Hedge funds are placing bets using currency options that the South Korean won and Chinese yuan will strengthen as risk sentiment improves and oil prices fall on news of the US-Iran ceasefire. Trading volumes for options on both currencies versus the dollar jumped to their highest levels in a month Wednesday, according to Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. data. Activity was skewed toward bullish po...
Hedge funds are placing bets using currency options that the South Korean won and Chinese yuan will strengthen as risk sentiment improves and oil prices fall on news of the US-Iran ceasefire. Trading volumes for options on both currencies versus the dollar jumped to their highest levels in a month Wednesday, according to Depository Trust & Clearing Corp. data. Activity was skewed toward bullish positioning, with the volume of call options on the won and yuan of a size of at least $100 million, exceeding that of puts by 70%. Calls gain value when the currencies rise, while puts benefit from weakness. “We are seeing demand from hedge funds for short-tenor dollar puts in the US dollar-Asia space with USD/KRW downside being the favorite expression right now,” said Nathan Swami , head of foreign-exchange trading for Asia Pacific at Citigroup Inc. in Singapore, referring to the US dollar-Korean won currency pair. The won surged 1.6% against the dollar on Wednesday as a decline in crude prices following the ceasefire bolstered the outlook for South Korea’s oil-importing economy. The yuan advanced to a three-year high due to the ceasefire news and the central bank’s stronger-than-expected daily currency fixing. The won has been one of Asia’s worst-performing currencies since the Iran war started, dropping 2.8% since the end of February, with only the Philippine peso and Thai baht weakening more. The yuan has largely been stuck in a holding pattern over that period. ‘Downside Plays’ The Chinese currency rallied Wednesday as investors boosted their trading of offshore yuan options, according to Standard Chartered Bank. “We have been seeing demand for downside plays in US dollar-offshore yuan via digitals and put spreads,” said Saurabh Tandon , global head of foreign-exchange options at Standard Chartered in Singapore. Digital puts offer a fixed payout if the contracts drop to a specified lower level, effectively functioning as an all-or-nothing wager. Put spreads, meanwhile, ...
Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement announce four shows at Wellington venue Meow Nui from next week – their first gigs since 2018 New Zealand’s self-described “fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo-a cappella-rap-funk-comedy-folk duo” Flight of the Conchords sold out their first shows in eight years in minutes this week, sparking a frenzy among fans. Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement formed th...
Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement announce four shows at Wellington venue Meow Nui from next week – their first gigs since 2018 New Zealand’s self-described “fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo-a cappella-rap-funk-comedy-folk duo” Flight of the Conchords sold out their first shows in eight years in minutes this week, sparking a frenzy among fans. Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement formed the musical comedy act in 1998, soaring to worldwide fame off the back of their HBO comedy series of the same name with tunes including Business Time and Hiphopopotamus vs Rhymenoceros. Continue reading...
People shop for vegetables at a farmers market in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Photo: VCG The U.S. economy often stumbles out of the gate in January and February due to seasonal factors, while China’s economy typically enjoys a first-quarter bump. But beyond the usual Lunar New Year spending surge, early 2026 has delivered a genuine bright spot for China: the most optimistic inflation outlook in yea...
People shop for vegetables at a farmers market in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Photo: VCG The U.S. economy often stumbles out of the gate in January and February due to seasonal factors, while China’s economy typically enjoys a first-quarter bump. But beyond the usual Lunar New Year spending surge, early 2026 has delivered a genuine bright spot for China: the most optimistic inflation outlook in years. For the first two months of 2026, China’s core consumer price index, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rebounded to 1.3% — its highest level since 2020. Meanwhile, the decline in the producer price index has significantly narrowed and is highly likely to turn positive by April. Consequently, the GDP deflator may finally snap a historic 11-quarter negative streak, the longest on record.
The average one-year price target for NexMetals Mining (NasdaqCM:NEXM) has been revised to $9.14 / share. This is an increase of 14.55% from the prior estimate of $7.98 dated February 23, 2026. The price target is an average of many targets provided by analyst
The average one-year price target for NexMetals Mining (NasdaqCM:NEXM) has been revised to $9.14 / share. This is an increase of 14.55% from the prior estimate of $7.98 dated February 23, 2026. The price target is an average of many targets provided by analyst