since January, according to JSE Ltd. data. That's helped traders earn 2.5% in the dollar-funded carry trade so far this month, the most out of 22 developing-nation currencies tracked by Bloomberg. The renewed interest in South African bonds comes after yields jumped to six-months highs in March as the Iran war drove up oil prices, sparking inflation concerns. Since then, the 10—year yield has dropped more than 80 basis points to around 8.57% as crude prices moderated and the rand strengthened. Still, it remains well above well above February's decade-low of 7.95%, suggesting further gains are in store as the country's fiscal backdrop improves and inflation moves toward the central bank's target. "If we see continued rand appreciation, bonds could price out a lot of upside inflation risks that have come into the price of yields since the rise in oil prices," said Adam Furlan, a portfolio manager at Ninety One SA Ltd. "Strong currency performance definitely improves the outlook for local bonds in terms of the feed-through into lower inflation." The rand has strengthened 5% against the dollar since the end of March, buoyed by a hawkish central bank that's seen keeping the currency yield advantage over the dollar in place. That supports the carry trade, or borrowing one currency cheaply to invest in a higher-yielding asset elsewhere. Meanwhile, implied volatility for the rand versus the dollar over the next year fell below realized volatility this week for the first time in three years, suggesting options traders see price swings moderating into 2027. That also bolsters the carry trade, as smaller fluctuations imply less risk of currency weakness eroding returns. Easing concerns of Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes in the US are also positive for the South African currency, said Ning Sun, senior EM strategist at State Street in Boston. Traders are pricing in a roughly 50% chance of a quarter-point increase next month, compared with a 68% probability of a similar hike by the South African Reserve Bank. Story Continues "The rand is partly carry, partly beneficiary of a weak dollar and dovish Fed," Sun said. "We have a medium term bearish view on the dollar and we think the rand is the best in emerging-markets to express that view." --With assistance from Robert Brand. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek Supercharged by Social Media, the GLP-1 Boom Is Warping Teen Psyches ICE Arrests Are Pushing Immigrant Families Deeper Into Poverty Lululemon Is At War With Itself With EV Sales Slowing, Hybrid Cars Are Hot Again Suno Says AI Is the Future of Music. Record Labels Say It's Theft ©2026 Bloomberg L.P. View Comments

OCBC’s Sim Moh Siong and Christopher Wong report that Philippine Peso (PHP), Indian Rupee (INR), Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) and Thai Baht (THB) weakened as Oil’s rebound renewed pressure on net importers.

The AUD/USD pair prolongs its consolidative price move for the third straight day and trades around mid-0.7000s through the early European session on Wednesday.