Germany’s 2026 Growth Outlook Strengthens on Fiscal Spending 
Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High as Yen Approaches 160 
US Comfortable With Canada Trade Standoff as Import Bans Loom 
Japanese Bank Stocks Surge as Bond Yields Fuel Rate Hike Bets 
US 10-Year Treasury Yield at 6% Emerges as New Market Risk Threshold 
RBI Uses $10 Billion Currency Swaps to Drain Excess Rupee Liquidity 
Fed’s Hammack Says Bond Yield Surge Is Not Driven by Inflation Fears 
US Stock Futures Fall as Treasury Yields Surge Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit 
Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
Australia Unemployment Hits Five-Year High Despite Strong Jobs Growth 
Oil Prices Fall on U.S.-Iran Hormuz Deal Hopes 
Gold Prices Fall as Treasury Yields Rise on Fed Rate Hike Bets 
Asian Stocks Fall as Bond Yields Surge Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit 
Trump, Xi Focus on Trade and AI at White House Summit 
Dollar Falls as Oil Eases, Yen Jumps on Intervention Signals 
Wall Street Ends Flat as Oil, Treasury Yields and Fed Jitters Rattle Markets 
Add as a preferred source on Google
Asian stock markets slipped Thursday as investors sought safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tensions. Concerns over possible U.S. involvement in the escalating Israel-Iran air war drove demand for gold and the Japanese yen.
President Donald Trump fueled uncertainty, saying, “I may do it. I may not do it,” when asked if the U.S. would join Israel’s attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. According to the Wall Street Journal, Trump approved strike plans but is holding off to see if Iran halts its nuclear ambitions.
Japan’s Nikkei dropped 0.8%, pressured by the yen’s 0.2% rise to 144.92 per dollar, which dampens exporter earnings. Taiwan’s benchmark fell 0.9%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.8%.
Gold rose 0.3% to $3,378 per ounce. Brent crude edged down to $76.32, still close to Friday’s 4.5-month high of $78.50. U.S. S&P 500 futures were down 0.4%, although American markets were closed for a holiday.
“Markets remain edgy,” said Kyle Rodda, senior analyst at Capital.com. “Speculation—possibly encouraged by the Trump administration—that the U.S. will intervene in Iran is keeping volatility high. Any strike risks broader conflict, threatening global energy supply and economic stability.”
The U.S. dollar also gained, rising 0.1% to $1.1472 per euro and 0.2% to $1.3398 versus the pound. The Swiss franc dipped 0.1% to 0.8193 per dollar ahead of policy announcements by the Bank of England and Swiss National Bank. The BOE is expected to hold rates steady, while the SNB may cut by 25 basis points.
Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged and signaled two potential cuts this year. However, Chair Jerome Powell warned that Trump’s aggressive tariffs could fuel “meaningful” inflation, complicating the path for easing.
