Live Forex News
Real-time financial news from around the world.
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New Zealand
NZX 50 Extends Gains on Easing Inflation
The NZX 50 rose 38 points, or 0.3%, to 13,799 in Thursday morning trade, extending gains from the previous session after fresh data showed that inflation eased in Q3. Inflation slowed to 3.7% in Q3, though it remained above the RBNZ's 1–3% target range. However, the latest figure eased concerns over interest rate hikes after the RBNZ raised interest rates for the second straight time in July and September. The broader index tracked gains on Wall Street overnight, supported by strong earnings from SpaceX and Super Micro Computer, which raised optimism about AI demand. However, traders continued to monitor the Middle East conflict and progress in Russia-Ukraine peace efforts for their impact on oil prices and inflation risks. Financials, industrials, and real estate stocks mainly drove the index, with the top movers including Infratil (3.7%), Auckland International Airport (1.6%), Scales Corporation (1.6%), Skellerup Holdings (1.2%), EBOS Group (0.8%), and Freightways Group (0.8%).
Crypto Updates: XRP Increases by 2.81%
Top crypto gainers are XRP (2.81%), Bitcoin (1.83%) and Ether (1.57%).
Agricultural Commodities Updates: Wheat Drops by 2.25%
Top commodity loser is Wheat (-2.25%). Gains are led by Coffee (1.72%), Cotton (1.29%) and Rice (0.96%).
Metals Commodities Updates: Platinum Drops by 1.67%
Top commodity losers are Platinum (-1.67%), Silicon (-1.06%) and Copper (-0.65%). Gains are led by Aluminum Alloy (1.19%) and Gold (0.22%).
Energy Commodities Updates: Natural gas Plunges by 6.45%
Top commodity losers are Natural gas (-6.45%), Heating Oil (-2.68%) and Propane (-2.27%). Gains are led by Methanol (3.43%), Germany Natural Gas THE (2.79%), Natural Gas UK (2.60%), Brent Oil (1.04%) and Crude Oil (0.18%).
FX Updates: Mexican Peso Drops by 1.47%
Top currency loser is Mexican Peso (-1.47%). Gains are led by Norwegian Krone (0.41%), Australian Dollar (0.31%) and British Pound (0.09%). Meanwhile, Euro and Japanese Yen were little changed.
New Zealand
New Zealand Inflation Eases in Q3
New Zealand’s annual inflation rate eased to 3.7% in the third quarter of 2026 from 4.1% in the previous quarter, slightly below expectations of 3.8% but remaining above the Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s 1–3% target range. Petrol was the largest upward contributor to annual inflation, rising 19.1% amid higher international oil and fuel prices linked to conflicts in the Middle East. The cost of constructing new housing increased 3.2%, driven by higher material, subcontractor, labour and fuel costs. Electricity prices rose 9.3%, international airfares increased 12.5%, and local authority rates and payments climbed 6.2%. The latter are measured annually in the September quarter and have been a major driver of inflation in recent years. On a quarterly basis, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.7%, slowing from a 1.5% increase in the second quarter.
Argentina
Argentina’s EMAE Contracts for Second Straight Month
Argentina’s economic activity fell 1.7% year-on-year in August 2026, following a 1.4% decline in July and missing forecasts for a 0.3% increase. Ten of the 15 sectors surveyed contracted, with fishing posting the steepest decline, at 15.7%. Manufacturing fell 3.2%, while wholesale and retail trade and repairs declined 3.5%. Financial intermediation dropped 3.8%, transport and communications fell 2.9%, and taxes declined 4.2%. In contrast, five sectors recorded annual growth, led by mining and quarrying, which rose 11.1%, followed by electricity, gas and water, up 4.3%, and hotels and restaurants, which increased 3.1%. On a monthly basis, the EMAE rose 0.1% in seasonally adjusted terms, following a 2.9% decline in July.
