Financial Market Newsletter

China’s economy continued to show encouraging signs in the first two months of 2026.

India’s rupee and the Japanese yen have both fallen by more than 1,5%, while the euro and the South Korean won have declined by 2% and 3%, respectively.

U.S inflation remained broadly stable in February, but what comes next - now that the country is prosecuting a war in Iran - is the key question markets are focused on.

The U.S labour market shed 92.000 jobs in February, a surprisingly broad-based decline that caught investors off guard at a time when multiple industries are already under strain.

China has set a GDP growth target of 4,5% to 5% for 2026.

China’s factory activity weakened more than expected, official data released on Wednesday showed, as the longest Lunar New Year holiday on record weighed on output and construction activity.

The U.S - Iran war could deliver a meaningful negative shock to the global economy, which is still struggling to absorb the effects of President D. Trump’s higher trade tariffs.

The EUR (-1,09%) and JPY (-0,86%) sold off sharply on Monday as surging oil prices weighed on the currencies of economies most exposed to energy shortages, while the USD benefited from safe-haven demand amid growing concerns that the conflict in the Middle East could escalate further.

The rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East over the weekend has heightened risk aversion across markets, reinforcing demand for traditional safe-haven assets such as U.S Treasuries and gold. Market attention will shift squarely to the energy complex as trading resumes on Monday morning.