Currency News

Australia’s Feb trade surplus smallest since last September

Australia’s trade surplus has shrunk to AUD 7.28 billion in February from a revised down AUD 10.06 billion surplus in January, data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed. It has been the nation’s smallest trade surplus since September 2023. In comparison, market consensus had pointed to a surplus of AUD 10.4 billion. Total exports […] Read more

Reserve Bank of India leaves policy rate on hold as expected

The Reserve Bank of India left its key repo rate at 6.5% for the seventh straight policy meeting in April, in line with market expectations. The RBI decision came amid persistent price pressures. India’s annual inflation rate was reported at 5.09% in February, little changed from January’s level, while remaining within the central bank’s 2%-6% […] Read more

Euro Area’s private sector returns to growth in March

Euro Area’s private sector has returned to growth for the first time since May 2023 in March. The HCOB Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index was revised up to 50.3 last month from a preliminary reading of 49.9 and improving from February’s level of 49.2. The bloc’s manufacturing sector activity still remained in contraction territory, with […] Read more

Switzerland’s CPI inflation slows to 2 1/2-year low

Annual consumer inflation in Switzerland has eased further in March, to 1% from 1.2% in February, data by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office showed. The actual figure confounded market expectations of an increase to 1.3%. March’s CPI inflation rate has been the lowest since September 2021. The prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages dropped 0.4% […] Read more

US private payrolls surge past estimates in March

Employers in the US private sector hired 184,000 workers in March, data by Automatic Data Processing showed. It has been the largest increase in hiring since July 2023 and followed a revised up employment growth of 155,000 in February. In comparison, market consensus had pointed to private payrolls growth of 148,000. Employment in US services […] Read more

Euro Area inflation surprisingly slows to 2.4% in March

Euro Area’s annual consumer inflation slowed to 2.4% in March, while matching November’s 28-month low, from 2.6% in February, the preliminary data by Eurostat showed. Market consensus had pointed to CPI inflation rate of 2.6%. Last month, energy prices registered a 1.8% YoY decline, compared with a 3.7% drop in February. Meanwhile, price increases moderated […] Read more

Switzerland’s factory activity shrinks less than expected

Switzerland’s procure.ch and Credit Suisse Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index was reported at a reading of 45.2 in March, up from 44 in the preceding month. In comparison, a consensus of estimates had pointed to a reading of 44.9. March has been the 15th consecutive month of contraction, but the smallest since April 2023. There have […] Read more

South Korea’s CPI inflation stable at 3.1% in March

Annual consumer price inflation in South Korea has remained stable at 3.1% in March, data by Statistics Korea showed. It has been the highest CPI inflation reading since December, fueled by higher prices of fresh food and energy. It also came in line with market consensus. In month-over-month terms, South Korean consumer prices edged up […] Read more

France’s CPI inflation lowest since September 2021

Annual consumer inflation in France has eased more than expected, to 2.3% in March, from 3% in February, preliminary data by INSEE showed. It has been the lowest CPI inflation rate since September 2021. In March, food inflation slowed to 1.7% from 3.6% in the prior month. There has also been a slowdown in cost […] Read more

UK economy contracts 0.3% in fourth quarter

UK’s economy has entered a technical recession in the fourth quarter of 2023 for the first time since the aftermath of the coronavirus outbreak in the first half of 2020, with elevated inflation, multi-year high interest rates and weak external demand pressuring overall activity. The nation’s Gross Domestic Product decreased 0.3% quarter-on-quarter in Q4, a […] Read more