Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
Brazil Holds Selic Rate at 15% as Inflation Expectations Stay Elevated 
Asian Stocks Slip Ahead of Fed Decision as China Deflation Concerns Deepen 
Hong Kong Cuts Base Rate as HKMA Follows U.S. Federal Reserve Move 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
ADB Approves $400 Million Loan to Boost Ease of Doing Business in the Philippines 
Indonesia–U.S. Tariff Talks Near Completion as Both Sides Push for Year-End Deal 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Sparks AI Profitability Concerns 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
Gold Prices Hold Firm as Markets Await Fed Rate Cut; Silver Surges to Record High 
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
US Signals Openness to New Trade Deal as Brazil Shows Willingness, Says USTR Greer 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
Asian equities mostly drifted lower on Thursday as traders weighed a fragile Israel-Iran ceasefire against the fast-approaching July 9 U.S. tariff deadline. Profit-taking and caution overshadowed Wall Street’s recent strength, even as tech optimism lifted Japanese stocks.
South Korea’s KOSPI led regional losses, tumbling 2.2% after a sharp month-long advance of nearly 13%. The pullback came as investors locked in gains near a four-year high. Mainland Chinese markets also softened: the Shanghai Composite dipped 0.1% and the CSI 300 shed 0.2%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slid 0.5%, while Australia’s ASX 200 slipped 0.2%. Singapore’s Straits Times Index was little changed, and futures tracking India’s Nifty 50 held flat.
Risk appetite remained subdued despite a tentative truce between Israel and Iran, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, that helped ease supply-chain fears. Market focus has now shifted to potential retaliatory tariffs if trade talks fail to progress before the deadline, a scenario that could sap Asia’s export momentum.
Adding to uncertainty, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told Congress that rate cuts will wait until officials see how tariffs affect inflation, warning that levies could drive prices higher than a simple one-off increase. His remarks reinforced a cautious tone across global markets, leaving U.S. stock-index futures flat during Asian hours.
Japan bucked the region’s downturn. The Nikkei 225 jumped 1% to a four-month peak as chip-related heavyweights tracked Nvidia’s overnight record close. Advantest climbed 3%, Tokyo Electron gained 2.6%, and SoftBank Group rallied 4.2%, pushing the broader TOPIX up 0.3%. Japan’s chief trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa vowed to keep negotiating with Washington, stressing that Tokyo will not accept a 25% tariff on autos.
