New York Open Briefing: Friday, August 21, 2026
The New York trading session opens on Friday, August 21, 2026, with a generally positive tone observed across several key assets. Gold, represented by XAUUSD, has gained +1.23%, while US indices like US30, USTEC, and US500 are up +0.50%, +0.40%, and +0.32% respectively. Commodity currencies AUDUSD and NZDUSD have also seen positive moves of +0.38% and +0.31%, aligning with a slight risk-on sentiment indicated by the risk meter at +0.19.
Recent data releases include Mexico’s Retail Sales, where the year-over-year figure surprised positively at 2.7% against a 1.9% consensus, a +42.1% surprise. However, the month-over-month figure showed a decline of -0.2% against a 0% consensus. India’s economic indicators also exceeded expectations, with Deposit Growth at 15.4% and Bank Loan Growth at 19.3% year-over-year. Foreign Exchange Reserves in India reached 716.907B, above the 710.173B consensus. China’s Foreign Direct Investment YTD y/y was -6.2%, a +10.1% surprise compared to the -6.9% consensus. Over the past 24 hours, AUD has shown strength at +0.62% and NZD at +0.45%, while CHF, JPY, and USD have shown weakness. The crowd’s positioning on USDCAD has shifted 9pt toward long.
Looking ahead, traders will monitor the Baker Hughes US Oil Rig Count and Total Rig Count at 17:00 UTC. Later in the session, at 19:30 UTC, the CFTC Non-Commercial Net Positions for BRL, JPY, GBP, Gold, Crude Oil, and S&P 500 are scheduled for release.
The upcoming CFTC Non-Commercial Net Positions reports will provide insights into speculative positioning.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Biggest moves since the previous session | XAUUSD +1.23%, US30 +0.50%, USTEC +0.40% |
| Currency strength, 24h | AUD strongest at +0.62%, CHF weakest at -0.40% |
| Risk meter | +0.19 (mildly risk-on) |
Scheduled this session (High and Medium impact)
| Time | Ccy | Event | Impact | Consensus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17:00 UTC | USD | Baker Hughes US Oil Rig Count | Medium | – |
| 17:00 UTC | USD | Baker Hughes US Total Rig Count | Medium | – |
| 19:30 UTC | BRL | CFTC BRL Non-Commercial Net Positions | Medium | – |
| 19:30 UTC | JPY | CFTC JPY Non-Commercial Net Positions | Medium | – |
| 19:30 UTC | GBP | CFTC GBP Non-Commercial Net Positions | Medium | – |
| 19:30 UTC | USD | CFTC Gold Non-Commercial Net Positions | Medium | – |
| 19:30 UTC | USD | CFTC Crude Oil Non-Commercial Net Positions | Medium | – |
| 19:30 UTC | USD | CFTC S&P 500 Non-Commercial Net Positions | Medium | – |
Times are UTC. This brief describes measured market state and the published schedule. It is not financial advice and nothing in it is a trade recommendation.