The MBA mortgage application activity index in the United States for the week ending February 13 was 339, compared with 329.9 in the previous week.

Spot silver touched $78 per ounce, up 6.12% on the day.

US Dollar: 1. Federal Reserve Governor Barr: The outlook suggests the Fed will keep interest rates unchanged for some time. Recent data indicates the job market is stabilizing. There is reason to believe price pressures will ease further. 2. Federal Reserve's Daly: The Fed must study the impact of artificial intelligence in depth to make the right interest rate decisions in the future. We have about 75 basis points of room before reaching the neutral rate. Euro: 1. British media: ECB President Lagarde hopes to step down before the French presidential election next April. ECB response: Lagarde is fully focused on her mission and has not yet made any decisions regarding the end of her term. Japanese Yen: 1. Japanese exports saw their fastest growth in more than three years. 2. International Monetary Fund: The Japanese government should maintain the independence of the Bank of Japan, control fiscal expansion, and avoid addressing livelihood issues by cutting consumption tax. 3. Head of the IMF delegation to Japan: Our forecast assumes the Bank of Japan will raise interest rates twice this year and once more in 2027. 4. Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama: We will implement responsible fiscal policy while keeping in mind the IMF's initial policy recommendations for Japan. Others: 1. Swedish Finance Minister: Sweden is not expected to join the Eurozone in the next few years. 2. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) kept interest rates unchanged at 2.25%, in line with market expectations. The RBNZ stated that as the recovery strengthens and inflation continues to fall to the midpoint of the target, the monetary policy stance will gradually normalize. If the economy develops as expected, monetary policy is likely to remain accommodative for some time. 3. RBNZ Governor Brehman: The appreciation of the New Zealand dollar will curb inflation in tradable goods. There is a possibility of a rate hike before the end of the year; we do not intend to raise rates until we see a stronger economy and greater inflationary pressures. We expect to continue shrinking our balance sheet.