NZ consumer confidence hits three-year low as Middle East oil shock bites.ANZ-Roy Morgan NZ Consumer Confidence fell 11pts to 80.3 in April, a three-year low, down 20pts in two months. Inflation expectations jump to 6.6%.

Trading Day: AI glow brightens, Japan intervenes.U.S. stocks surged on Thursday to close a remarkable month on a high as strong tech earnings and investment figures suggested that the AI boom has much further to run, while the yen had its best day since 2022 after Japan intervened in the currency market.

Crude Oil Price Forecast: Exhaustion Signals Emerging Resistance.Crude oil shows short-term exhaustion after a strong rebound, with Fibonacci resistance and key moving averages suggesting vulnerability unless support levels hold firm.

Rising inflation and slowing growth put ECB and BoE in a bind.Rising inflation and slowing growth put ECB and BoE in a bind

Natural Gas Price Forecast: Recovery Signals After Bullish Breakout.Natural gas confirms a bullish wedge breakout with improving structure, suggesting early-stage recovery potential while key moving averages define near-term upside targets.

Brazil plans hike in ethanol mix in gasoline to 32% as Lula flags biodiesel blend rise.Brazil will announce an increase in ​the mandatory ethanol mix ‌in gasoline to 32% from 30% in the coming days, ​President Luiz Inacio Lula ​da Silva said on Thursday, ⁠also noting that the ​biodiesel blend is set ​to be raised to 16% from 15%.

Economic & event calendar in Asia, May 1, 2026 - Japan (tokyo) inflation, China holiday.From Japan we get Tokyo area CPI for April. I'll have more to come on this separately.

It's an all-out rally after the Central Bank holds – North American Session Market Wrap for April 30.April 30, 2026 North-American Session Recap – A crazy month-end session opens the door for more chaos ahead, with Global assets dancing around the US Dollar tumble. Will that continue?

Pound Sterling Price News and Forecast: Bullish-engulfing pattern looms, traders eye 1.3600.Pound Sterling Price News and Forecast: Bullish-engulfing pattern looms, traders eye 1.3600

USD/JPY Snaps From 160 – What's Next?.Earlier in the week I noted the stark difference in price from this week's ‘hawkish' Kazuo Ueda and what we saw in January. A few months ago when the BoJ head highlighted that more rate hikes might be on the way, USD/JPY unfurled to the tune of 700 pips over a three-day period, eventually finding support at the 151.95-152.50 zone.

Central banks edge toward rate hikes as energy shock revives inflation fears.European and UK central banks are preparing for possible interest-rate hikes as the Middle East conflict pushes energy prices higher and revives inflation risks.

Asian FX: Oil shock and Fed stance pressure – OCBC.Asian FX: Oil shock and Fed stance pressure – OCBC

USD/JPY Caves in On Aggressive BoJ Posture. But Will It Last?.After trading within a rather constrained range for much of April 2026, the USD/JPY pair registered a significant decline on April 30, dropping about 2.5% and slipping below the 158 threshold. This sudden shift has prompted questions about whether the long-dominant uptrend in the dollar-yen pair is beginning to reverse.

India: Growth resilient but risks building – Commerzbank.India: Growth resilient but risks building – Commerzbank

Natural Gas, WTI Oil, Brent Oil Forecasts – Oil Dives On Profit-Taking.Oil markets are moving lower despite lack of progress in U.S. – Iran negotiations.

Pound-to-Euro Forecast: GBP Gains as BOE-ECB Divergence Emerges.The Pound to Euro (GBP/EUR) exchange rate pushed higher on Thursday as central bank decisions from the UK and Eurozone weighed unevenly on the pairing. At the time of writing, GBP/EUR was trading near €1.1571, up around 0.2% on the day and close to a three-week high.

USD/JPY Shock Move Exposes Limits of Japan Currency Intervention.Fawad Razaqzada, FOREX.com UK Market Analyst, breaks down the USD/JPY shock move after Japan's confirmed FX intervention triggered a 500 pip reversal. Despite the sharp selloff, underlying macro forces including wide rate differentials and rising U.S. rate expectations continue to support dollar strength.

WTI Oil eases after three-day advance as Hormuz tensions keep supply risks in focus.WTI Oil eases after three-day advance as Hormuz tensions keep supply risks in focus

Natural Gas News: Futures Bounce on Storage Report Miss but Forecast Stays Bearish.Natural gas futures rise after a smaller storage build, but high inventory, strong output, and mild weather keep the market outlook bearish near term.

BoE recap: An “active hold” as inflation risks re-emerge.BoE recap: An “active hold” as inflation risks re-emerge

United States 4-Week Bill Auction climbed from previous 3.595% to 3.6%.United States 4-Week Bill Auction climbed from previous 3.595% to 3.6%

USD/JPY forecast: What now after intervention?.Well, you can't say you didn't see that coming. The noise around FX intervention out of Japan had clearly picked up over the past few sessions, and not without reason.

Big central banks say rate hikes are getting closer.Major central banks left interest rates unchanged this week but warned that they could raise them soon to prevent a jump in energy prices, caused by the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, spilling over into a surge in broader inflation.

ECB sources see two rate hikes if Brent stays above $100 ─ RTRS.ECB sources see two rate hikes if Brent stays above $100 ─ RTRS

Colombia National Jobless Rate down to 8.8% in March from previous 9.2%.Colombia National Jobless Rate down to 8.8% in March from previous 9.2%

USD/JPY steadies after intervention-driven slump.USD/JPY steadies after intervention-driven slump

US President Trump explores options to end Strait of Hormuz shutdown – AP.US President Trump explores options to end Strait of Hormuz shutdown – AP

ECB policymakers see first of several rate hikes in June, sources say.European Central Bank policymakers are likely to raise interest rates at least twice, starting at their ​next meeting in June, unless a favourable resolution ‌to the Iran conflict quickly drags energy prices to pre-war levels, two sources close to the discussion told Reuters.

Stagflation describes the 1970s, not today's economy, Lagarde says.The euro zone economy isn't facing stagflation even as growth and inflation risks intensify, European Central Bank chief Christine ​Lagarde said on Thursday.

Canada: Growth masks structural headwinds – NBC.Canada: Growth masks structural headwinds – NBC