Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Indonesia Stocks Face Fragile Sentiment After MSCI Warning and Market Rout 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
Wall Street Slips as Tech Stocks Slide on AI Spending Fears and Earnings Concerns 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Asian stock markets showed a mixed performance on Monday, with Japan and South Korea leading regional gains amid a rebound in technology shares, while China lagged despite signs of improving inflation. The positive sentiment was partly driven by a rally in U.S. stock futures, as reports indicated that a prolonged government shutdown may soon end. S&P 500 futures surged 0.6% in Asian trading, boosting investor confidence.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.2%, and South Korea’s KOSPI jumped 2.8%, supported by strong rebounds in major tech stocks. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also added 0.3%. Investors engaged in bargain buying after last week’s heavy tech-driven selloff, which stemmed from growing doubts over artificial intelligence-driven valuations. Key chipmakers led the rally, with SK Hynix gaining 5%, Samsung Electronics up 2.3%, Advantest climbing 3.9%, and Tokyo Electron advancing 4.3%. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) rose 1% in early trading. The rally was further fueled by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s comments highlighting strong demand for the firm’s new Blackwell AI chips.
Japanese e-commerce firm Mercari Inc. was a standout performer, soaring over 10% after reporting robust quarterly results, becoming the top gainer on the Nikkei 225.
In contrast, Chinese markets underperformed, with the Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite Index trading flat to lower. October data showed China’s consumer price index rising for the first time since June, driven by Golden Week spending, while producer prices continued to decline for the 37th straight month. Despite this mild improvement, China remains mired in deflationary pressure amid weak consumer demand.
Elsewhere, Singapore’s Straits Times Index slipped 0.8%, Australia’s ASX 200 gained 0.7%—supported by ANZ Group’s 1.8% rise—and India’s Nifty 50 futures climbed 0.4%.
