ForexLive Asia-Pacific FX news wrap: Oil higher after murderous attack on Israel

  • Forex news for Asian trading on Monday, 9 October 2023

The horrific news over the weekend was that Hamas launched a massive attack against Israel from Gaza, way beyond anything seen in decades including:

  • over 3,000 missiles launched into Israel

  • a ground attack targeting civilians that killed more than 700 innocent people, including more than 200 kids at a music festival. A music festival.

  • military and civilian hostages taken, some already executed by the terrorists

As I post, the death toll due to the attack and its immediate aftermath is now over 1,100.

Markets responded in the early Monday hours, with only FX markets functioning, with a bid for the safe-haven US dollar and, to a lesser extent, JPY. More markets reopened in the following hours:

  • oil is higher, jumping more than 4% as I update
  • gold is up
  • US Treasury futures rose, Japanese markets were out on a holiday today so cash Treasury trade was limited
  • ‘risk’ traded lower – equities and equity index futures, and risk currencies such as AUD

As I update there have been partial retracements in markets but oil remains not too far from its session high. This is happening at a time with the US strategic petroleum reserve is at historically low levels.

There was little other news, but just noting:

  • Japan, Taiwan and South Korea were closed for a holiday on Monday. Taiwan will remain closed on Tuesday.
  • Morning trade on the Hong Kong Exchange was closed due to Typhoon Koinu. The typhoon has hit just a month after the city was paralyzed by record-breaking rainfall.
  • Union workers at Volvo-owned Mack Trucks rejected a proposed five-year contract deal and will go on strike at 7 am on Monday, the United Auto Workers confirmed.
oil israel hamas 09 October 2023

Reminder, it's a partial market holiday in the US today. The NYSE and Nasdaq will be open but the bond market will be closed.

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