Analysis: Currencies

Currencies: all eyes on the Fed

Global markets are looking at a key week with the Federal Reserve meeting that will publish its conclusions on Wednesday. Several markets stand at pivotal points that will be useful to juxtapose to...

ECB's Rehn sees downside risks to inflation, urges action on Ukraine funding

Inflation in the euro zone faces downside risks in the medium term, even as price growth has returned to the ECB's 2% target, European Central Bank policymaker Olli Rehn said, according to a report in...

Dollar hovers near five-week low on Fed rate cut bets

The U.S. dollar languished not far from a five-week low against its major peers on Friday as investors braced for a Federal Reserve rate cut next week. The greenback was particularly...

Belgian PM hopes to have 'fruitful discussion' on Russian frozen assets with Germany's Merz

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said on Thursday he hopes to have a fruitful discussion with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Friday about an EU plan to use Russian frozen assets to support...

UK sets out new sanctions against Russia after Novichok report

Britain on Thursday announced new sanctions against Russia, including the entire GRU military intelligence agency, which was singled out in a UK public inquiry into the 2018 death of a woman poisoned...

Germany's Merz wants EU states to share risks of Russian asset plan alongside Belgium

Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz has come out in favour of giving Belgium assurance that the risks of a planned use of frozen Russian state assets to support Ukraine would be borne fairly by all...

Russia blocks Apple's FaceTime in mounting push against foreign tech platforms

Russia has blocked Apple's video-calling app FaceTime, the state communications watchdog said on Thursday, as part of an accelerating clampdown on foreign tech platforms that authorities allege are...

ECB says EU use of Russian assets for Ukraine loans is a stretch

The European Commission's proposal to use Russian central bank assets to extend reparations loans to Ukraine is a stretch from a legal and financial point of view, European Central Bank President...

Euro zone business activity expands at fastest pace in 30 months in November, PMI shows

Business activity in the euro zone expanded at its fastest pace in two-and-a-half years in November as a robust service sector more than offset manufacturing weakness, a survey showed on Wednesday. ...

Russia's services sector growth accelerates in November, PMI shows

Russia's services sector experienced a resurgence in growth in November, driven by a renewed increase in new orders, a survey showed on Wednesday. The seasonally adjusted S&P Global...

EU proposes using frozen Russian assets or borrowing to give Ukraine 90 billion euros

The European Commission proposed on Wednesday an unprecedented use of frozen Russian assets or international borrowing to raise 90 billion euros for Ukraine to cover its struggling military and basic...

Tariffs, AI boom could test global growth's resilience, OECD says

Global growth is holding up better than expected as an artificial intelligence investment boom helps offset some of the shock from U.S. tariff hikes, the OECD said on Tuesday, nudging up its outlook...

Currencies: How do you like them?

Although last week was somewhat shortened by Thanksgiving in the United States, currency traders still had a few statistics to sink their teeth into, on top of the turkey, of course.

Euro zone factory activity contracts in November, job cuts accelerate, PMI shows

Euro zone manufacturing activity slipped back into contraction territory in November on weakening demand that forced firms to cut jobs at the quickest rate in seven months, a private survey showed. ...

French economic growth confirmed at 0.5% in third quarter - INSEE

France's economy grew in the third quarter, final data from statistics office INSEE showed on Friday, confirming the preliminary reading of 0.5% that showed resilience in the euro zone's...

Kyiv says external funding critical, urges EU to unlock Russian assets

KYIV -Ukraine still has a critical need for external financing, officials said on Thursday, issuing a fresh appeal for the EU to approve a loan backed by frozen Russian funds after Kyiv secured...

ECB's Kazaks says time is not ripe for a rate cut

FRANKFURT -It is too early for the European Central Bank to discuss another interest rate cut as inflation in the euro zone might still turn out higher than expected, ECB policymaker Martins Kazaks...

Russia's carmaker Avtovaz to restore full working week in January 2026

MOSCOW -Russia's largest carmaker Avtovaz plans to restore a full five-day working week on January 1 after three months of reduced working time, as the production outlook improves, the company said...

IMF, Ukraine reach staff-level agreement on $8.2 billion, four-year program

The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday it reached a staff-level agreement on a new four-year, $8.2 billion program for Ukraine as the country faces mounting wartime fiscal pressures. ...