Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion 
Canada Grants C$7 Million to Greenland Molybdenum Mine to Strengthen Critical Minerals Supply 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
Gold Price Ends Lower for Fourth Week Despite Rebound as Fed Rate Hike Bets Strengthen 
US Stock Futures Rise as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Boost Market Sentiment 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
World Bank Approves $1.1 Billion Emergency Funding for Bangladesh Amid Food and Energy Price Pressures 
China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
Economic pessimism has set in – but there are reasons for Australians to be hopeful 
Asian Stocks Slip as US-Iran Ceasefire Hopes Lift Oil, Dollar Strength Persists 
Dollar Maintains Weekly Gains
Asian currencies weakened on Friday, weighed down by a stronger U.S. dollar. The dollar's rise is driven by expectations of slower interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, setting the stage for a fourth consecutive week of gains.
Japanese Yen Steadies Amid Election and Intervention Concerns
The Japanese yen hovered near a three-month low at ¥152 against the dollar. Traders remain cautious ahead of Japan's general election this weekend. Polls suggest the ruling Liberal Democratic Party may struggle to secure a majority, which could limit Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ability to enact further economic reforms.
Japan’s government has also issued warnings about possible currency intervention due to the yen’s recent weakness, which has contributed to market volatility.
Dollar's Strength Pressures Asian Currencies
The dollar index remained strong, gaining about 0.6% this week. In addition to Federal Reserve policy, the dollar is supported by speculation that Donald Trump may win the 2024 U.S. presidential election, which could lead to inflationary policies and higher long-term interest rates.
This scenario has weighed on most Asian currencies, with the Chinese yuan rising by 0.1% and the South Korean won surging by 0.7%. The Australian dollar fell by 0.3%, while the Indian rupee remained near record lows.
