U.S. Stocks Slip as Investors Await Fed Rate Decision and Monitor Market Shifts 
Gold Hits Record High as Investors Eye Fed Chair Powell’s Speech on Tariffs 
Trump Administration Plans Major Rollback of Biden-Era Fuel Economy Standards 
U.S. May Withhold $30.4 Million From Minnesota Over Improper Commercial Driver Licenses 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await Fed Rate Decision; Indian Rupee Hits New Record Low 
Bitcoin Whales Acquire $4.3B in BTC Amid Market Decline, Signaling Potential Bottom 
BOJ Signals Imminent Interest Rate Hike Amid Strengthening Economic Conditions 
Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains 
Brazil Central Bank Plans $2 Billion Dollar Auctions to Support FX Liquidity 
Japan’s Service Sector Sustains Growth Momentum in November 
Tech Stocks Surge in Asia; Experts Warn ‘Cooling AI Boom May Hit NVIDIA’s Gains Hard’ 
New RBNZ Governor Anna Breman Aims to Restore Stability After Tumultuous Years 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
Oil Prices Surge Amid U.S. Sanctions on Russian Crude Exports 
Asian Currencies Steady as Rupee Hits Record Low Amid Fed Rate Cut Bets 
The yen experienced volatile trading after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) raised interest rates by 25 basis points at its policy meeting, aligning with market expectations. The currency settled at 156 per dollar, with investors awaiting BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda's briefing for further guidance on rate hikes.
Other currencies saw notable movements, with the euro inching up 0.08% to 162.71 yen and the pound gaining 0.17% to 192.99 yen. Japan's core consumer prices rose 3.0% year-on-year in December, the fastest pace in 16 months, adding inflationary pressure.
The Australian and New Zealand dollars surged following U.S. President Donald Trump's softer stance on China tariffs, revealed during a Fox News interview. The Aussie climbed to $0.6321, while the kiwi reached $0.5708, both hitting five-week highs. These currencies, proxies for the Chinese yuan, benefited alongside the yuan itself, which hit its strongest levels since December at 7.2450 per dollar onshore and 7.2519 offshore.
Trump’s comments also triggered a broad decline in the U.S. dollar, which fell 0.23% to 107.89 against a basket of currencies, marking its worst weekly loss in two months. The euro rose 0.24% to $1.0441, and sterling advanced 0.32% to $1.2391, with both on track for strong weekly gains. Market sentiment shifted as investors priced out tariff risk premiums from the dollar.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin climbed 0.51% to $103,648.55, and Ether gained 1.75% to $3,305.51, as Trump announced a cryptocurrency task force to regulate digital assets and explore a national crypto stockpile, signaling a significant policy shift.
