Forbes.com contributor Ralph Benko joins Merlin and John O’Donnell for a look at real money and the new legislation working its way through congress. The Sound Dollar Act (HR1176) will add stability to our currency, and acts as a step toward a gold standard, which has been getting much attention lately. John also walks listeners through several charts which outline the importance of having a fixed reference point like gold to help price assets and see strength or weakness.
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Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD stays weak near 1.1650 ahead of critical US events
EUR/USD stays in the red near 1.1650 in the European trading hours on Friday. The pair remains undermined by broad US Dollar strength and a cautious market mood. Traders keenly await the US Nonfarm Payrolls data and Supreme Court's ruling on Trump's tariff powers for further direction.
GBP/USD holds lower ground below 1.3450, with eyes on US data
GBP/USD remains subdued for the fourth consecutive day, while trading below 1.3450 in the European session on Friday. Markets remain in a wait-and-see mode before the key US event risks and prefer to hold the US Dollar, which weighs negatively on the pair. The US monthly jobs data and the Supreme Court decision on tariffs are awaited.
Japanese Yen selling remains unabated amid China–Japan rift, BoJ doubts
The Japanese Yen slides to a nearly three-week trough against a broadly firmer US Dollar heading into the European session on Friday and seems vulnerable to slide further. Worries that consumption momentum could fade if inflation continues to outpace wage growth in early 2026 overshadow an unexpected rise in Japan's Household Spending data for November.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD stays weak near 1.1650 ahead of critical US events
EUR/USD stays in the red near 1.1650 in the European trading hours on Friday. The pair remains undermined by broad US Dollar strength and a cautious market mood. Traders keenly await the US Nonfarm Payrolls data and Supreme Court's ruling on Trump's tariff powers for further direction.
GBP/USD holds lower ground below 1.3450, with eyes on US data
GBP/USD remains subdued for the fourth consecutive day, while trading below 1.3450 in the European session on Friday. Markets remain in a wait-and-see mode before the key US event risks and prefer to hold the US Dollar, which weighs negatively on the pair. The US monthly jobs data and the Supreme Court decision on tariffs are awaited.
Gold flat lines around $4,475; looks to US NFP report for fresh impetus
Gold reverses a modest intraday dip to the $4,453 area, and trades near the top end of its daily range heading into the European session. The upside, however, seems limited as traders might opt to wait for the US Nonfarm Payrolls report later today. The crucial employment details will be looked upon for more cues about the Federal Reserve's rate-cut path.
Nonfarm Payrolls expected to show US labor market remained weak in December
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the Nonfarm Payrolls data for December on Friday at 13:30 GMT. Economists expect Nonfarm Payrolls to rise by 60,000 in December following the 64,000 increase recorded in November.
2026 economic outlook: Clear skies but don’t unfasten your seatbelts yet
Most years fade into the background as soon as a new one starts. Not 2025: a year of epochal shifts, in which the macroeconomy was the dog that did not bark. What to expect in 2026? The shocks of 2025 will not be undone, but neither will they be repeated.
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