ING’s Chief Economist for Greater China, Lynn Song, notes that China’s CPI inflation eased to 1.0% year-on-year after Lunar New Year, while PPI turned positive for the first time since 2022.

DBS Group Research expects Malaysia’s 1Q26 advance Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to grow 5.5% year-on-year, slightly below 6.3% in 4Q25 but still robust. Growth is seen supported by export-oriented electrical and electronics manufacturing, global AI tailwinds, construction and domestic demand.

TD Securities expects China’s March exports to normalize after a strong Jan–Feb report, while imports could surprise on the upside as authorities stockpile key goods and commodities during the US–Iran conflict. Rising input costs may slow production and weigh on exports.

ING’s Min Joo Kang notes that KRW is trading below 1,500, with near-term moves heavily dependent on Middle East developments. The team keeps its 1,450–1,550 trading range, expecting KRW to strengthen rapidly if the war ends.

DBS Group Research expects Singapore’s non-oil domestic exports to rise for a seventh consecutive month in March 2026, accelerating to 10.3% year-on-year from 4.0% in February.

The Australian Dollar (AUD) is poised to end Friday’s session flat against the US Dollar (USD), even though an improvement in market mood drove the Greenback toward four-week lows near 98.52, according to the US Dollar Index (DXY).

Mary Daly, President of the Federal Reserve (Fed) Bank of San Francisco, told Reuters in an interview on Friday that if Iran conflict is resolved quickly and Oil prices come back down, a rate cut may not be out of the question.

Commerzbank’s Dr. Henry Hao sees upside risks to China’s Q1 2026 GDP versus the bank’s 4.6% forecast, supported by resilient exports and front‑loaded public investment. Industrial production is projected to grow 5.5% year‑on‑year, while retail sales slow to 2.5%.

United Kingdom CFTC GBP NC Net Positions: £-56.4K vs previous £-52.7K

United States CFTC Oil NC Net Positions down to 202.2K from previous 213.5K

United States CFTC Gold NC Net Positions: $156.3K vs previous $163.2K

Australia CFTC AUD NC Net Positions dipped from previous $81.5K to $70.8K

Eurozone CFTC EUR NC Net Positions: €-7.5K vs previous €0.5K

United States CFTC S&P 500 NC Net Positions declined to $-45.7K from previous $-42.5K

Japan CFTC JPY NC Net Positions dipped from previous ¥-72.9K to ¥-93.7K

ING’s Chief Economist for Greater China, Lynn Song, highlights that Taiwan’s March trade data far exceeded expectations, with exports and imports surging and the trade surplus more than doubling year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026.

Gold (XAU/USD) price remains steady on Friday, poised to finish the week with gains of almost 2% as the US Dollar tumbles amid optimism about Iran-US talks in Pakistan throughout the weekend. Also, a mildly high US inflation report trimmed the Federal Reserve's (Fed) dovish bets for 2026.

The US Dollar Index (DXY) fell toward the 98.60 price region as markets digest the latest US Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which confirmed that inflation remains stubbornly elevated, largely driven by energy prices amid war in the Middle East.

DBS Group Research expects the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to slightly increase the slope of the Singapore Dollar (SGD) Nominal Effective Exchange Rate (NEER) policy band at its 14 April meeting, reversing last year’s easing.

The Japanese Yen (JPY) trades under pressure against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday, with USD/JPY trimming most of its losses from earlier in the week as ongoing Oil supply disruptions linked to Middle East tensions keep a lid on the Yen’s recovery despite a softer Greenback.

United States Monthly Budget Statement registered at $-164B, below expectations ($-156.75B) in March

United States Baker Hughes US Oil Rig Count up to 411 from previous 409

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) slumps around 300 points on Friday, or roughly 0.6%, retreating from the 48,000 handle after two sessions of ceasefire-fueled gains.

GBP/USD climbs on Friday as risk appetite improves ahead of the start of US-Iran talks in Pakistan. Meanwhile, US inflation rose as expected in March, but traders seem confident it's a one-time jump as they remain optimistic about Middle East peace negotiations.

USD/CAD reverses earlier losses on Friday, as uncertainty surrounding upcoming US-Iran negotiations keeps markets cautious and overshadows US inflation and Canadian employment data, keeping price action volatile.

The AUD/USD pair steadies on Friday, posting a slight decline after a four-day strike of gains, trading with a cautious tone amid fresh data releases in the US and geopolitical risks.

Russia Consumer Price Index (MoM) above expectations (0.5%) in March: Actual (0.6%)

Iran's ‌parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, said in a post on X on Friday that two previously agreed measures, a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iran's blocked assets, must be implemented before negotiations begin.

Gold (XAU/USD) holds steady on Friday but lacks strong upside momentum as markets continue to monitor the evolving situation in the Middle East, while traders digest the latest US inflation data.

TD Securities strategists Robert Both and Emma Lawrence note that Canadian labour markets showed a modest rebound in March, with 14k jobs added and the unemployment rate steady at 6.7%.