Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures 
Asian stock markets traded mostly lower on Tuesday as investors weighed new U.S. diplomatic moves in the region and awaited key central bank decisions later this week. Wall Street’s major indexes hit record highs overnight, boosted by strong gains in the tech sector, while U.S. stock futures held steady during Asian trading hours.
In Tokyo, U.S. President Donald Trump met with Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, to discuss defense cooperation, trade, and a $550 billion U.S. investment package unveiled earlier this year. The plan targets joint projects in infrastructure, clean energy, and advanced technology. Despite optimism surrounding the meeting, Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.4% after reaching an all-time high of 50,549.60 points in the previous session, while the broader TOPIX index declined 0.6%.
Investor sentiment across Asia was supported by progress in U.S.-China trade relations. Negotiators in Kuala Lumpur finalized a draft framework to avert new tariffs, which will be reviewed later this week when Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. Both leaders are expected to finalize the deal’s details during the summit.
China’s Shanghai Composite and the blue-chip CSI 300 were little changed, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index dipped 0.3%. South Korea’s KOSPI led regional losses, falling over 1% despite stronger-than-expected third-quarter GDP growth—the fastest pace in more than a year. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.4%, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index gained 0.6%, diverging from the broader regional trend. India’s Nifty 50 futures were mostly flat ahead of market open.
Attention now turns to major central bank decisions. The U.S. Federal Reserve began its two-day meeting Tuesday and is widely expected to cut rates by 25 basis points amid cooling inflation and labor market weakness. Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan is expected to maintain its current policy stance when it announces its decision Wednesday, as internal divisions remain but have not shifted the board’s majority outlook.
