USD/CHF dropped on Friday, yet it finished the week with gains of over 0.35%, trading at 0.7841, down 0.28%, as market participants grew confident that US-Iran talks could resume over the weekend to resolve the conflict.
Lloyd Chan at MUFG highlights that USD/IDR has broken to fresh highs, overshooting earlier expectations for near-term stabilization. The move is attributed more to domestic confidence and fiscal uncertainty than broad US Dollar (USD) strength.
The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) gains traction against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday as the Greenback weakens amid renewed hopes for US–Iran talks after stalled negotiations.
EUR/USD rises on Friday, snapping a three-day losing streak as prospects of renewed US-Iran peace talks lift market sentiment and weigh on the US Dollar (USD). At the time of writing, the pair is trading around 1.1715, up 0.27% on the day, recovering from two-week lows.
GBP/USD advances on Friday as improved risk appetite weighed on the US Dollar’s safety appeal amid growing speculation that a second round of talks between the US and Iran looms. A three-week extension of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon added to traders’ optimism.
EUR/GBP trades in a tight range on Friday, fluctuating between minor gains and losses as markets show a muted reaction to the latest economic data, with traders remaining focused on geopolitical developments surrounding the US and Iran.
AUD/USD is pushing higher toward the 0.7140 area on Friday, as the US Dollar (USD) loses momentum despite ongoing Middle East noise, allowing risk-sensitive currencies to recover.
Scotiabank strategists Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret report that weaker German IFO data, weighed down by Gulf tensions and energy price concerns, has softened the outlook for German growth but had little immediate impact on the Euro.
USD/CAD trades around 1.3685 on Friday, down 0.12% on the day, as the pullback in the US Dollar (USD) dominates price action despite a still fragile geopolitical environment.
DBS Group Research’s Chang Wei Liang says Japan’s March Consumer Price Index (CPI) data show underlying price pressures, with headline and core-core inflation edging higher and the Bank of Japan (BoJ) reportedly set to raise its inflation forecast.
Scotiabank strategists Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret note that stronger-than-expected United Kingdom (UK) Retail Sales, driven largely by fuel purchases, have supported the Pound (GBP), though broader UK data still point to a softer growth outlook.
Brown Brothers Harriman’s (BBH) Elias Haddad notes USD/JPY is consolidating just below 160.00 after slightly hotter March Consumer Price Index (CPI) that leaves Bank of Japan (BoJ) expectations unchanged for now.
Scotiabank strategists Shaun Osborne and Eric Theoret note that the Canadian Dollar (CAD) is little changed as USD/CAD retreats from repeated tests of the low 1.37 area.
USD/JPY trades around 159.50 on Friday at the time of writing, down 0.14% on the day and ending a sequence of four consecutive days of gains. The move comes amid a pullback in the US Dollar (USD), as improving market sentiment reduces demand for safe-haven assets.
Societe Generale analysts highlight that stronger‑than‑forecast United Kingdom (UK) inflation and PMIs (Purchasing Managers' Index) raise the question of a potential hawkish dissent at next week’s Bank of England (BoE) meeting, even though the house view is for a unanimous hold.
Brown Brothers Harriman’s (BBH) Elias Haddad highlights that EUR/USD is hovering near its 200-day moving average as Eurozone data signal stalling growth and rising inflation pressures.
The Euro (EUR) is trimming some losses against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday, despite the risk-averse mood, amid the growing uncertainty in the Middle East.
TD Securities analysts note United Kingdom (UK) Retail Sales for March surprised to the upside at 0.7% month-on-month versus their 0.1% forecast and a flat market consensus. The strength was driven mainly by food and fuel, with Easter timing and front-loaded fuel purchases.
MUFG’s Derek Halpenny highlights that USD/JPY is grinding higher toward the 160 level as geopolitical tensions and a prolonged Strait of Hormuz blockade fuel inflation risks.
NZD/USD trades higher around 0.5865 on Friday, gaining 0.22% at the time of writing, while the US Dollar (USD) loses ground with the US Dollar Index (DXY) down 0.18% at 98.65.
The GBP/USD pair recovers its early losses and turns positive around 1.3490 during the European trading session on Friday. The Cable gains as the US Dollar (USD) corrects after a three-day winning streak.
The Australian Dollar (AUD) posts marginal gains against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday, but remains near 10-day lows of 0.7110, with upside attempts capped below 0.7135 so far.
United Overseas Bank (UOB) strategists Quek Ser Leang and Lee Sue Ann note USD/JPY has pushed up to 159.84, validating earlier expectations for a retest of 159.65. While upward momentum is slowing, they still look for the pair to edge higher within a 159.40–160.05 intraday band.
EUR/JPY trades around 186.70 on Friday, posting a modest 0.06% gain as investors remain cautious ahead of a week marked by monetary policy decisions from several major central banks. The pair is supported by a broadly resilient Euro (EUR), while facing mixed flows on the Japanese Yen (JPY).
The US Dollar (USD) maintains a near-term bullish trend against the Swiss Franc (CHF), but the pair eased from 10-day highs of 0.7875 on Friday to levels close to 0.7860, as the President of the Swiss National Bank (SNB), Martin Schlegel, hinted at changes in the bank’s monetary policy.
Silver (XAG/USD) trades lower for the second consecutive day on Friday, weighed by the US Dollar’s strength, as investors lose their hopes of a swift end to the Middle East conflict.
Societe Generale analysts observe that USD/JPY has formed a small base above its 50‑day moving average after an earlier failed breakout.
The EUR/USD pair trades in a tight range around 1.1700 during the European trading session on Friday. The major currency pair consolidates while the US Dollar (USD) trades broadly firm, with investors shifting focus to central banks’ policy meetings next week.
ING’s Chris Turner says rising short-dated Eurozone yields on higher Oil and pass-through of input costs are not clearly supportive for EUR/USD. He argues the European Central Bank must get ahead of inflation expectations and that current real rate differentials are unsupportive.