Strengthen

• The U.S. Dollar Index climbed to 106.85 Thursday, marking a three-month high, bolstered by expectations for sustained higher interest rates and Federal Reserve officials' reluctance to signal imminent policy pivots. • The euro weakened to $1.087, declining 1.3% on the week, as diverging monetary policy expectations between the Federal Reserve and European Central Bank broadened rate differentials favoring dollar-denominated assets. • Currency strategists noted that strong dollar performance reduces competitiveness for U.S. export-oriented companies but supports purchasing power for multinational corporations with foreign earnings, creating mixed market impacts.

• US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on April 8, 2026, focusing on countering North Korean threats and Chinese influence. • Discussions covered $10 billion in new joint defense tech investments and intelligence-sharing pacts; Yoon called it 'a new era of deterrence'. • The trilateral framework with Japan matters for Indo-Pacific security, especially after recent North Korean missile tests overflying Japan.

JP Morgan boss appears to condemn president’s tariff regime in annual letter to shareholdersMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe head of America’s largest bank has pressed the White House to strengthen America’s allies economically in order to “avoid truly adverse consequences”, in the latest instalment of an increasingly testy relationship with the Trump administration.As the Middle East conflict sparked by US and Israeli attacks on Iran enters its sixth week, Jamie Dimon, the chair and chief executive of JP Morgan Chase, said in his annual letter to shareholders that “good” US foreign policy should put America first “though not alone”. Continue reading...

• Oil prices spiked sharply as geopolitical tensions escalated between Iran and the United States following military confrontations. • The U.S. dollar recovered against major currencies as investors sought safe-haven assets amid rising uncertainty. • Energy markets remain volatile with traders closely monitoring developments in Middle East tensions and their impact on global supply chains.

• The FCC has implemented new supply chain security rules prohibiting the sale of foreign-made consumer routers in the United States. • The ban is part of a broader US telecom infrastructure sovereignty initiative aimed at reducing dependence on foreign manufacturing for critical networking equipment. • The regulation targets Wi-Fi routers as strategic infrastructure components vulnerable to supply chain compromise and foreign surveillance.

• The Pentagon released new details on personnel reforms for U.S. Cyber Command to enhance cybersecurity operations. • Officials aim to utilize existing CyberCom powers and avoid creating a separate cyber force. • The reforms address growing cyber threats, bolstering U.S. defense amid rising incidents.

• The U.S. dollar fell slightly to 159.70 Japanese yen from 159.88 yen, while the euro rose to $1.1478 from $1.1453 in early Thursday trading. • Currency moves followed Wall Street's slump, with Dow dropping 1.6% to 46,225.15, amid steady Fed rates and oil-driven inflation concerns. • A stronger dollar, combined with higher U.S. yields and oil prices over $111, pressured Asian assets and currencies significantly.