BOC Governor Macklem said fuel costs will remain elevated for longer.

Leo Barincou at Oxford Economics warns France’s fiscal strain could deteriorate before it improves, heightening the risk of a renewed French sovereign bond sell-off if protests escalate, the government falls over budget talks, Jean‑Luc Mélenchon gains momentum, or Marine Le Pen signals weak fiscal credibility. He says even if French bond spreads widen to 300bps, that may not trigger substantive fiscal action by the government or ECB purchases of French debt. Barincou notes French banks’ domestic sovereign exposure is limited and the financial system appears resilient, reducing the odds of a systemic crisis, but France would face substantial economic and fiscal cost.

GBP/USD fell to a 12-day low at 1.3270. EUR/USD dropped to a 17-month low at 1.1111.