BNP Paribas economists note Chinese GDP growth at 5.0% year-on-year in Q1 2026, after 5% in 2025, and expects a moderate slowdown in 2026. They highlight a K-shaped pattern with strong exports but weak domestic demand and ongoing property sector stress.
Gold (XAU/USD) price advances modestly by 0.30% on Monday as the Iran-US conflict resolution stalls following Tehran’s proposal, which was disregarded by US President Donald Trump, who said that it was “totally unacceptable.” At the time of writing, XAU/USD trades at $4,726 after bouncing off daily
UOB economists Julia Goh and Loke Siew Ting note that Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) foreign reserves climbed to USD129.7bn at end-April 2026, the highest since 2014, providing a stronger buffer for the Malaysian Ringgit (MYR).
USD/CAD fluctuates between minor gains and losses on Monday as the pair faces opposing pressure from a steady US Dollar (USD) and elevated Oil prices. At the time of writing, USD/CAD is trading nearly flat around 1.3672.
The USD/JPY pair elevates near the 157.10 region on Monday, with the US Dollar (USD) strenghtening after United States (US) President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s latest peace proposal, calling it “totally unacceptable.”
Rabobank’s Senior FX Strategist Jane Foley notes Japanese wage data have improved, with unions securing solid ‘shunto’ wage hikes and real wages rising again, supporting the Bank of Japan’s (BoJ) desired virtuous cycle.
HSBC economists argue Emerging Markets (EM) remain well positioned in 2026 as the US Dollar (USD) weakens and global policy easing supports a broadening of returns beyond US mega-cap tech.
EUR/USD consolidates with minor losses after a volatile start to the week as traders assess evolving geopolitical developments in the Middle East, while price action remains driven by the US Dollar (USD) and Oil price dynamics.
MUFG economists highlight that the Swiss Franc (CHF) has underperformed as the Swiss National Bank (SNB) leans against currency strength and downplays current inflation.
Societe Generale economist Kunal Kundu expects India’s April headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation to rise to 3.9% year-on-year from 3.4% in March, driven by food-and-beverages and fuel components.
Gold (XAU/USD) holds firm after filling the week’s bearish opening gap, supported by a softer US Dollar (USD).
US President Donald Trump is meeting with his national security team on Monday, considering the possibility of resuming military action against Iran, as Tehran’s response fell short of complying with Washington’s demands, three officials said to Axios.
