EUR/USD
1.17434
0.028%
Gold
4335.53
-0.063%
Oil
56.318
-0.668%
USD/JPY
155.851
0.105%
GBP/USD
1.33664
-0.060%
GBP/JPY
208.321
0.052%
Real-time News
The head of a Japanese banking lobbying group said that the Bank of Japan is highly likely to raise interest rates this time.On December 18th, the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) conducted 88.3 billion yuan of 7-day reverse repurchase operations in the open market, maintaining the interest rate at 1.40%, and simultaneously conducted 100 billion yuan of 14-day reverse repurchase operations. Wang Qing, chief macro analyst at Orient Securities, stated that with the year-end approaching, the PBOCs decision to conduct 14-day reverse repurchase operations at this time is customary. This is mainly due to increased liquidity disturbances caused by factors such as bank assessments, fiscal revenue and expenditure, and residents cash withdrawals around the year-end. The PBOCs 14-day reverse repurchase operations can effectively smooth out fluctuations in the money market and guide market liquidity to a relatively stable and ample state. The market has high expectations that the PBOC may implement a new round of reserve requirement ratio (RRR) cuts early next year. Considering the current economic and financial situation and monetary policy orientation, it is expected that the PBOC may announce an RRR cut in January 2026, with an estimated reduction of 0.5 percentage points, injecting approximately 1 trillion yuan of long-term liquidity into the market. This would support large-scale bank lending at the beginning of next year while also taking into account liquidity arrangements for the Spring Festival, signaling a strengthening of pro-growth policies.December 18th - 1. Due to the previous government shutdown, the CPI report will be incomplete, possibly only reporting November price levels. 2. Limited data reduces reliability, creating uncertainty regarding monthly inflation details. 3. Inflation may slow; tariffs boosted core commodity prices, but seasonal discounts limited prices. 4. Markets may react briefly, but incomplete data limits its lasting impact on Federal Reserve expectations.On December 18th, Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen wrote in a report that gold is increasingly becoming a cornerstone asset in a world characterized by fragmentation, fiscal tensions, and geopolitical uncertainty. Golds performance over the past two years reflects more than just a favorable macroeconomic cycle. It signals a deeper transformation in the global financial system, where trust, diversification, and resilience have become as important as yield and growth. Despite the strong momentum, gold is not without risk heading into next year. In the near term, the most tangible risks stem from positioning and capital flows. The strong rally in gold and silver in 2025 means that the upcoming rebalancing of major commodity indices will trigger a significant sell-off in the futures market, a process that could generate significant short-term volatility.On December 18th, Daniela Hathorn, senior market analyst at trading platform Capital.com, said: "With inflation still above target and service sector prices appearing sticky, Bank of England policymakers are unlikely to send a clearly dovish signal. Instead, the Bank of England will likely describe any rate cuts as a gradual shift in risk management rather than a full-blown easing cycle."
