New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
U.S. GDP, PCE Price Deflator, and the Preliminary February Purchasing Manager Surveys Top Friday’s Menu
February 20, 2026
The dollar was narrowly mixed just prior to the eagerly awaited twin-bill of U.S. economic data releases, unchanged against the euro and loonie, 0.3% higher relative to New Zealand’s currency, 0.3% stronger against the Mexican peso, and 0.1% firmer relative to the yen and Swiss franc. Ten-year sovereign debt yields had fallen overnight by three […] More
Central Bank Watch
Interest Rate Cut in the Philippines
February 19, 2026
There has been another interest rate cut at the Central Bank of the Philippines, the sixth in a row for this monetary authority that reviews its policy stance on a bi-monthly basis. At 4.25%, the new rate level will be back to its lowest level since November 2022 and 225 basis points below the 6.5% […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Geopolitical Strains Weigh on Stock Markets
February 19, 2026
Equity markets in the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain and India are showing losses so far this Thursday that range between 0.8% and 1.5%, and futures trading in major U.S. indices point to a lower open in the United States. Exceptions to this trend include South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, while several other […] More
Central Bank Watch
Some Telling Excerpts from the Minutes of the January 27-28th FOMC Meeting
February 18, 2026
The staff’s inflation forecast was slightly higher, on balance, than the one prepared for the December meeting, reflecting the expectation that resource utilization would be tighter and the path of core import prices would be higher than previously projected. Risks to the inflation projection continued to be viewed as skewed to the upside: With inflation […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Markets Focused on Data Releases and Awaiting FOMC Minutes of January’s Meeting
February 18, 2026
The dollar is mostly narrowly mixed today, but a 0.8% rise against the New Zealand dollar (aka the kiwi) has been an exception. The U.S. DOW, SPX and Nasdaq in futures trading are around 0.3%. Many Asian stock markets remain closed for the extended lunar year holiday. Those that were open tended to rise, including […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Concerns Over Artificial Intelligence and Geopolitical Strains Rattle Equities But Dollar and Yen Rise
February 17, 2026
In pre-open futures trading, all four major U.S. stock market indices after the three-day weekend holiday have lost ground. Japan’s Nikkei closed down 0.4%, and the German DAX and Paris CAC stock market indices are flat in contrast to slight equity gains so far in the U.K., Spain and Italy. Central bank interest rate prospects […] More
Deeper Analysis
Wondering If the Dollar Will Be A-Changing
February 16, 2026
There has been a proliferation in recent months of articles pondering if the U.S. currency might be going down a path leading to the end of its hegemonic role as the world’s reserve currency without equal, a function that bestows many unique beneficial advantages on the U.S. economy. These examinations are married to forecasts that […] More
New Overnight Developments Abroad - Daily Update
Holiday Observances But Also Several GDP Reports
February 16, 2026
(152) The Lunar New Year of the Fire Horse has begun. Chinese markets will be closed for the week, but other Asian countries observing the holiday today include Hong Kong, Sout Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Singapore. In North America, U.S. markets are closed for President’s Day, and Canada is observing Family Day. A lack of […] More
Foreign Exchange Insights and Next Week
Next Week’s Menu: February 14-20, 2026
February 13, 2026
Central Banks: Monetary policies will be reviewed in New Zealand, Indonesia, Romania and the Philippines. Minutes from the last policy meetings at the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Federal Open Market Committee are being published. The Fed is also preparing its semi-annual Monetary Policy Report. Daly, Bostic and Kashkari are some of the Fed […] More
Central Bank Watch
Central Bank Rate Cuts of 100 Basis Points in Egypt and 50 BPS in Russia
February 13, 2026
Egyptian consumer price inflation, which crested in September 2023 at 38.0%, receded to 11.7% two years later and is currently at 11.9%. The Central Bank of Egypt‘s policy interest rate over the past ten months has been lowered from 27.25% ti 19.0%, including a 100-basis point cut announced yesterday. Board members “will continue to remain […] More
