Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
Hong Kong Cuts Base Rate as HKMA Follows U.S. Federal Reserve Move 
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
Gold Prices Hold Firm as Markets Await Fed Rate Cut; Silver Surges to Record High 
Japan Weighs New Tax Breaks to Boost Corporate Investment Amid Spending Debate 
Fed’s Dovish Tone Sends Dollar Lower as Markets Price In More Rate Cuts 
Mexico Moves to Increase Tariffs on Asian Imports to Protect Domestic Industries 
Wall Street Futures Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Reignites AI Spending Concerns 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
Oil Prices Edge Higher as U.S. Seizes Sanctioned Venezuelan Tanker 
Brazil Holds Selic Rate at 15% as Inflation Expectations Stay Elevated 
Asian Stocks Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Sparks AI Profitability Concerns 
European stocks traded slightly higher on Thursday as investors awaited key monetary policy signals from the European Central Bank (ECB) and fresh U.S. inflation data. At 07:05 GMT, Germany’s DAX inched up 0.1%, France’s CAC 40 rose 0.3%, and London’s FTSE 100 gained 0.3%.
Markets remain focused on the ECB meeting in Frankfurt, where policymakers are expected to keep interest rates unchanged. The central bank halved its key rate to 2% earlier this year and has since paused further action as inflation cooled and growth steadied. However, with U.S. President Donald Trump imposing 15% tariffs on European imports, sluggish regional growth, and political uncertainty in France, the ECB is likely to keep the door open for future rate cuts. Inflation is projected to slip below the 2% target in 2026, leaving room for additional easing if necessary.
Investors are also bracing for U.S. consumer price index (CPI) data, which could heavily influence the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting next week. Headline CPI is forecast to rise 2.9% in August, with core inflation at 3.1%. A 25 basis-point Fed rate cut is widely anticipated, though a sharper-than-expected inflation spike could shift expectations toward a larger move.
In corporate news, Energean Oil & Gas announced over $4 billion in new long-term gas contracts in the first half of 2025, boosting its total contracted revenues to about $20 billion over the next 20 years.
Meanwhile, crude oil prices slipped as U.S. demand concerns outweighed supply risks. Brent fell 0.1% to $67.41 a barrel, while WTI dipped 0.2% to $63.57. U.S. crude inventories jumped by 3.9 million barrels last week, with gasoline stocks also rising unexpectedly, raising fresh concerns about weakening demand in the world’s largest energy consumer.
