Currencies: News & Insights - Nikkei Asia

    Currencies

    New Zealand's central bank voted 4 to 3 on Oct. 28 to hold the cash rate steady at 2.75%, surprising markets. Gov. Anna Breman, seen here in September 2025, voted with the majority. 
    Currencies

    New Zealand central bank stands pat, signals future hikes

    RBNZ keeps official cash rate at 2.75%, surprising markets

    28 October 2026
    Circle, which listed on the NYSE in June 2025, is the issuer of the world's second-largest stablecoin, USDC.
    Cryptocurrencies

    Circle exec urges room for banks, startups in Asian stablecoin regimes

    World's second-largest issuer hopes for cross-border regulatory harmonization

    27 October 2026
    Uncertainty about AI investment and high oil prices are weighing on a number of Asian currencies. (Photo by Nikkei)
    Currencies

    AI and oil worries rattle Asian currencies from Taiwan to Philippines

    Rupee and won buck the trend thanks to central bank measures

    27 October 2026
    An electronic board at the B3 in Sao Paulo shows financial market activity on Monday following the re-election of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
    Markets

    Trading halted in Brazil as stocks sink following Lula reelection

    Benchmark Ibovespa drops 10%, triggering automatic pause, exchange operator says

    26 October 2026
    GMO Internet Group said on Oct. 24 that it is seeking help from the government in dealing with the threat posed by hackers. (Photo by Koji Uema)
    Cybersecurity

    Japan net provider GMO seeks 'active cyber defense' from government

    Company says unauthorized trades executed through FX-related services

    24 October 2026
    The yen-dollar exchange rate has fluctuated in a narrow band since early October.
    Currencies

    Yen on track to gain from US midterm elections and France unrest

    Japanese currency appreciated after 9 out of 10 US midterms, data shows

    23 October 2026
    U.S. Treasury Undersecretary for International Affairs Erin Browne spoke to Nikkei on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund's annual meetings in Bangkok. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
    Interview

    US has full confidence in Takaichi's fiscal discipline: Treasury official

    Erin Browne takes softer tone after Washington applied pressure in September

    17 October 2026
    Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda said Group of 20 officials discussed the Middle East conflict and the artificial intelligence boom and their impact on economic growth and prices. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
    Bank of Japan

    BOJ's Ueda says inflation can't be allowed to rise further

    Japanese central bank chief avoids dropping hints about October meeting

    16 October 2026
    High-yield currencies, including the Australian dollar and Mexican peso, have fallen against the U.S. dollar in recent weeks. (Source photos by Nikkei)
    Currencies

    Mexican peso drops while Aussie dollar resilient in flight to quality

    Japanese investors rethink high-yield currency risks as US rates rise

    16 October 2026
    Bank of Korea Gov. Shin Hyun-song says a currency appreciation can increase the purchasing power of households and thus help "shift the balance" from the externally facing export sector toward the domestic sector. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi)
    Inflation

    Central banks navigate inflation uncertainty amid supply shocks

    IMF calls for restrictive policy; BOK chief says exchange-rate stability also matters

    14 October 2026
    The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, rejects claims that it keeps the yuan artificially weak to gain a trade advantage.
    Currencies

    China defends yuan policy as EU ups pressure over ballooning deficit

    PBOC denies yuan kept artificially weak during EU trade chief's Beijing trip

    8 October 2026
    The Reserve Bank of India had abstained from hiking interest rates this year even as central banks in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines did, as it remained focused on spurring economic growth.
    Markets

    India's central bank delivers first rate hike since 2023 as inflation bites

    RBI shifts from supporting the economy as other major central banks raise rates

    7 October 2026
    Charts tracking South Korea's benchmark KOSPI stock index and comments from viewers are displayed on a monitor as financial influencer Jeon Suk-jae hosts a livestream on his YouTube channel in Seoul on July 27.
    Opinion

    Time to get off the roller coaster: South Korea markets must deliver stability

    President Lee's government should be wary of wild swings in stock prices

    6 October 2026
    Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama speaks with Nikkei in Tokyo on Oct. 1. (Photo by Kazuho Fujiwara)
    Interview

    Japan finance minister: Government united in view reflation is over

    Katayama stresses unity after BOJ opinion summary raises questions over policy stance

    2 October 2026
    Currencies were one discussion topic between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, center left, and U.S. President Donald Trump at United Nations headquarters.
    Currencies

