Japan Defense Stocks Rally on Report of New Defense Ministry Bureau for Global Cooperation 
Japan Revises Economic Blueprint to Reassure Markets on BOJ Independence 
Oil Prices Rise as Strait of Hormuz Risks Offset OPEC+ Supply Increase 
Iran Begins Oil Sale Talks With Japan Under U.S. Sanctions Waiver Amid Shipping Risks 
Gold Prices Fall Amid Rate Jitters; Copper Steady as China Stimulus Eyed 
China 618 Smartphone Sales Drop 13% as Higher Prices Hurt Demand, Huawei Gains Market Share 
Germany Seen Gaining as U.S. China-Built Ship Fees Reshape Trade 
Gold Price Rebounds as U.S.-Iran Tensions and Fed Minutes Keep Markets on Edge 
Oil and LNG Tankers Turn Back as Strait of Hormuz Security Risks Escalate 
Dollar Rebounds as Euro, Pound Slip Ahead of Fed Minutes, Yen Near Intervention Zone 
European Stocks Hold Steady as Consumer Shares Rise, AI Tech Selloff Weighs on Markets 
Australia’s ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence plunged 6 percent last week, closing just below its long term average and at its lowest level for more than a year. All components of the survey fell sharply.
Households’ perceptions of current financial conditions fell by 7.1 percent last week, while sentiment regarding the future financial situation fell by 3.4 percent. Sentiment towards current economic conditions fell by 5.4 percent, while that towards future economic conditions fell by 6.5 percent.
The 'time to buy a household item' sub-index fell by 7.8 percent. The index is at its lowest level for three years. Four-week moving average inflation expectations edged higher at 4.5 percent.
"There was no glimmer of better news in the sub-indices, with all confidence measures down sharply. Loss of Liberal stronghold Wentworth may have highlighted political uncertainty in the public mind. Higher petrol prices may also be impacting sentiment. Certainly there was no cheer from the favourable labour market numbers released last week," said David Plank, Head of Australian Economics, ANZ Research.
