Ireland AIB Services PMI fell from previous 58.5 to 54.8 in December

EUR/USD now picks up momentum and retests 1.1650 amid modest gains in the US Dollar. The Greenback manages to extend its recent uptick despite the US Nonfarm Payrolls showed the economy added fewer jobs than initially estimated in December (+50K).

GBP/USD is still under steady selling pressure at the end of the week, sliding to the area of two-week lows near the 1.3400 support, always on the back of the persistent move higher in the Greenback.

Gold now manages to regain traction and trades with modest gains just below the $4,500 mark per troy ounce despite the better tone in the US Dollar, particulalry after US NFP came in below consensus in December. In addition, further gains in US Treasury yields across the curve keep the yellow metal’s price action subdued.

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.

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.

Pepe is under extreme selling pressure, trading in the red for the fifth consecutive day, down 1% at press time on Friday. Pepe’s decline following a 72% hike last week suggests a likely profit-booking phase, while on-chain data indicates declining network activity.