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Foreign Exchange Market Update

Foreign Exchange Market Update

Please call the FX Department at 626-279-3235 for the most current rate.

October 30, 2026

Bar graph shows overnight changes in major currencies around the world

 

Chicago Business Barometer Pulls Back but Still Indicates Growth in October

Growth in Chicago-area business activity slowed moderately in October. Chicago business barometer fell to 55.3 in October after spiking to 58.8 in September, although a reading above 50 still indicates growth. The decrease in the Chicago business barometer partly reflected a steep drop in the supplier deliveries index, which tumbled by 10.3 points but remained in expansionary territory. Supply chain conditions remained mixed, as delivery time shortened overall, although deliveries continued to face delays, particularly from Asia.

The production and order backlogs indexes also fell by 5.2 points and 4.4 points, while the new orders index rose by 0.6 points. Meanwhile, the employment index surged by 10.3 points, returning to expansionary territory and reaching its highest level since April 2021. The prices paid index also jumped by 8.9 points to its highest level since December 2021, with cost pressures from chemical- and petroleum-based inputs, as well as fuel surcharges and freight costs. 10/30/2026 - 10:30:00 (RTTNews)

 

Eurozone

Euro traded at 1.1161 against USD at 9:00 AM PST

Germany's consumer price inflation slowed for the first time in four months to its lowest level since July as energy price growth moderated slightly. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.8% year-on-year following a 3.3% increase in September. Core inflation, which excludes prices of food and energy, slowed from 2.4% to 2.1%.

Services inflation eased from 2.7% to 2.5%, while goods price growth slid from 3.8% to 3.0%. Energy inflation weakened from 14.9% to 12.2%, while food price growth remained steady at 0.4%. The harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) rose 2.8% year-on-year after a 3.3% increase in the previous month. The CPI and HICP fell 0.2% and 0.1% from the previous month. 10/30/2026 - 09:44:00 (RTTNews)

Germany's unemployment increased in October. The number of unemployed increased by 4,000 from the previous month. Unemployment had increased by 12,000 in September. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 6.4% in October. Demand for labor remained weak. Job openings registered with the labor office increased by 31,000 from the previous year to 654,000. Elsewhere, the number of unemployed increased by 7,000 or 0.4% from August to September. The adjusted jobless rate remained unchanged at 4.1% in September. 10/30/2026 - 08:24:00 (RTTNews)

Spain's economic growth slowed marginally in the third quarter. Gross domestic product (GDP) posted a quarter-on-quarter growth of 0.6% after expanding to 0.7% in the second quarter. Domestic demand contributed 0.5 percentage points to GDP growth, while external demand contributed 0.1 percentage points. Household spending and government consumption rose by 0.6% and 0.9%. Meanwhile, gross capital formation rose only 0.1%. Exports showed a quarterly growth of 1.3%, and imports registered a 1.1% expansion. Year-on-year, economic growth improved from 2.6% to 2.7% in the second quarter. 10/30/2026 - 07:59:00 (RTTNews)

Spain's consumer price inflation remained stable in October. The consumer price index (CPI) logged a steady growth of 4.9% in October, which was the strongest since February 2023. Similarly, inflation based on the harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP), held steady at 4.9%. Core inflation also remained stable in October, at 3.1%. Monthly, the increase in consumer prices doubled from 0.3% to 0.6%. The HICP moved up 0.5%. 10/30/2026 - 09:42:00 (RTTNews)

France's inflation accelerated to the highest level in nearly three years in October, driven by energy prices. Consumer price inflation rose from 3.1% in September to 3.4%. The rate was the highest since December 2023. EU harmonized inflation rose from 3.4% in September to 3.8% in October. Energy price inflation surged to 24.1%, marking the fourth consecutive rise, driven by those of gas and petroleum products. Services inflation accelerated from 2.4% in the prior month to 2.7%.

Meanwhile, food prices rose more slowly, at 1.2%, after a 1.4% gain. The decline in manufactured products’ prices slowed from 0.3% to 0.2%. Monthly, consumer prices climbed 0.4%, in contrast to the 0.3% decrease seen in September. The harmonized index of consumer prices (HICP) increased 0.4%, after a 0.3% fall in the previous month. Producer price inflation in the home market rose from 4.9% in August to 6.8% in September. Compared to August, producer prices increased 1.7%. 10/30/2026 - 09:24:00 (RTTNews)

 

Taiwan GDP Growth Accelerates to 14.36%

Taiwan's economy expanded in the third quarter. Gross domestic product (GDP) advanced 14.36% year-on-year in the September quarter, faster than the 12.93% increase in the June quarter. On the expenditure side, private final consumption grew by 5.37% over the year, and government final consumption rose 6.43%.

Gross capital formation logged a sharp expansion of 26.36% amid more investments in machinery equipment, transportation equipment, intellectual property products, and construction. Exports surged 21.12% on the back of sustained growth in demand for emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, and related application opportunities. Quarterly, GDP expanded 3.21%, after rising 1.39% in the second quarter. 10/30/2026 - 10:30:00 (RTTNews)


This market update is prepared by Cathay Bank for informational purposes only and does not constitute any form of legal, tax or investment advice, nor should it be considered an assurance or guarantee of future exchange rate movements or trends. This information is provided without regard to the specific objectives, financial situations or needs of any recipient. Cathay Bank does not make any representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of this market update.

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