The British Pound extended its gains on Monday as political pressure over Prime Minister (PM) Keir Starmer increased. At the same time, Andy Burnham—the challenger to succeed Starmer—ruled out changing Chancellor Reeves’ fiscal rules if he becomes PM.

United States Total Net TIC Flows dipped from previous $184.5B to $150.7B in March

United States Net Long-Term TIC Flows: $81.3B (March) vs $58.6B

Ethereum (ETH) treasury firm BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) expanded its digital asset stash again last week despite the crypto market decline.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) falls toward the 99.10 region on Monday as traders assess fresh geopolitical headlines and the upcoming leadership transition at the Federal Reserve (Fed).

United States (US) President Donald Trump said on Monday that he has ordered a pause on a planned US military attack scheduled for Tuesday after appeals from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) leaders.

MUFG’s Michael Wan highlights that Asian Emerging Markets (EM) currencies have weakened as higher US real yields, a stronger Dollar and elevated Oil prices weigh on sentiment.

Standard Chartered’s Tommy Wu raises Taiwan’s 2026 growth forecast to 9.5% from 7.6% after much stronger-than-expected Q1 GDP data. The AI supercycle and robust exports are seen as key drivers, while private consumption benefits from government cash handouts and a tech-led stock rally.

Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Monday that the volatility in Oil prices is affecting the forex market. Speaking to reporters after the first day of the G7 Finance Ministers meeting in France, she added that she is seeing speculative moves in the financial markets.

Strategy announced that it acquired 24,869 Bitcoin (BTC) for approximately $2.01 billion last week, marking one of its largest purchases in recent weeks.

Alex Loo at TD Securities highlights that China’s April data were weak, with soft retail sales and falling investment, while exports and housing prices offered some relief.

UOB economist Jester Koh highlights a strong rebound in Singapore’s Non-oil Domestic Exports (NODX), led by electronics and pharmaceuticals, with petrochemicals slightly softer.

Gold (XAU/USD) price steadies on Monday after reaching a daily low beneath $4,500, as the US Dollar is on the back foot amid fears that the energy shock spurred by the Middle East conflict could trigger a second wave of inflation.

A White House official said that the US President Donald Trump will swear in Kevin Warsh as the next Fed Chairman on Friday, May 22nd, at the White House.

Rumors about the US-Iran conflict emerged during the last minutes. Axios reported Iran’s last proposal to the US is seen by the White House as “insufficient for a deal,” according to a Senior US official.

AUD/USD trades around 0.7160 on Monday at the time of writing, up 0.15% on the day, as the US Dollar (USD) corrects lower after its recent rebound.

DJIA futures clawed back from a weekend-driven plunge on Monday, recovering from session lows above 49,000 to trade close to Friday's closing levels by mid-afternoon. The bounce came despite a backdrop of higher Oil prices, elevated sovereign bond yields, and unresolved US-Iran tensions.

The USD/JPY pair rises toward the 158.90 region as traders position ahead of Japan’s Q1 GDP release.

Ripple (XRP) remains pressured below $1.40 at the time of writing on Monday, reflecting a broader sell-off in the crypto market.

ING’s Lynn Song highlights that China’s April data showed broad-based weakness in domestic activity, with retail sales, industrial production and fixed asset investment all disappointing.

USD/CAD trades around 1.3740 on Monday at the time of writing, down modestly by 0.05% on the day. The pullback in the US Dollar (USD) against its major peers is weighing on the pair after signs of easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Brown Brothers Harriman’s (BBH) Elias Haddad highlights that the global bond selloff is approaching levels where borrowing costs exceed nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

Standard Chartered’s Madhur Jha assesses how the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the current energy shock could challenge AI optimism. The bank highlights near-term risks to semiconductor input supplies and longer-term risks to AI investment and demand.

United States NAHB Housing Market Index above expectations (35) in May: Actual (37)

Nordea's Chief Economist Helge J. Pedersen argues that rapidly rising defense spending in Europe represents a historic fiscal expansion that can support GDP in the short term but raises medium‑term risks.

TD Securities strategists reiterate their view that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will likely need to raise the cash rate to 4.60% in this cycle. They note that the May policy statement suggests hesitation to hike in June, and expects the RBA minutes to clarify this.

Operating a crypto-related business in the United States over the past decade has felt a lot less like being in a fast-paced technology environment and more like stepping on eggshells, with a series of hits and misses with regulatory authorities.