South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
Philippines Manufacturing PMI Hits Nine-Month High Despite Weak Confidence Outlook 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
The U.S. dollar held firm on Monday, with investors bracing for a crucial week of central bank meetings led by the Federal Reserve. Trading was thin in Asia due to a Japanese holiday, keeping most currencies within tight ranges.
The euro dipped 0.09% to $1.1724 after Fitch downgraded France’s credit rating to AA-, its lowest level on record. Despite concerns over political instability and mounting debt, markets largely brushed off the move. Analysts noted that focus remains on upcoming interest rate decisions in the U.S., Japan, the U.K., Canada, and Norway.
The dollar index steadied at 97.65 as markets await the Fed’s policy announcement on Wednesday. Expectations of a 25-basis-point cut are fully priced in, though some analysts suggest a surprise 50-basis-point move could weaken the greenback significantly. Investors will closely monitor the Fed’s “dot plot” and Chair Jerome Powell’s guidance for signals on the pace of future easing.
Sterling held near $1.3554, while the Australian dollar hovered close to a 10-month high at $0.6652. The yen strengthened slightly to 147.56 per dollar ahead of the Bank of Japan’s meeting, with Governor Kazuo Ueda’s comments expected to guide sentiment. Analysts at MUFG said the yen’s weakness could reverse if the BOJ signals a potential rate hike as early as next month.
Elsewhere, the New Zealand dollar eased 0.03% to $0.5953, while the offshore yuan stayed steady at 7.1230 per dollar. Meanwhile, U.S. and Chinese officials wrapped up the first day of trade talks in Madrid, focusing on tariffs and Washington’s pressure over Chinese imports of Russian oil, alongside concerns about TikTok’s future in the U.S.
