A strong labor market supports the Australian dollar. China’s economy continues to show resilience

On Wednesday, the US stock market continued its upward rally. By the end of the day, the Dow Jones Index (US30) fell by 0.15%. The S&P 500 Index (US500) rose by 0.80%. The Tech Index Nasdaq (US100) closed higher by 1.40%. A powerful growth driver came from artificial‑intelligence news: Broadcom shares rose more than 3%, and Meta shares gained nearly 2% amid a deal to deploy specialized 1‑gigawatt AI chips. Investors paid special attention to Tesla shares, which surged more than 7%. Shareholder optimism was driven by updated vehicle software and Elon Musk’s statements about significant progress in developing the advanced AI5 chip. Alongside the tech sector, the financial sector also showed strong growth: Morgan Stanley shares jumped more than 5% thanks to record revenue, and Bank of America shares added 2.5% after a strong quarterly profit report. Geopolitical news also supported overall market sentiment. Donald Trump’s statement that the active phase of the conflict with Iran is nearing its end, combined with the diplomatic mission of Pakistan’s Chief of General Staff in Tehran, strengthened hopes for a long‑term ceasefire.

The Mexican peso (MXN) strengthened to 17.27 per dollar, reaching its highest level since late February. The main driver of growth was a combination of global optimism and strong domestic economic indicators. Investors are attracted by high real yields: with a base interest rate of 6.75% and inflation at 4.59%, Mexican assets remain highly sought after. Tight monetary policy combined with slowing consumer‑price growth creates a favorable environment for carry‑trade strategies.

On Wednesday, European stocks mostly declined. By the end of the day, Germany’s DAX (DE40) rose by 0.09%, France’s CAC 40 (FR40) closed down 0.64%, Spain’s IBEX 35 (ES35) fell by 0.55%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 (UK100) closed the session down 0.47%. The main pressure on the tech sector came from ASML Holding shares, which fell more than 4%. Despite an optimistic full‑year sales outlook, investors were disappointed by the company’s short‑term expectations: second‑quarter revenue is projected at 8.4-9 billion euros, below analysts’ consensus. Although hopes for extending the two‑week ceasefire remain, current financial reports from major European corporations still reflect the real damage caused by regional instability.

Silver prices (XAG) surpassed 80 dollars per ounce, approaching monthly highs. The main driver of growth was investor optimism regarding a possible resumption of diplomatic dialogue between Washington and Tehran. However, even with the current rise, silver prices remain nearly 15% below levels recorded before the conflict began. This indicates that the market has only partially recovered from the initial geopolitical shock.

On Wednesday, WTI oil futures held near 92 dollars per barrel, and high market volatility is likely to persist – traders are closely monitoring developments in the Middle East, trying to identify signs of de‑escalation and a possible resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 (JP225) rose by 0.44% during the session, China’s FTSE China A50 (CHA50) increased by 0.19%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng (HK50) closed up 0.29%, and Australia’s ASX 200 (AU200) gained 0.09%.

China’s economy showed unexpected resilience in the first quarter of 2026, posting 5.0% year‑on‑year growth. This result not only exceeded market expectations (4.8%) but also marked a noticeable acceleration after the minimal 4.5% recorded at the end of last year. Beijing managed to effectively cushion the impact of the Middle East conflict through accumulated strategic oil reserves, diversification of energy sources, and strict state control over prices, which prevented shock volatility in the domestic market. The industrial sector remains the main driver, showing growth above the outlook’s levels. At the same time, the consumer sector signals weakness: retail sales fell short of expectations, and the unemployment rate jumped to its highest level in 13 months. This indicates that domestic demand remains fragile. The external trade balance also shifted: March saw a sharp slowdown in exports alongside a spike in imports, likely linked to rising logistics and raw‑material costs.

The Australian dollar (AUD) broke through the psychologically important level of 0.70 US dollars, reaching its highest point in nearly four years. The currency’s rise was supported by strong domestic labor‑market data: in March, the unemployment rate held at 4.3%, and the employment increase of 17.9 thousand was entirely driven by full‑time job creation. This confirms the resilience of Australia’s economy to external shocks. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) hawkish rhetoric became the second key factor strengthening the aussie. Deputy Governor Andrew Hauser expressed doubt that current interest rates are restrictive enough to contain inflation, which is being fueled by high oil prices. His remarks about possible further tightening forced the market to revise projections: most economists now expect a third consecutive rate hike in May to 4.35%.