Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals 
Fed’s Dovish Tone Sends Dollar Lower as Markets Price In More Rate Cuts 
South Korea Extends Bond Market Stabilization Measures Amid Rising Financial Risks 
Mexico Moves to Increase Tariffs on Asian Imports to Protect Domestic Industries 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
BOJ Expected to Deliver December Rate Hike as Economists See Borrowing Costs Rising Through 2025 
China’s Small Bank Consolidation Struggles as Profits Fall and Risks Persist 
Asian Stocks Slide as Central Bank Decisions and Key Data Keep Investors Cautious 
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
ASX Shares Slide After ASIC Imposes A$150 Million Capital Requirement 
U.S. Dollar Slides for Third Straight Week as Rate Cut Expectations Boost Euro and Pound 
Japan Business Sentiment Hits Four-Year High, Boosting Expectations of BOJ Rate Hike 
Australia’s Labour Market Weakens as November Employment Drops Sharply 
S&P 500 Slides as AI Chip Stocks Tumble, Cooling Tech Rally 
Modi and Trump Hold Phone Call as India Seeks Relief From U.S. Tariffs Over Russian Oil Trade 
Global stock markets slipped on Wednesday while gold retreated sharply from its recent rally, as investors reassessed stretched valuations and booked profits. The pullback followed growing geopolitical uncertainty after the planned summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin was postponed, while doubts lingered over a potential meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Despite recent conciliatory tones from Washington and Beijing, Trump added to the ambiguity, saying the meeting “maybe won’t happen.”
Gold prices tumbled more than 5% on Tuesday, marking one of the sharpest declines this year, before sliding another 0.6% to $4,098.89 per ounce. The metal had surged over 50% year-to-date, driven by safe-haven demand amid global uncertainty and expectations of U.S. rate cuts. Analysts, including Tony Sycamore from IG, attributed the sell-off to excessive speculative positioning and “FOMO-driven” buying, noting parallels with stretched valuations in tech-heavy markets such as the Nasdaq.
The MSCI Asia-Pacific ex-Japan index dipped 0.24%, while Nasdaq futures fell 0.2% and S&P 500 futures eased 0.07%. Netflix shares plunged nearly 6% after missing quarterly earnings, while General Motors jumped 15% following an upbeat profit outlook. In Europe, futures also weakened, with the EUROSTOXX 50, FTSE, and DAX down between 0.15% and 0.5%.
Japan’s Nikkei dropped 0.9% after two days of gains fueled by optimism over fiscal stimulus under new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Analysts see “Sanaenomics” as supportive for equities through pro-growth and reform-focused policies. Meanwhile, China’s CSI300 fell 0.2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng slipped 0.42%.
In currency markets, the yen weakened 0.8% following Takaichi’s win, while the dollar held firm. The Bank of Japan is expected to keep rates unchanged next week, and the U.S. Federal Reserve is widely anticipated to cut rates by 25 basis points. Oil prices edged higher, with Brent at $61.51 and WTI at $57.46 per barrel, as markets awaited further central bank cues amid a prolonged U.S. government shutdown.
