Analysis: Currencies

Brazil posts lower-than-expected trade surplus in August

Brazil posted a trade surplus of $4.828 billion in August, government data showed on Thursday, down nearly 50% from a year earlier and below market estimates of a $6.1 billion surplus in a Reuters...

US calls on Big Tech to help evade online censors in Russia, Iran

The White House, aiming to persuade U.S. tech giants to offer more digital bandwidth for government-funded internet censorship evasion tools, held a meeting with representatives of Amazon.com,...

Nomura Asset Management CIO says further sharp yen gains unlikely

A recent surge in the yen means profit growth at Japanese companies may disappoint, while a further sharp appreciation in the currency is unlikely, said Nomura Asset Management's CIO. ...

US weekly jobless claims decline as layoffs remain low

The number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits declined last week as layoffs remained low, which could help to allay fears that the labor market was deteriorating. ...

US planned layoffs surge in August, recruitment firm Challenger says

U.S. employers in August unveiled the greatest number of layoffs in five months, led by cuts in the technology sector, amid a cloudy outlook for growth and ongoing cost concerns, a monthly tally of...

Canadian dollar rally to resume in 2025 if global economy picks up

The Canadian dollar is set to give back some of its recent gains over coming months but could make another move higher in 2025 if central bank easing cycles revive the global economy, spurring demand...

Toronto home sales rise in August after a drop in July, prices fall

Greater Toronto-area home sales rose in August on a month-to-month basis, data showed on Thursday, rebounding from a drop in July. Seasonally adjusted sales increased 0.6% in August...

Asian shares try to stabilise after global sell-off; focus on US data

Asian share markets tried to regain their footing on Thursday after a steep sell-off, while a rally in Treasuries dented the dollar and lifted the yen as U.S. economic worries raised the odds of the...

Fed's Daly says rate cuts needed to keep labor market healthy

The Federal Reserve needs to cut interest rates to keep the labor market healthy, but it is now down to incoming economic data to determine by how much, San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly said on...

Dollar weakness to stall as markets over-egg Fed rate cuts

Recent U.S. dollar weakness will stall in the coming three months despite financial market traders ramping up bets for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, according to a majority of foreign exchange...

Reports of dollar's demise are greatly exaggerated, JPMorgan says

Suggestions that the dollar's dominance of the global financial system is ending are wide of the mark, JPMorgan said on Wednesday, despite some dramatic signs of change in commodity markets and...

Bank of Canada likely to trim rates again to boost economic growth

The Bank of Canada is widely expected to trim its key overnight rate by another 25 basis points on Wednesday, economists said, as rising unemployment and uninspiring economic growth give it no reason...

Swiss franc carry trade comes fraught with safe-haven rally risk

As investors turn to the Swiss franc as an alternative to Japan's yen to fund carry trades, the risk of the currency staging one of its rapid rallies remains ever present. The Swiss...

Asia shares steady, dollar firm before jobs test

Asian share markets got off to a quiet start on Monday as investors braced for a data-packed week culminating in a U.S. jobs report that could decide whether a rate cut expected this month will be...

US consumer spending picks up; inflation rises moderately in July

U.S. consumer spending increased solidly in July, suggesting the economy remained on firmer ground early in the third quarter and arguing against a half-percentage-point interest rate cut from the...

Canada's economy grows by 2.1% annualized in second quarter, beats forecast

Canada's economy grew faster than expected in the second quarter, led by government expenditure, increased business investments and consumers spending higher on services, data showed on Friday. ...

U.S. home prices forecast to rise modestly as Fed cuts rates - Reuters poll

U.S. home prices will rise relatively modestly this year and next despite tight supply and expected U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, according to housing analysts polled by Reuters who said...

Exclusive-Russia payment hurdles with China partners intensified in August, sources say

Some Russian companies are facing growing delays and rising costs on payments with trading partners in China, leaving transactions worth tens of billions of yuan in limbo, Russian sources with direct...

Bank of Canada to cut interest rates in September and twice more this year - Reuters poll

The Bank of Canada will cut its overnight rate by 25 basis points for a third straight meeting on Sept. 4 and again in October and December, faster reductions than previously thought, according to a...