The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has kept its policy rate unchanged at 4.50%, signalling a hawkish stance that has weighed on risk‑seeking assets. Meanwhile, the UK’s latest budget introduced measures expected to tighten fiscal policy, adding to market uncertainty. The Bank of Canada and the Federal Reserve are also maintaining a cautious approach, with the Fed’s policy rate at 5.25% and the BoC’s at 4.75%.
In the commodities arena, gold slipped 3.64 points to $4,056.69 per ounce (XAU/USD), down 0.09%. Silver fell 0.373 to $54.140 per ounce (XAG/USD), a 0.68% decline. WTI crude rose 1.68 to $101.58 per barrel (CL=F), up 1.68%, while Brent climbed 1.62 to $111.03 per barrel (Brent), a 1.48% gain. Copper edged down 0.0155 to $6.6370 per pound (HG=F), a 0.23% drop. Aluminium fell 9.50 to $3,090.50 per metric ton (AL=F), a 0.31% decline. Natural gas increased 0.052 to $3.056 per MMBtu (NG=F), up 1.73%.
