Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
Canadian Dollar Faces Pressure as Fed-BoC Policy Gap Widens 
RBI Uses $10 Billion Currency Swaps to Drain Excess Rupee Liquidity 
Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High as Yen Approaches 160 
China Agrees to Buy 20 Million Tons of U.S. Coal 
US Stock Futures Fall as Treasury Yields Surge Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit 
Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
Oil Prices Fall on U.S.-Iran Hormuz Deal Hopes 
Dollar Falls as Oil Eases, Yen Jumps on Intervention Signals 
Asian Stocks Fall as Surging Bond Yields Rattle Markets 
Australia Unemployment Hits Five-Year High Despite Strong Jobs Growth 
Asian Currencies Mixed as Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High 
Soybean Futures Slip as Traders Await Trump-Xi Trade Signals 
Oil Prices Jump 3% as Houthi Attack Revives Supply Fears 
Asian Stocks Fall as Bond Yields Surge Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit 
Wall Street Ends Flat as Oil, Treasury Yields and Fed Jitters Rattle Markets 
U.S. Treasury Yields Surge as 30-Year Hits 22-Year High 
Add as a preferred source on Google
Australia’s trade balance narrowed in December as a surge in imports outpaced sluggish exports, reflecting weak demand from China. The trade surplus fell to A$5.09 billion, down from A$6.56 billion in November, missing expectations of A$6.79 billion, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Exports edged up just 1.1%, a steep decline from November’s 4.8% rise. The slowdown was driven by reduced shipments of metals, machinery, and port products, as demand from China—Australia’s top trading partner—remained weak amid U.S. tariff tensions, fragile domestic sentiment, and a struggling property sector. Beijing’s aggressive stimulus measures, implemented since September, have shown diminishing returns, failing to boost demand significantly.
Meanwhile, imports surged 5.9% month-over-month, accelerating from a 1.7% rise in November. The jump was fueled by higher demand for overseas consumer goods, including textiles, clothing, and footwear, alongside a rise in capital goods imports. Stronger local demand contributed to the widening gap between imports and exports, weighing on Australia’s trade surplus.
With China’s economic struggles persisting, Australia’s export sector faces ongoing headwinds, while increased domestic consumption continues to drive import growth. The latest trade data underscores the challenges ahead for Australia’s economy as global trade conditions remain uncertain.
