Asian Stocks Slip as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Lift Oil, Dollar Strength Persists 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Gold Price Falls as Fed Rate Hike Fears and U.S.-Iran Tensions Weigh on Bullion 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
S&P Affirms Brazil’s BB Credit Rating with Stable Outlook Amid Fiscal Challenges 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
Gold Prices Rise Above $4,000 as Inflation Data and Weaker Dollar Boost Demand 
Asian Currencies Stay Range-Bound as Investors Eye China Data, RBNZ Outlook and U.S.-Iran Ceasefire 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Expectations 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
China Expands Export Controls, Adds 20 Japanese Companies to Restricted List 
Oil Prices Drop as Middle East Supply Recovery Eases Market Concerns 
Asian Currencies Decline as Dollar Strengthens Ahead of Key Data Releases
Asian currencies experienced slight declines on Tuesday as traders adopted a cautious stance, anticipating a series of significant economic reports. A stronger U.S. dollar, boosted by recent gains, pressured regional currencies as concerns over upcoming economic data and political events influenced trading sentiment.
Japanese Yen Stabilizes Amid Political Uncertainty
Following a steep drop to near three-month lows, the Japanese yen managed a modest recovery, gaining 0.2% against the U.S. dollar. This uptick came after Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato emphasized the government’s commitment to monitoring currency market volatility. The yen had fallen sharply post-election, as Japan’s ruling LDP coalition lost its majority, introducing heightened political uncertainty. Analysts expect the Bank of Japan (BOJ) to hold interest rates steady in its Thursday meeting, with policymakers cautious given the political backdrop.
Dollar Maintains Strength Amid Key U.S. Economic Data
The U.S. dollar index remained stable, hovering near recent highs, supported by expectations of a gradual approach to interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Traders await U.S. GDP data on Thursday, followed by the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the PCE price index, and nonfarm payrolls on Friday. These indicators could provide further insights into the Fed’s monetary strategy.
Regional Currency Movements
Asian currencies generally softened amid dollar strength. The Australian dollar fell 0.2% ahead of its inflation report, while China’s yuan gained 0.2% as markets awaited PMI data to gauge Beijing’s recent stimulus impact. The South Korean won and Singapore dollar also rose modestly, while the Indian rupee held near recent record lows.
