MUFG’s Senior Currency Analyst Lloyd Chan highlights that prolonged US–Iran tensions and potential damage to Middle Eastern energy infrastructure are increasingly weighing on Asian currencies.
HSBC Asset Management highlights that Emerging Markets have weathered higher Oil prices and a stronger Dollar better than in past cycles, thanks to stronger policy frameworks and diverse country exposures.
AUD/USD slipped 0.42% on Monday, settling near 0.6850 and extending its losing streak to five consecutive sessions. The pair has now fallen over 300 pips from its year-to-date high close to 0.7190 set in mid-March, with the pace of selling accelerating through late March.
The USD/CHF rallies for the fifth straight trading day, up by more than 0.14%, as buyers push the pair towards 0.8000 for the first time since late January 2026.
Aave launched Aave V4 on the Ethereum mainnet on Monday, introducing a major protocol upgrade aimed at scaling on-chain lending and improving capital efficiency.
DBS Group Research economists analyses Asia’s bond markets under the current geopolitical shock. The note says India and Indonesia have seen yields rise but less dramatically than Western peers, while South Korea faces greater volatility.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) rose to the 100.50 region, holding firm amid safe-haven demand following hawkish remarks by United States (US) President Donald Trump, who warned that the US could take a tougher stance against Iran if tensions continue to escalate.
Ethereum (ETH) treasury firm BitMine Immersion (BMNR) upped its ETH stash last week following another round of weekly accumulation.
BNY’s Head of Markets Macro Strategy Bob Savage highlights that improving regional PMI momentum, South Korea’s WGBI inclusion and solid export data support growth across Asia-Pacific, but geopolitical uncertainty and higher Oil prices weigh on FX.
Gold (XAU/USD) price clings to solid gains of almost 1% on Monday as the US Dollar (USD) remains strong, while US Treasury yields decline, despite expectations that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will keep interest rates on hold in 2026.
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against a basket of six major currencies, extends its advance on Monday, climbing back toward the ten-month highs reached earlier this month as demand for the US Dollar (USD) remains firm amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The British Pound (GBP) edges lower against the Japanese Yen (JPY) on Monday as the Yen strengthens across the board after Japanese authorities stepped up verbal intervention following USD/JPY’s move toward the 160.00 level, a threshold that has previously triggered official action.
The AUD/USD pair is trading with a bearish bias around the 0.6850 region on Monday, as markets react to fresh geopolitical developments and central bank expectations.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) US Crude Oil held above the $100 per barrel mark on Monday, trading in a wide intraday range that saw prices spike toward session highs near $101 before a sharp, short-lived dip back below $98.
ING’s Frantisek Taborsky expects a risk-off tone in CEE markets as higher Oil prices and geopolitical tensions test already elevated central bank hike pricing.
The cryptocurrency market is broadly recovering on Monday following the headwinds at the end of last week, which saw Bitcoin (BTC) drop to $65,000 on Sunday. Although the crypto king has rebounded above $67,000, it holds below the $70,000 threshold, which remains a near-term target.
NZD/USD trades around 0.5715 on Monday, down 0.60% on the day at the time of writing, after falling earlier to its lowest level since November near 0.5700. The pair remains under heavy pressure as the US Dollar (USD) strengthens amid rising geopolitical tensions and a cautious market environment.
The British Pound collapses on Monday as Middle East escalations push the Greenback higher, while Oil prices extend their gains for the fourth consecutive trading day. At the time of writing, the GBP/USD trades at 1.3184, down by more than 0.50%.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) traded higher on Monday, adding back around 415 points in a thin recovery from last week's late plunge as President Donald Trump suggested a resolution to the war with Iran may be within reach. The S&P 500 rose 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.3%.
USD/JPY retreats on Monday and trades around 159.60 at the time of writing, down 0.44% on the day, after reaching a nearly 20-month high above 160.00 earlier in the day. The move lower follows renewed warnings from Japanese authorities about potential intervention in the foreign exchange market.
EUR/USD extends its losses on Monday, slipping back below the 1.1500 psychological mark as a broadly stronger US Dollar (USD) keeps the Euro (EUR) under pressure. At the time of writing, the pair trades near 1.1444, remaining on the back foot for a fifth consecutive day.
Societe Generale economists expect Euro area headline inflation to rise sharply in March, driven by higher energy costs, while core inflation eases slightly.
Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Jerome Powell said that there is tension between the Fed's two objectives, while participating in a moderated discussion at the Harvard University Principles of Economics Class in Cambridge, per Reuters.
Scotiabank strategists Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret report that the Japanese Yen opened very weak, with USD/JPY spiking near 160.50 before stabilizing after fresh warnings of potential “bold action” from Japan’s Vice Finance Minister Mimura.
National Bank of Canada’s (NBC) Angelo Katsoras outlines how an Iran conflict could severely disrupt Oil and gas markets if key energy infrastructure and the Strait of Hormuz are targeted.
Stephen Miran, a member of the Federal Reserve (Fed), said that inflation expectations have not been affected yet by higher Oil prices. He told CNBC on Monday that he is still concerned about the labor market, even though the Fed can accommodate that.