China’s economy grew by 4.8% from last year in the third quarter of 2025, matching expectations. This growth continues despite challenges in the global economy. In other financial news, the EUR/USD exchange rate hovered around 1.1650 after France’s credit rating was downgraded. The GBP/USD rate remained steady above 1.3400, supported by a weaker US dollar and mixed market conditions.

Trends in Precious Metals and Cryptocurrency

Gold prices dipped slightly to about $4,245 due to lower demand after the festive season. Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market saw liquidity surges over $1 billion, with significant losses for BNB, Solana, and Cardano. The FXStreet article reviews various brokers for traders in 2025, including those with low spreads and good leverage opportunities in different regions. China’s economy growing 4.8% in the third quarter brings stability and eases fears of a major downturn seen in previous years. This stability benefits commodity-linked currencies, making call options on the Australian dollar worth considering. China’s manufacturing PMI for September 2025 stood steady at 50.2, indicating consistent management rather than rapid growth.

Crude Oil Prices and Market Outlook

The outlook for crude oil is bearish in the short term. WTI prices struggle around $57 a barrel, down from the $80-$90 range of 2023 and 2024, indicating oversupply. Recent reports show that OPEC+ compliance has dropped below 90%, suggesting further price weakness. We could use put options to position ourselves accordingly. In Europe, the S&P downgrade of France’s credit rating poses a challenge for the euro. The gap between French and German 10-year government bonds has widened, reaching 65 basis points, showing increased risk aversion. This situation makes shorting the EUR/USD pair, perhaps through futures contracts, a smart strategy in the upcoming weeks. Gold’s drop from near $4,250 suggests that its rally may be losing momentum. The metal’s rise from 2024 lows of around $2,400 appears too stretched, and reduced physical demand offers a selling opportunity. We can consider selling out-of-the-money call spreads to earn premium while limiting risk. The upcoming meeting between Trump and Xi at the APEC summit presents significant event risk that the market may not be fully pricing in. Given potential volatility in equities and currencies, buying protection is a wise choice. The VIX index, which measures expected market volatility, is currently low at 18, making call options on the VIX a cost-effective hedge against potential disruptions in discussions. Create your live VT Markets account and start trading now.

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