Brazil
Ibovespa Falls as Election Uncertainty Weighs
The Ibovespa fell 0.9% to close at 206,495 on Wednesday amid election-related uncertainty. The index opened higher but reversed course after a Quaest poll showed challenger Flávio Bolsonaro and incumbent President Lula nearly tied in the presidential runoff. The survey also found that 52% of respondents would “never” vote for Bolsonaro, compared with 47% for Lula, whose rejection rate fell six percentage points in a week. Although Bolsonaro has yet to detail his policy plans, investors view his candidacy as more likely to bring fiscal reforms that could pave the way for lower interest rates. Credit-sensitive stocks came under pressure, with financials mostly lower. Bradesco edged down, BB fell 0.4%, Itaúsa lost 0.6% and B3 erased earlier gains to close 0.8% lower. Retailers also mostly declined, with Magazine Luiza dropping 3.4%. Elsewhere, WEG plunged 7.3% after disappointing third-quarter margins. Vale fell 2.1% on lower iron ore prices. Petrobras lost 0.8% amid volatile oil prices.
Canada
Canadian Stocks Gain as Oil Rally Eases
The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose 0.6% to close at 36,325 on Wednesday, supported by easing pressure on credit-sensitive stocks as oil prices fluctuated. Crude prices remained volatile ahead of next week’s Bank of Canada policy decision. A pause in the oil rally offered some relief to major banks, which have faced pressure from inflation concerns and elevated borrowing costs. RBC rose 1.2%, TD Bank gained 2%, BMO advanced 1.7% and Scotiabank added 1.6%. Still, markets expect the BoC to raise interest rates at next week’s meeting, while the federal budget is due on November 5. Elsewhere, mining stocks mostly advanced as gold prices edged higher, with Barrick gaining 0.6% and Franco-Nevada adding 0.9%. In technology, Shopify rose 0.4%, while Celestica gained 1.4%, tracking a rebound in US AI hardware stocks following strong results from SpaceX.
Brent Tops $109 Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Brent crude rose above $109 a barrel on Wednesday, erasing earlier losses in a volatile session amid escalating attacks on shipping and energy infrastructure across the Middle East. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said naval mines had halted three tankers attempting to use routes Tehran deemed unauthorized, while the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported a vessel had been struck near Oman. Despite the security risks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said shipments through the Strait of Hormuz were approaching prewar levels, while data from Kpler and Vortexa showed broader Middle Eastern exports had increased since the summer. Separately, Yemen’s Houthi militants claimed attacks on Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and the Shaybah oilfield, as well as airports in Riyadh and Abha. US EIA data showed crude inventories fell by just over 3 million barrels last week, below the 4.9 million-barrel decline reported by industry data.
Oil Wavers Below $98 as Supply Recovers
Crude oil prices wavered below $98 a barrel on Wednesday after briefly reaching $100 in a volatile session. Rising crude flows from the Middle East have begun to weigh on prices, with producers ramping up shuttle shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman. Tanker-tracking services indicate flows have surpassed pre-war levels. Saudi Arabia’s crude exports rose 7.9% in August to their highest level since March. Meanwhile, Russia is set to send its first diesel tanker to the US on Thursday under an agreement between Presidents Trump and Putin. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said Washington is looking to work with India’s Reliance Industries to refine Western energy supplies. However, tensions in the Middle East remain elevated, while record-high freight rates in the Persian Gulf continue to put upward pressure on oil prices.
United States
US Stocks Rise on Tech Gains
US stock indices closed higher on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 rising 0.6%, the Nasdaq gaining 1.1%, and the Dow adding 360 points, as upbeat results from SpaceX and Super Micro Computer revived optimism about AI demand. SpaceX surged 7.8% after Elon Musk said a merger with Tesla would be “a good idea,” while the company reported its first profit as a public entity. Tesla gained 3.4%, while other space stocks also advanced, including Rocket Lab (+5.4%), Planet Labs (+2.3%), and Intuitive Machines (+3.5%). Super Micro jumped 9.5% after issuing a strong quarterly outlook, lifting HPE (+3.7%) and Dell (+5.3%). Chipmakers also rose, with Nvidia up 2.5%, Intel gaining 1.3%, and AMD advancing 3.4%. Meanwhile, Netflix fell 5.3% after issuing a weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter profit forecast, days after announcing workforce cuts. AT&T dropped 6.4% despite beating earnings estimates, while Elevance Health lost 1.4% despite raising its 2026 profit outlook.
