Gold Prices Hold Steady as Investors Monitor U.S.-Iran Tensions and Trump-Xi Summit 
Asian Stocks Edge Higher as Tech Shares Rise Ahead of Trump-Xi Beijing Summit 
Bank of England Set to Hold Interest Rates as Inflation Risks and Iran War Impact Loom 
BOJ Rate Hike Expectations Grow as Board Member Signals Hawkish Stance 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Strong U.S. Inflation Data Boosts Dollar 
Trump Pushes China Market Access During High-Stakes Xi Summit 
DOJ Ends Probe Into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, Boosting Kevin Warsh Confirmation Prospects 
Kevin Warsh Advances Toward Fed Chair Role Amid Political Tensions 
Havana Protests Erupt as Cuba Faces Severe Blackouts and Fuel Crisis 
Japan Considers Extra Budget Aid Amid Rising Fuel and Utility Costs 
Asian Currencies Steady as Trump-Xi Summit, Inflation Concerns Boost Dollar 
The Bank of Korea (BoK) is expected to remain on hold at the monetary policy meeting scheduled to be held next week, with headline inflation making a gradual and slow rise. Also, consumer prices in the country are expected to reach the central bank’s target band in the next year.
The BoK will likely leave its 7-day repo rate unchanged at 1.25 percent on Thursday December 15, at 9:00 SGT. With headline inflation slowly rising, 2017 average inflation is expected to reach the BoK’s lower limit of its 1.5-2.5 percent target range, ANZ reported.
Also, the National Assembly has voted in favor of President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment today, adding political uncertainty in the economy, which shall aloof any such policy changes for the time being.
Meanwhile, China’s various activity indicators are likely to have been stable in November, while monetary indicators should be consistent with the government’s policy of gradual deleveraging.
