South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal 
Russian Stocks End Mixed as MOEX Index Closes Flat Amid Commodity Strength 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Asian shares fell sharply on Thursday as technology stocks came under renewed pressure, driven by growing investor concerns over heavy artificial intelligence spending and its impact on corporate balance sheets. Market sentiment was also dampened as investors braced for a busy slate of central bank meetings worldwide, expected to highlight widening policy divergence across major economies.
MSCI’s broad Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan declined 0.5%, with South Korean stocks tumbling 1.3% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipping 0.5%. Japan’s Nikkei fell 1.2%, reflecting weakness in tech-heavy sectors following a selloff on Wall Street. Despite the earlier drop, U.S. equity futures showed modest gains, with Nasdaq futures up 0.3% and S&P 500 futures rising 0.2%.
The technology sector remained in focus after Nvidia shares dropped 3.8%, reigniting fears over whether massive AI-related capital expenditure can deliver sustainable returns. Oracle shares plunged 5.4% after the company revealed an equity deal linked to a data center project would proceed without a key partner, Blue Owl Capital. Oracle has now lost nearly half its market value since mid-September, when optimism around an OpenAI-related deal briefly boosted the stock.
Geopolitical tensions added to market volatility, particularly in commodities. Oil prices extended gains after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a “blockade” on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, tightening global supply expectations. U.S. crude rose to $56.91 per barrel, while Brent climbed to $60.62. Precious metals remained elevated, with silver hovering near record highs and gold easing slightly but still trading above $4,300 an ounce.
In currency markets, the British pound remained under pressure after UK inflation fell more than expected to 3.2%, reinforcing expectations of an imminent Bank of England rate cut, now almost fully priced in by markets. The euro held steady ahead of the European Central Bank’s policy decision, where rates are widely expected to remain unchanged.
Investors are also watching U.S. inflation data and comments from Federal Reserve officials, as expectations grow that weakening labor market conditions could open the door to future interest rate cuts, adding another layer of uncertainty to global financial markets.
