China Non-manufacturing and NBS Manufacturing (April) PMIs softer than expected (AUD off 27 pips)

The EUR/USD pair holds steady near 1.1770 during the early Asian session on Tuesday. Traders continue to price in the prospect of further rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve in 2026, following the 25-basis-point rate reduction delivered at the December meeting. The release of the Federal Open Market Committee Minutes will be in the spotlight later on Tuesday.

GBP/USD remains bolstered on the high end as markets grind through the last trading week of the year. Cable caught a bullish tilt to keep price action on the high side of the 1.3500 handle, though year-end holiday volumes are unlikely to see significant progress in either direction as 2025 draws to a close.

Spot Gold traded as high as $4,550 a troy ounce on Monday, fueled by persistent US Dollar weakness and a dismal mood. The XAU/USD pair was hit sharply by profit-taking during US trading hours and retreated towards $4,300, where buyers reappeared.

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries, adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets.

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT), adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets (RWA).