    Trump remarks on weak yen to Takaichi raise speculation on policy impact

    Rare for reports of leaders discussing forex matters to be made public

    26 September 2026
    Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Sept. 25. (Photo by Shunsuke Ushigome)
    Currencies

    US, Japan finance chiefs discuss yen after Trump raises concerns in summit

    Bessent says currency should reflect Japanese economy's 'strong fundamentals'

    26 September 2026
    Expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will hike interest rates again at its October meeting are lifting the dollar.
    Currencies

    Dollar jumps near 2-month high on Fed outlook, rising oil price

    Odds of US rate hike in October climb to about 75%, LSEG data shows

    24 September 2026
    A rapid yuan appreciation risks crushing China's already thin factory profit margins and worsening unemployment, while doing little to fix underlying structural imbalances in an economy stuck with deflation. (Nikkei montage/ Source photos by Reuters and Akira Kodaka)
    Trading Asia

    China slow-walks yuan appreciation as US, Europe demand trade rebalancing

    Considered up to 30% undervalued, Chinese currency looms in background of Trump-Xi talks

    21 September 2026
    U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, left, and Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama met for the first time after the coordinated intervention. (Source photos obtained by Nikkei)
    Comment

    Japan's response to US 'foreign pressure' must be to benefit of both

    US Treasury's Bessent has sought to influence Tokyo's fiscal, monetary policies

    20 September 2026
    The yen temporarily strengthened into the upper-156 range against the dollar. (Photo by Hiroki Endo)
    Currencies

    BOJ conducts rate check, lifting yen to upper-156 range against dollar

    Central bank's move reverses currency's slump after interest rate hike

    19 September 2026
    U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, left, expressed support for "decisive" action to shore up the yen while speaking with Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda in August. (Source photos by Nikkei and Reuters)
    Bank of Japan

    How the BOJ's rate hike became tangled in a 'currency alliance' with the US

    Policymakers spurred to move faster after Bessent backed 'decisive' action

    19 September 2026
    The currency market is trying to assess where the Japanese yen is headed after a Bank of Japan interest rate increase. (Photo by Naoko Inoue)
    Currencies

    Yen touches 158 to the dollar as market weighs further BOJ tightening pace

    Currency swings as BOJ chief signals hawkish bias while keeping options open

    18 September 2026
    The currencies of AI and chip powers like South Korea and Taiwan are beating those of countries hiking interest rates to combat inflation. (Photo by Akira Kodaka)
    Currencies

    Taiwan dollar, South Korea won strong among Asia currencies as AI booms

    Indian rupee and Philippine peso see little boost from high interest rates

    18 September 2026
    The U.S. Dollar Index, a gauge of the greenback's strength against major currencies, has risen over the 100 mark.
    Currencies

    Yen weakens to 156-level as Fed fulfills rate hike expectations

    Asian currencies dip against greenback; BOJ meeting in focus

    17 September 2026
    Masahiro Okafuji, chairman of the Japan Foreign Trade Council as well as chair and CEO of Itochu, urges a stronger yen for the good of Japan. (Photo by Shintaro Ino)
    Companies

    Japan trading house lobby chief urges stronger yen despite sector windfall

    Okafuji welcomes Berkshire Hathaway's intention to buy more trading houses' shares

    16 September 2026
    Hong Kong-founded crypto exchange CoinEx says it is shutting down, citing a market slump and other factors. (Photo by Yuji Murakami)
    Cryptocurrencies

    Hong Kong-founded crypto exchange CoinEx to shut down

    Platform recently flagged for Iran traffic blames weak trading, regulatory scrutiny

    15 September 2026
    Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda and Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh are caught between inflation and political pressure. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Shintaro Ino, AP and Akira Kodaka)
    Trading Asia

    BOJ and Fed face critical test as market pressure rises on rates

    Future policy path in focus as inflation fears reignite and bonds sell off globally

    14 September 2026
     "I am the house now." That was the warning U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent gave currency traders on Tuesday.
    Comment

    Can Bessent's 'I am the house now' warning keep the yen strong?

    Yen-buying starts to lose steam as fundamentals point to weak currency

    11 September 2026
    Japanese automakers have planned for a weaker yen, and appreciation could dent their earnings. (Photo by Tomoki Mera)
    Currencies

    Yen's recent upswing catches Japan manufacturers off guard

    Currency volatility risks derailing anticipated earnings growth

    11 September 2026