NZD weakens after RBNZ signals cautious policy – BBH

FXStreet Insights Team FXStreet

The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) underperformed across G10 currencies after Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) Governor Anna Breman dampened market expectations for rate hikes in 2026, BBH FX analysts report.

Governor Breman pushes back on 2026 rate hike bets

"NZD underperforms across the board. RBNZ Governor Anna Breman pushed back against market expectations for rate hikes next year. Breman cautioned that the bank’s policy rate forecast 'indicates a slight probability of another rate cut in the near term…However, if economic conditions evolve as expected the OCR is likely to remain at its current level of 2.25% for some time'."

"The swaps curve price-in nearly 50bps of hikes over the next twelve months. Without positive data surprises, the RBNZ will struggle to deliver the hikes priced-in, and NZD upside will be limited. Next major resistance for NZD/USD is offered at the 200-day moving average (0.5861)."

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

FXStreet

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

GBP/USD off highs, back to 1.3620

GBP/USD remains slightly on the defensive at the end of the week, receding to the low 1.3600s after hitting fresh tops past 1.3670 earlier in the day. Cable’s correction comes after two daily gains in a row and amid a tepid advance in the Greenback, while poor UK data also accompany the downside.

EUR/USD treads water below 1.1700

EUR/USD now trades with modest losses around 1.1670 following another unsuccessful atempt to advance past 1.1700 the figure in a convincing fashion. The pair’s decline follows a maginal rebound in the US Dollar as market participants continue to assess recent US data as well as developments from the US bond market.

Gold trims gains, recedes to the sub-$4,600 area

Gold rapidly leaves behind Thursday’s inconclusive price action and advances markedly on Friday, briefly surpassing the $4,600 mark per troy ounce to hit three-month peaks. Meanwhile, the precious metal’s solid performance comes despite marginal gains in the buck coupled with another day of rising US Treasury yields across the curve.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP bulls accelerate rally amid rising ETF inflows

The cryptocurrency market remains bullish on Friday, led by Bitcoin’s surge above $77,000. Altcoins, including Ethereum and Ripple, mirror BTC’s positive outlook, trading near $2,400 and $1.35, respectively.

Week ahead – Fed’s Jackson Hole and Nvidia earnings to dictate markets

Kevin Warsh to make his Jackson Hole debut amid confusing messaging. But a major hawkish surprise unlikely after bond market intervention. Nvidia earnings to also determine market direction as stock rally cools.

$20 billion offered, $2 billion taken: Why Treasury doubled its buyback cap

The US Treasury moved off its own calendar on Wednesday, and that is the part worth sitting with. At 12:32 GMT, the department said it would at least double the size of liquidity support buyback operations in the 10-year to 20-year and 20-year to 30-year sectors, lifting the maximum from $2 billion per operation to at least $4 billion, effective September 9 and running to November 4.