TD Securities’ Global Strategy Team reports that China’s March PMIs moved back into expansion, with Manufacturing and Non-manufacturing both beating expectations.
OCBC strategists Sim Moh Siong and Christopher Wong highlight USD/IDR grinding higher toward 17,000 on firm Dollar, risk-off sentiment and Oil-related terms-of-trade pressures.
UOB notes that the central bank of Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is expected to keep the Overnight Policy Rate at 2.75% through early 2027.
OCBC strategists Sim Moh Siong and Christopher Wong note USD/TWD has risen nearly 2.5% this month but remains more contained than other Asian FX such as KRW, THB and MYR.
MUFG’s Senior Currency Analyst Michael Wan highlights that higher Oil prices and potential energy shortages are increasingly weighing on Asian FX.
UOB reports that the central bank of Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) expects 2026 headline inflation to average 1.5%-2.5%, with core inflation at 1.8%-2.3%.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) fell to near the 100.00 region on Tuesday, holding a weak tone as the US Dollar (USD) lost its safe-haven demand amid growing hopes of a de-escalation of the war in the Middle East.
Standard Chartered’s Senior Economist Tommy Wu revises Taiwan’s 2026 macro outlook as higher Oil and LNG prices from Middle East tensions lift import costs. The bank now sees CPI inflation at 2.1% instead of 1.5%, and trims GDP growth to 7.6% from 8.0%.
Commerzbank’s Dr. Henry Hao notes that China’s March PMIs show manufacturing back in expansion, supported by restocking, government spending and resilient exports, while non-manufacturing also edges above 50.
According to Societe Generale’s Dev Ashish, higher Oil prices improve Colombia’s outlook, with growth expected to move back toward potential in 2026–27. Inflation expectations are stabilizing, though Oil passthrough could generate temporary upside.
National Bank of Canada (NBC) economists Matthieu Arseneau and Alexandra Ducharme say Canada’s real GDP started 2026 on a firmer footing, with January growth beating expectations and preliminary data pointing to a solid Q1 gain.
Jeffrey Schmid, President of the Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of Kansas City, said that inflation is the more salient risk for the Fed. Adding that there is a real risk inflation will get stuck closer to 3% in remarks prepared for delivery to the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
ING economists Peter Virovacz and Zoltán Homolya note that Hungary’s January wage data are heavily distorted by a one-off bonus to military and law enforcement staff, leaving underlying wage growth much lower than the headline figure.
Commerzbank’s Senior Economist Dr. Vincent Stamer notes Euro area inflation rose to 2.5% in March, driven entirely by higher energy prices linked to the Iran War, while core inflation slipped to 2.3%.
US consumer sentiment picked up marginal pace in March, as the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index ticked a tad higher to 91.8 from February’s 91.0 (revised from 91.2).
TD Securities analysts note that USD/CAD has been resilient despite stronger Canadian GDP data, as month-end and quarter-end Dollar demand offsets other forces. The pair has broken above its mid-January highs and they now highlights 1.40 as the next key level.
Iran's state media reported on Tuesday that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that they will target United States (US) companies, including Google, Apple, Intel, Boeing, IBM and Tesla, in the region as of April 1 in retaliation for attacks on Iran.
Societe Generale’s Dev Ashish expects Brazil’s economy to expand below trend in 2026 as tighter policy and a weaker external backdrop weigh on activity. Inflation is seen pressured by higher Oil prices, though soft demand offers some cushion.
The consumer sentiment in the United States (US) improved slightly in March, with the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index edging higher to 91.8 from 91 in February (revised from 91.2).