Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
The U.S. dollar dipped alongside Treasury yields on Friday after a string of weak economic data fueled expectations of more Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year. Producer Price Index (PPI) data showed an unexpected decline in April, reinforcing earlier soft Consumer Price Index (CPI) readings. These signals have led markets to price in about 56 basis points of rate cuts by December, up from 49 bps the day before.
The dollar initially surged at the start of the week on optimism over a U.S.-China trade truce but later lost momentum. The biggest forex movement came from the U.S. dollar falling sharply against the South Korean won, dropping for two straight sessions to 1,394.70 won after reports of U.S.-South Korea discussions on currency matters. Analysts speculate that President Trump may be leaning toward a weaker dollar stance, pressuring Asian governments to let their currencies appreciate to balance trade dynamics.
Against a basket of major currencies, the dollar was down 0.1% at 100.70 but still on track for a 0.3% weekly gain thanks to Monday’s strong rally. The euro rose to $1.1197, and the British pound held steady at $1.3309. Meanwhile, the yen gained, pushing the dollar down 0.26% to 145.30.
Benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yields slipped further to 4.4413%, while two-year yields edged down to 3.9608%. Fed Chair Jerome Powell noted that inflation now takes priority over employment in shaping monetary policy, suggesting fewer rate cuts if inflation accelerates.
Elsewhere, the Australian dollar edged up to $0.6406, while the New Zealand dollar hovered at $0.5874, facing a weekly loss of over 0.5%. Japan’s yen gained after data showed its economy contracted more than expected in Q1, weighed by trade concerns.
