WHO’s Tedros “disappointed” by Beijing’s stalling in covid investigation

Anil Panchal FXStreet

In its latest report, the New York Post came out with the news quoting the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus while conveying that China is blocking investigations that probe into origins of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The report mentions WHO’s Tedros saying, “Today, we learned that Chinese officials have not yet finalized the necessary permissions for the team’s arrival in China,” during a news conference in Geneva.

“I’m very disappointed with this news, given that two members had already begun their journeys and others were not able to travel at the last minute, but had been in contact with senior Chinese officials,” he said further, per the news.

FX implications

The news offers extra strength to the US-China tussle while also backing risks for the AUD/USD pullback as Australia and the US were among the first to push the investigation and Beijing retaliated afterward.

Read: Wall Street Close: US Stocks higher ahead of the Georgia election results

Author

Anil Panchal

FXStreet

Anil Panchal has nearly 15 years of experience in tracking financial markets. With a keen interest in macroeconomics, Anil aptly tracks global news/updates and stays well-informed about the global financial moves and their implications.

GBP/USD defends 1.3300 after strong UK Retail Sales data

GBP/USD is defending its renewed uptick above 1.3300 in the European session on Friday, helped by stronger-than-expected UK Retail Sales data for June. The pair snaps a five-day losing streak but the upside potential could be limited amid heightened military tensions in the Middle East.

EUR/USD rises to 1.1400 after strong German PMI data

EUR/USD is catching a fresh bid and retakes 1.1400 in European trading on Friday. The pair gains ground after Germany's preliminary HCOB Manufacturing PMI beat estimates with 52.2 in July, lifting the Euro. However, further upside could be limited by escalating conflicts in the Middle East, despite the ECB's hawkish hold decision.

Gold sticks to intraday losses below $4,050 amid Fed hike bets, bullish USD

Gold remains under some selling pressure for the second straight day, and weakens further below the $4,050 level during the Asian session. Escalating US-Iran tensions support elevated crude oil prices, fueling inflation fears and bolstering expectations of higher-for-longer US interest rates. This helps the US Dollar preserve its strong weekly gains to a nearly one-month high, touched on Thursday, and turns out to be a key factor undermining the non-yielding bullion.

Ethereum: Derivatives interest in ETH improves, but signs of caution remain

Ethereum is hovering slightly below the $1,900 level, down 3% on Thursday following a slight expansion in derivatives interest. The top altcoin's open interest has increased to 14.60 million ETH, marking a 600K ETH increase over the past two days and its highest level since June 7.

Crypto Market Overview: Bitcoin tests 50-day EMA support – Pi Network and Sky lead losses

The broader cryptocurrency market faces headwinds with rising tensions between the US and Iran, pushing Bitcoin down to its 50-day Exponential Moving Average support around $65,135 on Friday. Under pressure, Pi Network and Sky emerge as the worst-performing crypto assets over the last 24 hours.

US Dollar mid-year outlook: Exceptional currency, exceptional risks?

The US Dollar enters the second half of 2026 in a markedly different position from a year ago. The King currency has recovered, reflecting persistent US inflation, changing expectations for Fed policy, geopolitical tensions and renewed demand for defensive assets.