Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said late Wednesday that the United States should "withdraw from 'Israel First' mistake" and that it "must comply" with a ceasefire in Lebanon.
The National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS) will publish its data at 02.00 GMT on Thursday. China quarterly GDP is estimated to grow 1.3% in the first quarter (Q1), compared to an expansion of 1.2% in Q4. On an annual basis, the Chinese economy is forecast to expand 4.8% versus 4.5% prior.
Standard Chartered economists Carol Liao, Moriarty Lam and Shuang Ding highlight that China has become the world’s largest exporter of AI‑related goods, with exports spanning raw materials to hardware and applications.
Alberto Musalem, President of the Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of St. Louis, said in an exclusive note he gave on Wednesday that the Oil shock caused by the Middle East war is likely feeding core inflation, he expects it to be near 3% throughout the year.
DBS Group Research economists Taimur Baig and Chua Han Teng argue that recent commodity price shocks will inevitably lift inflation in Singapore, but highlight the role of the Singapore Dollar and policy buffers.
MUFG’s Senior Currency Analyst Michael Wan argues that KRW could outperform in a de-escalation scenario despite vulnerability to prolonged conflict and higher Oil prices. The bank expects the strong AI and technology cycle to continue supporting South Korea.
UOB’s Ho Woei Chen highlights that China’s March data showed a sharp divergence between exports and imports, narrowing the trade surplus to a 13‑month low.
Joachim Nagel, President of the Bundesbank and member of the European Central Bank (ECB) spoke in an interview with Bloomberg on Wednesday. He said that questions about the Strait of Hormuz are essential, as we're between the baseline and an adverse scenario.
Rabobank Senior FX Strategist Jane Foley notes that while risk sentiment has improved and the Dollar’s safe-haven bid has faded, the physical Oil market tells a different story.
DBS Group Research economists Radhika Rao and Chua Han Teng assess how ASEAN-6 and India will respond to higher energy prices and renewed inflation pressures.
MUFG’s Senior Currency Analyst Michael Wan notes that Asian currencies have benefited from a weaker US Dollar (USD) following the Iran conflict, but stresses growing dispersion across the region.
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Economist Abbey Xu reports that Canadian cardholder spending strengthened modestly in March, with underlying activity stabilizing even as discretionary goods remained soft.
ING’s Michiel Tukker notes that the ECB is unlikely to hike in April, but markets still price a 25bp increase by June and at least one more move in 2026.
Beth Hammack, President of the Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of Cleveland, told CNBC in an interview on Wednesday that the key data to watch out for is how high energy prices get, but most importantly how long they stay high.
Standard Chartered revises its Japan macro outlook, cutting 2026 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth to 0.7% and raising Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to 2.0% on a worsening terms-of-trade shock from higher Oil and a weak Japanese Yen (JPY).
Societe Generale’s Kit Juckes discusses whether the US Dollar’s global dominance is under threat as global imbalances widen and IMF meetings highlight systemic risks.
United Overseas Bank (UOB) strategists Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann keep a mildly positive short-term view on AUD/USD after it climbed to 0.7147. The pair is expected to trade between 0.7100 and 0.7155 intraday, with a possible test of 0.7155 if momentum improves.
United States (US) President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network that the war with Iran is very close to an end.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said during European trading hours on Wednesday that it will not allow imports and exports in the Gulf, and the Sea of Oman if the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz against Iran's vessels continues.