Societe Generale analysts note that Norway’s central bank, Norges Bank signalled higher rates are likely soon to bring inflation back to target, even at the cost of weaker growth.
Italy Trade Balance non-EU increased to €5.529B in February from previous €2.124B
Austria UniCredit Bank Manufacturing PMI increased to 52.4 in March from previous 49.4
Commerzbank, led by Chief Economist Jörg Krämer, has cut its 2026 Eurozone growth forecast and now expects fewer ECB rate hikes than futures imply, while still projecting more Fed cuts than markets.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that United States (US) soldiers are using local people to shield themselves.
Nordea’s Jan von Gerich argues that higher energy prices from the Middle East conflict have sharply increased uncertainty around the ECB’s rate path, with April hikes now being priced but still seen as premature without clearer inflation spillovers.
ING analysts Ewa Manthey and Warren Patterson note that Oil prices have steadied after US President Donald Trump extended the Iran energy deadline to 6 April, easing immediate pressure but maintaining a geopolitical premium.
Gold (XAU/USD) sticks to a positive bias through the first half of the European session on Friday, though it lacks follow-through amid the emergence of fresh US Dollar (USD) buying.
European Central Bank (ECB) policymaker and Governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus Christodoulos Patsalides said in an interview during European trading hours on Friday that there is no need to rush for any monetary policy adjustments until the central bank has sufficient information.
The Euro (EUR) keeps trading sideways against the British Pound (GBP) on Friday, oscillating within a tight range around the 0.8650 level for the fourth consecutive day, on track for a 0.25% weekly decline.
The EUR/USD pair trades subduedly around 1.1520 during the European trading session on Friday.
Spain Consumer Price Index (MoM) climbed from previous 0.4% to 1% in March
