China Holds Benchmark Loan Prime Rate Steady for Tenth Consecutive Month 
BOJ Holds Interest Rates Steady Amid Middle East Uncertainty 
Global Central Banks Hold Rates Amid Iran War-Driven Energy Price Surge 
Bank of Japan Unveils New Inflation Gauge to Support Case for Future Rate Hikes 
ANZ and Westpac Forecast Two RBA Rate Hikes in March and May 2026 
Fed Holds Rates Steady as Middle East Conflict Clouds Inflation Outlook 
In terms of volatility risks, this week is heavy as there are several events one needs to keep a tab on.
What to watch for over the coming days:
- Central Banks:
European Central Bank (ECB) will announce the rate decision on Thursday.
- Economic data:
Australia’s inflation report on Wednesday. U.S. GDP numbers on Friday.
- Geopolitics:
European officials including Commission President Jean Claude Juncker will be meeting President Trump in Washington this week. Pakistan will hold the general election this week.
- Earnings:
Nearly 180 companies listed on the S&P 500 are slated to report results this week. Big names include Hasbro, Alphabet, 3M, Harley-Davidson, Lockheed Martin, AT&T, Coca-Cola, Mattel, Gilead, Visa, Ford, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Twitter, Chevron, and Amazon.
Along with the above fundamentals, unscheduled Brexit commentaries, happenings in the Middle East, Italy, and the Korean peninsula are likely to keep influencing the market.
