Asian currencies were in a state of flux on Tuesday. The Japanese yen slipped, trimming its recent gains, while the Australian dollar fell to an 18‑week low as traders braced for the upcoming U.S. payroll data. The dollar index edged higher, reflecting a cautious stance toward the U.S. economic outlook.
In commodity markets, gold traded at $4,077.46 per ounce, down 11.66 ($0.29%) to $4,077.46. Silver slid to $52.115 per ounce, a decline of 0.261 ($0.50%) to $52.115. Crude oil saw a dip in both benchmarks: WTI crude fell 1.31 ($1.45%) to $89.21, while Brent crude fell 1.31 ($1.33%) to $96.98.
Base metals were largely flat. Copper held steady at $6.2703 per pound, up 0.0003 ($0.00%) to $6.2703, whereas aluminium fell 9.00 ($0.29%) to $3,052.50 per ton. Natural gas posted a modest gain, rising 0.058 ($1.97%) to $3.005 per MMBtu.
The mixed backdrop for Asian currencies, combined with the commodity price movements, underscores the market’s sensitivity to both regional and global economic signals as investors await the U.S. payroll report.