Market Updates
Sterling firmer as Starmer stands aside
1 min readA US/Iran peace deal, due to be signed in Switzerland, has lifted risk appetite and softened the dollar to start the week. The other big levers are the central bank meetings this week.
Read more
Fed decision to test dollar’s direction
3 min readThe week ahead sees the Fed poised for its first rate cut since December, Fitch’s downgrade of France raising euro-zone concerns, and calls for the BoE to slow quantitative tightening amid rising borrowing costs.
France heads for political upheaval following no-confidence vote
3 min readFrench PM François Bayrou may rue his own decision to hold a confidence motion in his premiership this evening. The outcome is looking increasingly certain. We look at what the fallout from that will be, how it might affect ECB interest rate decisions later this week and more.
Dollar weakens ahead of key US data
3 min readA busy week of US data releases ahead have had an impact on dollar performance. And we share some other news, from the UK and Europe, that we think is worth your attention. Read on for more.
Trump seeks Fed dominance with Cook firing threat
3 min readIt’s a quiet week ahead for currency market news but Trump is reliably never out of the headlines. It’s another chapter in an ongoing attempt to exert increased influence on the Federal Reserve, threatening the central bank’s independence. We cover this and more in your weekly market update.
Sterling and Dollar eye Powell’s next swing at Jackson Hole
3 min readA number of events this week could have an impact on Sterling and the Dollar. The Fed’s summit in Jackson Hole should give us more of an insight on US economic performance. Zelenskiy also returns to the White House.
Dollar faces high-stakes week
3 min readThe dollar starts the week on the back foot as markets brace for a high-stakes run of events. In Europe, the euro holds recent gains despite fading momentum, and in the UK, sterling extends its post-BoE rally against a backdrop of stubborn inflation and slowing growth.
Sterling shivers as markets brace for BoE cut
3 min readThe outlook for the pound is poor ahead of a key BoE interest rate decision this week. The dollar isn’t faring much better following a disappointing week of data in the US. Tariffs continue to create a sense of unease and things are getting crude in the OPEC states. Read on to find out more about the latest developments impacting markets and currencies today.
US and EU strike tariff deal
3 min readTensions ease as the US and EU strike a last-minute trade deal, avoiding a tariff escalation that could have rattled global markets. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer heads to Scotland for talks with Trump, as transatlantic trade relations come under fresh scrutiny. Trump’s broader economic agenda faces a crucial week, with key US data due and a Fed rate decision looming.
No-deal risk grows as EU/US trade talks stall
3 min readEU/US trade talks are on the brink of collapse. Brussels is preparing for a potential no-deal outcome before the 1 August deadline. The UK grapples with rising unemployment and weak wage growth but there is respite for the pound which is holding firm near $1.34. All this and more in this week’s IFX Market Update.