Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
Asian Markets Slide as Silver Volatility, Earnings Season, and Central Bank Meetings Rattle Investors 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
European markets opened higher Monday, buoyed by optimism ahead of key central bank meetings. By 07:05 GMT, Germany’s DAX and France’s CAC 40 each gained 0.5%, while the UK’s FTSE 100 inched up 0.1%.
Investor focus is on the U.S. Federal Reserve, which meets this week amid signs of a cooling labor market and easing inflation. Hopes are rising that the Fed could cut interest rates when its meeting concludes Wednesday, pushing Wall Street indices, including the Nasdaq Composite, to fresh record highs last week. The Bank of England, which cut rates five times in just over a year, is expected to hold steady Thursday as inflation remains at 3.8%, the highest among G7 nations. Central banks in Japan, Canada, and South Africa are also set to announce decisions this week.
In Asia, weak Chinese data weighed on sentiment. Industrial output slowed to 5.2% year-on-year in August, the weakest since August 2024, while retail sales growth fell to 3.4%, the slowest since November 2024.
Corporate news also moved markets. German defense group Rheinmetall struck a deal to acquire Naval Vessels Luerssen from Luerssen Group, expanding into naval construction. UK online retailer AO World raised its profit outlook and launched its first share buyback after posting strong first-half revenue growth.
Oil prices extended gains on concerns over supply disruptions after Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian energy facilities. At 03:05 ET, Brent futures rose 0.3% to $67.22 a barrel, while WTI crude edged up 0.1% to $62.75. Both benchmarks advanced over 1% last week as attacks threatened key Russian terminals and refineries, raising risks for top buyers India and China.
