Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Asian stocks climbed on Thursday, fueled by an AI-driven surge in China and major dealmaking in Japan’s technology sector. This offset concerns over rising U.S. inflation and higher interest rates.
Technology stocks led the rally as optimism around AI’s long-term impact persisted. China's Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite rose, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped 1.1% to a four-month high. Since mid-January, Chinese markets have surged 5%-15%, primarily driven by enthusiasm over AI advancements, particularly following the release of DeepSeek R1.
Despite this, broader Chinese market sentiment remained cautious due to escalating trade tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump recently imposed 10% tariffs on Chinese imports, prompting retaliation from Beijing.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.2%, with the TOPIX index up 0.9%. A weaker yen boosted export-driven stocks, while cybersecurity firm Trend Micro soared over 16% amid reports of a bidding war involving Bain Capital, Advent International, and EQT.
Across Asia, South Korea’s KOSPI climbed 0.9%, bolstered by chipmakers benefiting from China’s AI growth. Australia’s ASX 200 edged up 0.2%, while Singapore’s Straits Times index slipped 0.2%. India’s Nifty 50 pointed to a slight rebound after six consecutive losses, as U.S. tariff threats pressured sentiment.
Meanwhile, oil prices dropped following reports that former U.S. President Donald Trump discussed a potential peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine.
Despite concerns over persistent U.S. inflation, Asian markets maintained positive momentum, with UBS analysts suggesting China’s AI-fueled rally still has room to grow. Investors, however, remain cautious amid the potential for prolonged high U.S. interest rates and escalating global trade disputes.
