Treasury Yields Dip as Dollar Gains Amid Fed Speculation 
Deutsche Bank Warns of Persistent Inflation Risks in 2025 
BOJ Governor Ueda Highlights Uncertainty Over Future Interest Rate Hikes 
Trump Administration Plans Major Rollback of Biden-Era Fuel Economy Standards 
Rising Bond Yields Pose Risks to US Stocks and Boost Dollar 
U.S. CPI Sparks Mixed Reactions, Shaping Fed Rate Cut Outlook 
Wall Street Banks Plan to Sell $3 Billion of Elon Musk’s X Debt 
Gold Prices Steady as Markets Await Key U.S. Data and Expected Fed Rate Cut 
U.S. May Withhold $30.4 Million From Minnesota Over Improper Commercial Driver Licenses 
JPMorgan Posts Strong Q4 Revenue Growth Amid Market Rally 
China’s Services Sector Posts Slowest Growth in Five Months as Demand Softens 
UK Markets Face Rising Volatility as Hedge Funds Target Pound and Gilts 
Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains 
Asian Currencies Steady as Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Fed Rate Cut Bets 
RBA Signals Possible Rate Implications as Inflation Proves More Persistent 
U.S. Stocks Slip as Investors Await Fed Rate Decision and Monitor Market Shifts 
Asian markets mostly rose on Wednesday, led by a rally in technology stocks following OpenAI’s announcement of a $500 billion AI infrastructure partnership in the U.S. Key players in the venture include Microsoft, NVIDIA, Oracle, and Japan’s SoftBank Group, which soared over 7%. The initiative, named "Stargate," boosted demand prospects for AI chips and data center infrastructure, driving gains in tech-heavy markets.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.5%, with chipmakers Advantest, Tokyo Electron, and SK Hynix rising between 2.2% and 4%. Taiwan’s TSMC added over 2% in trade, while South Korea’s KOSPI climbed 0.6%. Broader optimism from Wall Street, where Netflix surged 10% after strong earnings, also lifted sentiment across the region.
Other Asian markets followed suit, with Australia’s ASX 200 up 0.4%, and India’s Nifty 50 futures signaling a mildly positive open despite a prior slump.
However, Chinese shares lagged after U.S. President Donald Trump reignited trade war concerns by threatening a 10% tariff on Chinese imports by February, citing issues such as fentanyl trafficking. The Shanghai Shenzhen CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite dropped 0.9% and 0.8%, respectively, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.3%.
Trump’s tariff remarks underscored lingering trade tensions, though the proposed 10% tariff is far below his earlier 60% threat. Markets remain cautious as China is expected to introduce new stimulus measures to counter U.S. trade challenges.
Investors are also eyeing the Bank of Japan’s upcoming meeting, where a potential interest rate hike could signal confidence in improving economic growth and inflation. The tech rally, combined with global market cues, continues to dominate sentiment in Asian markets.
