China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Asian markets struggled for direction on Wednesday as growing concerns over stretched artificial intelligence valuations weighed on sentiment ahead of Nvidia’s highly anticipated earnings report. The Nasdaq fell 1.2% overnight, marking a second straight day of losses and placing the index more than 6% below its late-October record, as investors reassessed lofty tech valuations.
U.S. stock futures were flat in early Asian trading, while Japan’s Nikkei managed a modest 0.4% rise and South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.8%. Nvidia, a key driver of the global AI-fueled stock rally, will report results after the U.S. market close. Analysts expect a sharp 56% jump in fiscal Q3 revenue to $54.92 billion, according to LSEG data. With Nvidia’s share price widely viewed as “priced for perfection,” analysts say continued strong GPU demand will be critical to justify its premium.
Broader market caution is also driven by shifting expectations for U.S. monetary policy. Traders now price only a 42% chance of a Federal Reserve rate cut in December, down sharply from near certainty a month earlier. Concerns over fiscal policy—amplified by worries about President Donald Trump’s declining approval ratings and the potential for increased government spending—have kept U.S. Treasury yields elevated. The 10-year yield held steady at 4.11%.
Japan’s bond market also faced pressure as fears over expanding fiscal spending pushed long-end yields higher. Benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond yields hit a 17-year high of 1.765% ahead of a key 20-year auction.
In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin recovered slightly to $92,000 after briefly dipping below $90,000, though it remains down 27% from its October peak. Analysts attribute the drop to equity market weakness, fading rate-cut hopes, and leverage unwinding rather than the start of a prolonged downturn.
Meanwhile, currency markets remained steady, with the yen weakening to 155.45 per dollar—approaching levels that previously prompted intervention warnings. Gold hovered near $4,066 after recent declines, while Brent crude dipped to $64.51 a barrel.
