French Finance Minister Urges Caution on Currency Markets, Relieved Over Budget Passage
Lescure urges G-7 nations to refrain from unilateral actions. The French government passed a budget for the 2026 fiscal year on Tuesday.
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Lescure urges G-7 nations to refrain from unilateral actions. The French government passed a budget for the 2026 fiscal year on Tuesday.
Read latest briefing →Desk archive
The India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed on August 14, 2025. The agreement aims to eliminate tariffs on 90% of the bilateral trade between the two parties. European automakers are expected to be among the major beneficiaries of the deal.
French Finance Minister Roland Lescure addressed the recent volatility in the yen during an interview on Bloomberg Television on Wednesday. He expressed his belief that market forces will ultimately determine the value of currencies. In the same day, shares of Turkish state lender Halkbank plummeted as much as 7% in morning trading on the Istanbul Stock Exchange. The decline came on the heels of the adjournment of a court status conference in the United States regarding allegations that the bank had helped Iran evade sanctions.
President Trump's remarks about the dollar selloff have fueled speculation that the US currency is at the start of a longer-term decline. Saudi Arabia has turned to some of the kingdom's wealthiest families as it looks to ease pressure on public finances. The move marks a significant shift in the Saudi government's approach to addressing its financial challenges.
Nidec has pledged to overhaul its growth-at-all-costs culture and address weaknesses in its internal controls. The commitments come as the conclusion of a Japan Financial Services Agency probe into its accounting practices is scheduled to wrap up next month. In Southeast Asia, Vietnam and the European Union are poised to announce a comprehensive strategic partnership.
Capcom Co. reported impressive earnings for the December quarter. The company's shares jumped by 11.7% in Tokyo trading, marking Capcom's biggest single-day gain since June 2020. The unexpectedly strong sales of older titles, including the popular "Resident Evil" series, bolstered optimism among investors.
Luxury goods sector faces sluggish sales, while tech companies are expected to continue big spending. South Africa's bonds and currencies are performing differently than Japan's, adding complexity to the global economic landscape.
President rump's remarks during an interview on Bloomberg TV's "The Asia Trade" on January 28, 2026, revealed his nonchalant attitude towards the ongoing US dollar slump in Asian markets. The US dollar had been on a downward trend against the Japanese yen and the Chinese yuan, among other Asian currencies, for several weeks prior to the interview.
Dan Wang, a renowned researcher at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, recently shared insights into the parallels between the US and Chinese economies. Wang's analysis revealed that both the U.S. and China have been undergoing significant changes, including the rise of technology and the shift towards services. Meanwhile, Taiwan plans to merge its four state-backed asset managers, aiming for consolidation in the financial industry.
South Korean battery manufacturer SK Innovation Co. recently disclosed a significant financial setback resulting from the termination of its joint venture with Ford Motor Company in the United States. The termination of the joint venture reportedly left the South Korean company with an enormous loss.
China's ambassador to Australia says Beijing is monitoring the Australian government's handling of a port lease to a Chinese firm. The Labor government has pledged to regain control of the Darwin Port. The port is a crucial infrastructure asset that plays a crucial role in the supply of resources to China.
The US dollar's decline has sparked a rally in base metals, a surge in Asian currencies, and a frenzy in Chinese silver investments, while natural gas prices slipped after a record-breaking rally. President Donald Trump's comfort with a weak dollar has contributed to the market trends. Investors are watching closely as the global economy reacts to the dollar's debasement.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has issued a warning regarding the potential risks to the ongoing rally in base metals. The bank's latest research report on industrial metals suggests that the market's current trajectory faces significant headwinds.
India aims to triple its nuclear capacity to 60 GW by 2040, up from the current 7 GW. Nuclear energy is a key component of India's decarbonization strategy. The country plans to build six new pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) at the Kudankulam site.
Goldman Sachs experts Trina Chen and Rob Kaplan discussed various economic topics at the Goldman Sachs Global Macro Conference Asia Pacific in Hong Kong. Chen highlighted that China's commodity demand is expected to remain strong despite the ongoing economic slowdown. Kaplan discussed the outlook for Federal Reserve policy and the impact on the dollar.
China is the world's largest market for electric vehicles (EVs), and its growth has been remarkable. In 2020, sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs) made up over 40% of all passenger vehicle sales in China. This trend is expected to continue, as the Chinese government has set a target of having only new energy Vehicles on the road by 2035.
Former European Commission President José Manuel Barroso discussed the potential implications of the EU-India free-trade agreement. Hong Kong banks are gearing up for a potential "wealth windfall" as fees are set to increase by more than 20% this year.
Indian stocks have experienced their worst start to a year in over a decade. The S&P BSE Sensex shed approximately $360 billion in market capitalization during the first three weeks of the year. India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate dipping to a six-year low of 4.2% in the quarter ending September 2022.
MSCI has announced it will suspend certain changes to the Indonesian stock market index due to concerns over the lack of transparency regarding the ownership structures of listed companies. This decision comes as a setback for Indonesia, which is the largest economy in Southeast Asia, and could potentially impact investor confidence.
The stock market closed strong on January 27, 2026, with the S&P 500 experiencing a notable surge. The day's gains were largely driven by a weakening U.S. dollar and robust earnings reports from several companies.
A mix of economic concerns, deal-making, and shifting market trends are making waves across global markets, with Shin-Etsu Chemical Co.'s shares plummeting and Citigroup Inc. predicting a surge in silver prices. Meanwhile, India's Prime Minister Modi is making strategic moves, and BlackRock Inc. is cutting jobs in its private financing solutions group.
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. and Prophecy Asset Management have found themselves in hot water due to accounting fraud allegations. Archer-D Daniels- midland agreed to pay $40 million to settle SEC charges, while Prophecy's criminal trial against co-owner Jeffrey Spotts has been delayed due to classified documents.
India's Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri indicated that India's imports of Russian crude could diminish as the country expands its supplier base. Puri expressed optimism that Canada could emerge as one of India's significant energy suppliers.
Pauline Brown, former chair of LVMH North America, shares her insights on the luxury market. She expresses optimism but raises concerns about sales conversion.