South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
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 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
Asian stock markets traded mixed on Monday as investors weighed global cues, central bank policies, and corporate updates. Japanese equities rebounded, with the Nikkei 225 climbing 1.5% and TOPIX up 0.9%, recovering from last week’s drop. The bounce came despite the Bank of Japan’s hawkish signals, as it kept interest rates unchanged but announced plans to gradually reduce its massive ETF holdings. Losses were limited after BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda struck a moderate tone, avoiding commitments on near-term rate hikes.
South Korea’s KOSPI advanced 0.9%, supported by Samsung Electronics, which surged nearly 5% on reports it secured NVIDIA’s approval to supply advanced AI memory chips. The move positions Samsung to challenge SK Hynix and Micron in the fast-growing artificial intelligence semiconductor market, boosting sentiment in the tech-heavy index.
In contrast, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index extended losses for a third straight session as investors booked profits in major internet stocks, despite continued demand for local chipmakers. Mainland Chinese shares underperformed, with the CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite flat after the People’s Bank of China left its loan prime rate unchanged. Investors remained focused on U.S.-China trade dialogue following progress on TikTok’s U.S. operations.
Elsewhere, Australia’s ASX 200 rose 0.4%, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index was little changed. Futures for India’s Nifty 50 slipped 0.1% as markets assessed the potential fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s crackdown on H-1B visas, a policy shift expected to pressure India’s vital IT and outsourcing sector.
Global sentiment was tempered despite record Wall Street highs last week following a Federal Reserve rate cut. U.S. S&P 500 futures slipped 0.1% in Asian trading, as attention turned to upcoming economic data and remarks from Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
