Asian stocks face downward pressure on Thursday, delivering mixed results as a renewed sell-off in semiconductor shares dragged down the tech sector. The retreat stems from persistent investor skepticism over whether the artificial intelligence rally can sustain its current valuations.
USD/IDR gains ground after two days of losses, trading around 18,100 during the Asian hours on Thursday. The pair holds ground as the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) faces downward pressure as surging oil import costs stretch the nation's trade balance and stoke inflation.
Senior officials from the Bank of Japan (BoJ) said on Thursday that a delay in stimulus adjustment amid high inflation risk could trigger an economic downturn.
Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Thursday that the authorities are ready to take appropriate action on currency anytime as needed.
United Overseas Bank’s Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann highlight a sharp USD/CNH drop to 6.7691, shifting the short-term bias to the downside. They see scope for further weakness, though the 6.7600 support is unlikely to be reached immediately.
Commerzbank’s Moses Lim highlights that USD/SGD fell 0.3% to 1.2910 on Dollar weakness, with the pair consolidating in a 1.29–1.30 range since mid-June. Singapore’s strong growth backdrop and benign inflation support the Singapore Dollar, which is the third-strongest Asian currency this year.
ING’s Chief Economist for Greater China, Lynn Song, notes that China’s second-quarter GDP growth slowed to 4.3% year-on-year from 5.0% in the first quarter, the weakest pace since late 2022.
Societe Generale analysts highlight USD/KRW’s failure at the June peak near 1,561 and subsequent decline toward the 2024–2025 highs, with the 200-day moving average around 1,475 as key support.
DBS Group Research economist Radhika Rao notes that S&P Global Ratings has retained Indonesia’s sovereign rating and stable outlook, citing fiscal discipline and expectations of rationalized flagship spending and improved revenues.
BNY’s Geoff Yu notes that China’s H1 data show resilient industrial and high‑tech production but weak domestic demand, with retail sales and property investment under pressure.
OCBC’s Sim Moh Siong and Christopher Wong note that USD/THB fell after the post-US Consumer Price Index (CPI) decline in US Dollar (USD) but quickly retraced, signalling limited follow-through in Thai Baht gains.
United Overseas Bank’s Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann note USD/SGD reversed its New York-session plunge after softer United States (US) Consumer Price Index (CPI), closing near 1.2910.
Commerzbank’s Dr. Henry Hao notes that China’s Q2 2026 GDP growth slowed to 4.3% year-on-year, below Beijing’s 4.5%-5% target and consensus expectations. Fixed-asset investment contracted sharply, while June industrial output and retail sales surprised on the upside.
TradingKey - The latest Federal Reserve Beige Book shows that the US economy continued to expand at a "slight to moderate" pace from late May to June, with 11 out of 12 districts reporting growth, and
Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Kevin Warsh said on Wednesday that current inflation pressure will not be permanent, while acknowledging that the latest inflation measures remain unsatisfactory.
Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Kevin Warsh said on Wednesday that recent inflation figures provide an imperfect measure of underlying inflation. Warsh made the remarks while testifying on the Semiannual Monetary Policy Report before the US Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.
USD/CAD trades flat on Wednesday as traders show a limited reaction to the latest Bank of Canada (BoC) monetary policy announcement. At the time of writing, the pair trades around 1.4061, hovering near a one-month low.
Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of New York President John Williams said on Wednesday that the latest United States (US) Consumer Price Index (CPI) report was consistent with the inflation progress he hopes to see over the coming months.
TD Securities’ James Rossiter discusses UK political developments and their market implications, focusing on the race for the next Chancellor under expected Prime Minister Burnham.
Producer inflation in the United States, as measured by the change in the Producer Price Index (PPI), declined to 5.5% on a yearly basis in June from 6% in May, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Wednesday. This reading came in below the market expectation of 6.2%.
Standard Chartered economists Hunter Chan and Shuang Ding note that China’s Q2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth slowed to 4.3% year-on-year, below the 4.5–5.0% target range, with domestic demand remaining soft.