BOJ Rate Hike Expected to Boost Yen, Impact USD/JPY and Nikkei 
Chip Stocks Rally as Samsung and SK Hynix’s $1.3 Trillion Investment Plan Boosts AI Optimism 
RBA Expected to Hold Interest Rates at 4.35% as Markets Watch AUD/USD and ASX 200 
RBI Hits Pause as Geopolitical Storm Clouds Gather 
U.S. Stocks End Q2 Higher as Strong Jobs Data and AI Rally Lift Wall Street 
UK House Prices Hold Steady in June as Annual Growth Misses Forecasts 
Asian Stocks Mixed as South Korea Slides on Profit-Taking, Japan and China Gain on Strong Factory Data 
Trump Suspends Some Morocco Fertilizer Tariffs to Ease U.S. Supply Shortage 
Indonesia Central Bank to Draft New Regulations After Expanded Economic Growth Mandate 
India Manufacturing PMI Slows in June as Demand Weakens Despite Lower Cost Pressures 
Central Banks Eye Gold, Reduce Dollar Exposure as AI Adoption Accelerates: OMFIF Survey 
Gold Price Hits Annual Low as Fed Rate Hike Bets and Sticky Inflation Weigh on Bullion 
Wall Street Futures Rise Ahead of JOLTS Data, Nike Earnings, and U.S.-Iran Talks 
Greece’s Bad Loan Crisis Continues to Limit Credit Access Despite Economic Recovery 
Trump Urges Gasoline Retailers to Cut Prices to $2.50 Per Gallon, Warns of Legal Action 
The Federal Reserve's latest meeting minutes reveal plans for a slower pace of interest rate cuts, influenced by policy uncertainties tied to President-elect Donald Trump. Analysts at Goldman Sachs noted that Trump's proposed tariffs and mass deportations have raised concerns about inflation trends.
Fed officials highlighted risks tied to Trump's policies, suggesting inflation's return to the 2% target may take longer than anticipated. While the Federal Open Market Committee cut rates by one percentage point in 2024, some members favored a cautious approach to further reductions, citing upside risks to inflation.
Market expectations now lean toward stable borrowing costs in the near term, with the next rate cut forecasted no earlier than May. This sentiment gained traction after private payroll data showed a slowdown in December, while jobless claims declined.
Goldman Sachs analysts observed the absence of discussion about the Fed’s balance sheet reduction in the minutes. They revised their timeline for quantitative tightening (QT), now anticipating Treasury runoff to extend through March and mortgage-backed securities runoff to end in June.
The Fed's careful stance reflects ongoing efforts to balance economic growth, inflation risks, and policy uncertainties, leaving markets attuned to upcoming data, including Friday’s US employment report.
