Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Asian Markets Hold Steady Ahead of Major Tech Earnings; Japan’s Nikkei Climbs on Political Shifts
Japan’s Nikkei Gains Amid Political Changes
Japan's Nikkei 225 and TOPIX indexes stood out among Asian markets, rising 0.3% and 0.9%, respectively. This rise followed news that Japan's ruling coalition lost its majority, leading investors to bet on a potential halt to the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) interest rate hikes. Major gains were led by Nippon Paint Holdings, which surged 24% after announcing a U.S. acquisition.
Muted Trading Across Asia with a Focus on Tech Earnings
Broader Asian markets remained largely unchanged as investors anticipated upcoming earnings reports from U.S. tech giants. Key reports from Alphabet are due Tuesday, with Meta and Microsoft on Wednesday, and Apple and Amazon on Thursday. These earnings are expected to provide critical insights into the health of global markets.
Economic Data in Focus Across Asia
Australia’s ASX 200 saw a 0.5% gain ahead of inflation data due Wednesday. Meanwhile, China’s CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite indexes fell slightly as investors awaited PMI data for October, likely to reflect on recent economic stimulus efforts by Beijing. The Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong gained 0.6% on tech buying, while South Korea’s KOSPI dipped 0.3%.
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