|

US Sec. of State Blinken: Will not leave Australia alone to face China coercion

"I reiterated that the United States will not leave Australia alone on the field, or maybe I should say alone on the pitch, in the face of economic coercion by China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a press conference on Thursday (US time) alongside visiting Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

Blinked warned that China’s such behavior toward US allies would hamper improvement in American-Sino relations.

Earlier this month, Blinken noted: “I want to be very clear about something. And this is important. Our purpose is not to contain China, to hold it back, to keep it down. It is to uphold this rules-based order that China is posing a challenge to,” referring to a likelihood of any geopolitical risks.

Market reaction

Markets are in a better mood amid a rebound in the global stocks and the Fed’s conciliatory remarks on rising inflation. The S&P 500 futures rise 0.25% while the US dollar index consolidates the recent surge around 90.80 ahead of the key US Retail Sales release.

Author

Dhwani Mehta

Dhwani Mehta

FXStreet

Residing in Mumbai (India), Dhwani is a Senior Analyst and Manager of the Asian session at FXStreet. She has over 10 years of experience in analyzing and covering the global financial markets, with specialization in Forex and commodities markets.

More from Dhwani Mehta
Share:

Editor's Picks

Japanese Yen gains ground as traders await Fed rate decision

The USD/JPY pair loses ground to near 160.25 during the early European trading hours. Traders prefer to wait on the sidelines ahead of the US Federal Reserve interest rate decision under new Chair Kevin Warsh later on Wednesday.

AUD/USD holds steady above 0.7050; looks to Fed for fresh impetus

AUD/USD is consolidating above mid-0.7000s in the Asian session on Wednesday as traders await the outcome of a two-day FOMC meeting due later in the day. In the meantime, the optimism over an interim peace deal between the US and Iran keeps the US Dollar bulls on the defensive. This, along with the RBA's hawkish pause on Tuesday, acts as a tailwind for the pair.

Gold trades with mild negative bias amid some repositioning ahead of Fed rate decision

Gold edges lower during the Asian session, though it holds above the $4,300 mark as bulls opt to lighten their bets ahead of the highly anticipated FOMC policy decision. In the meantime, the commodity remains below the weekly swing high, touched on Monday, and a technically significant 200-day SMA.

DOGE near breakout, SHIB at its ceiling and PEPE leads meme coin recovery

Meme coins are approaching a key technical level, which could determine the next directional bias. Dogecoin struggles to overcome a major resistance level, and Shiba Inu recovery lost momentum near a crucial barrier. Meanwhile, Pepe extends its rally for a sixth straight day, raising the prospects of further upside if momentum persists.

The most important event will be the Fed meeting with Mr. Warsh now in charge

The most important event will be the Fed meeting on Wednesday, with Mr. Warsh now in charge. As more than one analyst points out, the case for holding rates the same is strengthened by the Iran deal and the prospect of the Strait re-opening, although nobody thinks Warsh can marshal enough doves to do a cut this time.

Why a hawkish RBA is no longer enough to lift the Australian Dollar

The Reserve Bank of Australia delivered more than what markets expected: a hawkish hold that should have supported the Aussie. But markets widely ignored it, focusing instead on slowing economic growth and proving that central bank messaging alone isn’t always enough to drive currencies.