Crypto Updates: XRP Increases by 4.53%
Top crypto gainers are XRP (4.53%), Ether (2.83%) and Bitcoin (2.09%).
Agricultural Commodities Updates: Wheat Drops by 2.27%
Top commodity losers are Wheat (-2.27%) and Oat (-1.21%). Gains are led by Coffee (1.72%), Cotton (1.33%) and Rice (0.89%).
Metals Commodities Updates: Aluminum Alloy Rises by 1.19%
Top commodity gainers are Aluminum Alloy (1.19%) and Gold (0.35%). Biggest losers are Silicon (-1.06%) and Platinum (-0.96%).
Energy Commodities Updates: Natural gas Slumps by 5.79%
Top commodity losers are Natural gas (-5.79%), Heating Oil (-3.30%), Propane (-2.27%) and Crude Oil (-0.71%). Gains are led by Methanol (4.91%), Germany Natural Gas THE (3.70%) and Natural Gas UK (2.12%). Meanwhile Brent Oil was little changed.
Gasoline Slips Back to Seven-Week Low
US gasoline futures fell to around $3.10 per gallon, reaching a seven-week low as hopes of Russia-Ukraine diplomatic negotiations offset concerns over a persistently tight fuel market. Russia has agreed to resume trilateral talks with the US and Ukraine on a potential peace deal which could increase fuel supplies in global markets. Russia also announced that its first diesel cargo of around 300,000 barrels destined for the US would depart on Thursday, although its market impact could be limited as the US diesel exports about 1.5 million barrels a day. Meanwhile, the US Energy Department announced plans to loan 315,000 barrels from the 1 million-barrel Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve. However, EIA data showed US gasoline inventories fell nearly 3 million barrels in the week ending October 16th, reversing prior builds and adding to warnings of a persistently tight fuel market. Morgan Stanley has warned they could remain tight through mid-2027 as planned refinery outages rise sharply.
United Kingdom
FTSE 100 Edges Up on Wednesday
The FTSE 100 edged higher on Wednesday, recovering from two sessions of losses but underperforming other European markets. Oil majors provided support, with BP gaining around 2%, while HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest and Standard Chartered advanced between 0.5% and 1.1%. Barclays slipped slightly ahead of its corporate results due on Thursday. Fresnillo fell more than 2% after maintaining its annual silver production outlook despite lower output compared with last year. Investors also assessed fresh UK economic data showing persistent inflationary pressure and rising public borrowing. Annual consumer price inflation accelerated to 3.5% in September, above expectations of 3.4%, potentially strengthening the case for tighter monetary policy from the Bank of England. Meanwhile, government borrowing reached £97.8 billion in the April–September period, exceeding the Office for Budget Responsibility’s March forecast by £6 billion, while September borrowing totalled £24.5 billion.
Colombia
Colombia Trade Deficit Widens in August
Colombia’s trade deficit widened to $3.25 billion in August 2026, from $2.10 billion a year earlier. Imports rose 31.7% year-on-year to $7.70 billion, led by manufactured goods, with purchases of machinery and transport equipment increasing 22.8% and chemicals and related products rising 22.2%. Imports of fuels and extractive industry products surged 190.1%, driven by a 262.6% jump in purchases of petroleum, petroleum products, and related materials. Imports of agricultural products, food, and beverages rose 24.8%. Exports increased 15.1% year-on-year to $4.46 billion, mainly driven by a 127% surge in the other sectors category, reflecting higher non-monetary gold sales. Exports of fuels and extractive industry products rose 23.8%, led by increases in coal, coke, and briquettes (99.4%) and petroleum products (12.3%). Manufacturing exports grew 5.6%, supported by chemicals and related products (18.7%) and miscellaneous manufactured articles (1.9%).
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