Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
Russian Stocks End Mixed as MOEX Index Closes Flat Amid Commodity Strength 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
The Australian bonds traded mixed during Asian session Thursday after the country’s employment report for the month of December exceeded market expectations, amid the increase in the number of cases and geographical spread of the Wuhan coronavirus.
The yield on Australia’s benchmark 10-year note, which moves inversely to its price, remained flat at 1.117 percent, the yield on the long-term 30-year bond slipped 1-1/2 basis points to 1.720 percent while the yield on short-term 2-year jumped 3 basis points to trade at 0.760 percent by 03:35GMT.
Financial markets may remain on edge ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year festive holidays even though the World Health Organization delayed declaring it an international emergency, OCBC Treasury Research reported.
China stepped up its efforts to prevent the Wuhan coronavirus from spreading further yesterday. The city of Wuhan with 11 million population has been literally locked down with public transportation network suspended, the report added.
Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 index traded tad -0.64 percent down at 7,011.50 by 03:40GMT.
