Bank of Korea Expected to Hold Interest Rates as Weak Won Limits Policy Easing 
Bank of Canada Holds Interest Rate at 2.25% Amid Trade and Global Uncertainty 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
Wall Street Slips as Tech Stocks Slide on AI Spending Fears and Earnings Concerns 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
European Central Bank (ECB) Governing Council member Francois Villeroy de Galhau speaking at a business conference in Frankfurt said that the ECB should continue pursuing accommodative monetary policies, even as inflation is moving towards its target.
Villeroy noted that the ECB policy is working and making progress towards its objective. He said that the ECB has warded off "the mortal danger of deflation" and expressed confidence that eurozone headline and core inflation will converge, be close to target in 2019.
As inflation is rising sharply on the back of rebounding energy costs, the ECB is increasing facing pressure to tighten policy. There is a split between the doves and hawks and ECB policy will evolve based on economic circumstances, Villeroy said. It is clearly not yet time for the ECB to stop pursuing accommodative monetary policies, he added.
Meanwhile data from the eurozone today showed worse-than expected current account data, which came in at EUR 24.1bln in Jan versus previously revised EUR 30.8bln and EUR 29.3bln expected.
