IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement With Egypt, Opening Path to $3.8 Billion in Funding 
Platinum Price Surges Past $2,000 as Demand and Supply Dynamics Tighten 
BOJ Governor Signals Gradual Rate Hikes as Japan’s Inflation Nears 2% Target 
Yen Stabilizes Near Lows as Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene Amid Dollar Weakness 
German Exports to the U.S. Decline Sharply as Tariffs Reshape Trade in 2025 
Gold Price Breaks $4,500 as Safe-Haven Demand and Rate Cut Bets Fuel Rally 
Asian Markets Rise as AI Rally Caps 2025, Gold and Silver Hit Record Highs 
Global Demand for Yuan Loans and Bonds Surges as China Pushes Currency Internationalization 
Asian Stocks Rise as Wall Street Tech Rally Lifts Markets, Yen Slumps Despite BOJ Rate Hike 
U.S. Stock Index Futures Steady After S&P 500 Hits Record on Strong Economic Data 
RBA Signals Possible Interest Rate Hike in 2026 as Inflation Pressures Persist 
Why U.S. Coffee Prices Are Staying High Despite Trump’s Tariff Rollbacks 
U.S. Dollar Slips as Yen Finds Support on Intervention Signals and Geopolitical Risks Rise 
China’s Power Market Revamp Fuels Global Boom in Energy Storage Batteries 
South Korea Central Bank Warns of Rising Financial Stability Risks Amid Won Volatility 
US and Japan Fast-Track $550 Billion Strategic Investment Initiative 
Asian stocks opened the week with mixed performance, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports pressured markets. Concerns over escalating trade tensions weighed on investor sentiment, with China set to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.
South Korea’s KOSPI slipped 0.1%, with steelmakers hit hard—POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX) fell nearly 2%, and Hyundai Steel (KS:004020) dropped 2.5%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 edged 0.2% lower, while TOPIX declined 0.3%, with Nippon Steel (TYO:5401) down 1.5%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.4%, led by a nearly 1% drop in the mining sector. Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite plunged 2%, while India’s Nifty 50 started 0.4% lower.
Despite trade war tensions, China’s AI stocks extended their gains, driving optimism. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index surged 1.5%, fueled by tech leaders—Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) climbed 3.5%, Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) jumped over 4%, and Xiaomi (HK:1810) rose 1.5% after a record-high close. China’s Shanghai Composite advanced 0.4%, while the CSI 300 was flat.
Investors also analyzed China’s latest inflation data, which showed moderate CPI growth but persistent PPI declines, signaling weak consumer spending and industrial activity. This raised expectations for further economic stimulus, with potential interest rate cuts or infrastructure investments on the horizon.
Meanwhile, U.S. stock index futures traded higher in Asian hours, offering some relief amid global market uncertainty.
