Eurozone ECB Rate On Deposit Facility in line with expectations (2%)

Eurozone ECB Main Refinancing Operations Rate meets expectations (2.15%)

Nomura analysts note that the Swiss National Bank (SNB) kept its policy rate at 0.00% and strengthened its guidance on FX intervention as the Swiss Franc (CHF) has appreciated. Very low Swiss inflation and a stronger CHF are seen prompting FX purchases in Q1.

Deutsche Bank’s Sanjay Raja notes the Bank of England (BoE) kept Bank Rate unchanged but clearly signalled a stronger focus on inflation risks. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) dropped its easing bias and stressed readiness to act if inflation expectations rise.

There were 205K Initial Jobless Claims in the week ending March 14, a decrease of 8K from the previous week's unrevised level, the US Department of Labor (DOL) reported on Thursday. This reading came in better than the market expectation of 215K.

ING’s Senior Economist Min Joo Kang notes that the Bank of Japan kept its policy rate at 0.75% and maintained a broadly unchanged economic outlook, while acknowledging higher uncertainty. Governor Ueda avoided giving timing signals on the next move, and ING still expects a rate hike in June.

GBP/USD trades around 1.3300 on Thursday at the time of writing, up 0.28% on the day, supported by a mildly positive market reaction to the Bank of England (BoE) monetary policy decision.

Gold prices remain under heavy pressure on Thursday, breaking below the key $4,600 mark per troy ounce to hit fresh multi-month lows,,down for the seventh consecutive day.

In an interview with Fox Business Network on Thursday, United States (US) Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the US is not attacking Iran's energy infrastructure and added that they have allowed Iranian oil to continue out of the Gulf, per Reuters.

United States Continuing Jobless Claims came in at 1.857M, above expectations (1.85M) in March 6

United States Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Survey registered at 18.1 above expectations (10) in March

United States Initial Jobless Claims registered at 205K, below expectations (215K) in March 13

United States Initial Jobless Claims 4-week average: 210.75K (March 13) vs previous 212K

The European Central Bank (ECB) will announce its monetary policy decision on Thursday, following a two-day meeting.

Gold (XAU/USD) extends its decline on Thursday, slipping to over a one-month low as shifting near-term macroeconomic dynamics overshadow its traditional safe-haven appeal, despite heightened geopolitical tensions from the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran.

MUFG’s Senior Currency Analyst Lee Hardman notes the Dollar has strengthened, with the Dollar Index back above 100.00, as Middle East energy infrastructure attacks lift Brent above USD115 and raise global supply concerns.

The Bank of England (BoE) announced on Thursday that it maintained the bank rate at 3.75% following the March policy meeting, as widely expected. All nine members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted in favor of the decision. Markets were expecting two policymakers to vote for a rate cut.

United Kingdom BoE MPC Vote Rate Unchanged came in at 9, above expectations (7)

United Kingdom BoE Interest Rate Decision meets expectations (3.75%)

United Kingdom BoE MPC Vote Rate Hike in line with forecasts (0)

BNY’s Head of Markets Macro Strategy Bob Savage notes that the Bank of Japan (BoJ) kept its policy rate around 0.75% with an 8–1 vote, noting moderate economic recovery and inflation near 2%.

Gold (XAU/USD) has fallen sharply to its lowest level since early February, hovering around $4,680, pressured by a strong US Dollar (USD).

ING’s Senior Economist Charlotte de Montpellier notes that the Swiss National Bank kept its policy rate at 0% as low inflation and a strong Swiss Franc cushion higher energy prices. The SNB’s new projections show very weak inflation through 2027, reinforcing expectations of unchanged rates.

The Japanese Yen (JPY) outperforms its major currency pairs during the European trading session on Thursday.

TD Securities’ Oscar Munoz and Eli Nir highlight that US consumer momentum is weakening, with real spending barely growing into early 2026 and creating a soft base for Q1. They project slower quarterly consumption growth but a firmer year-on-year pace, with tax refunds helping more in Q2.

Brown Brothers Harriman’s Elias Haddad reports USD/CAD is trading near 1.3735, with resistance at the 200-day moving average. The Bank of Canada (BoC) held its overnight rate at 2.25% but dropped guidance that policy is appropriate, signalling a live hiking bias if energy prices stay high.

Nomura’s European Economics team, led by George Buckley, notes that stronger UK payrolls and stable unemployment contrast with softer wage data and falling full-time jobs.

The EUR/USD pair is 0.16% higher to near 1.1470 during the European trading session on Thursday. The major currency pair gains as the US Dollar (USD) drops slightly, following a strong upside move on Wednesday.

EUR/JPY trades around 182.70 on Thursday at the time of writing, down 0.23% on the day, as markets digest comments from the Bank of Japan (BoJ) governor and await the European Central Bank (ECB) decision.

Commerzbank’s Tatha Ghose expects the Czech National Bank (CNB) to keep rates unchanged, with the board comfortable at current levels and united against both tightening and easing. While he sees inflation risks as overstated, the Iran war and higher energy prices justify caution.