China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Most Asian currencies traded in tight ranges on Friday, showing limited gains despite a weaker U.S. dollar, as market sentiment stayed cautious amid ongoing equity market sell-offs. The Chinese yuan slipped after data revealed the country’s exports contracted for the first time since March 2024, while its trade surplus narrowed unexpectedly, signaling continued economic headwinds.
The USD/CNY pair rose about 0.1% after October’s trade figures highlighted slowing export growth due to persistent trade frictions with the U.S., which eased only after a late-October agreement. Imports also rose at a slower pace, underlining weak domestic demand in China, the world’s second-largest economy.
Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar retreated from recent three-month highs following weak employment data. Reports from Challenger, Gray & Christmas showed U.S. job cuts surged to over 150,000 in October — the highest in 20 years — amplifying fears of a cooling labor market. Traders are now pricing in a 65.8% chance of a Federal Reserve rate cut in December, up from 59.8% a day earlier, according to CME FedWatch. The greenback’s weakness came as investors focused more on private labor data amid a delayed release of official figures due to a prolonged U.S. government shutdown.
In Japan, the yen weakened as disappointing wage and spending data dampened hopes for near-term interest rate hikes by the Bank of Japan. The USD/JPY pair gained slightly on Friday but was still down 0.6% for the week.
Across the region, other Asian currencies traded mixed. The USD/SGD rose 0.1%, USD/TWD dipped 0.1%, while USD/KRW climbed 0.5% as foreign capital outflows hit South Korean equities. The AUD/USD slipped 0.1%, and the USD/INR held steady above 88 rupees.
