US Comfortable With Canada Trade Standoff as Import Bans Loom 
Soybean Futures Slip as Traders Await Trump-Xi Trade Signals 
Japanese Bank Stocks Surge as Bond Yields Fuel Rate Hike Bets 
Asian Stocks Fall as Surging Bond Yields Rattle Markets 
Japan Private-Sector Growth Slows as Domestic Demand Weakens 
Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
U.S. Dollar Hits Two-Month High as Oil, Treasury Yields Surge 
Oil Prices Ease as Iran Tensions Clash With Diplomacy Hopes 
Fed’s Hammack Says Bond Yield Surge Is Not Driven by Inflation Fears 
Wall Street Ends Flat as Oil, Treasury Yields and Fed Jitters Rattle Markets 
U.S. Treasury Yields Surge as 30-Year Hits 22-Year High 
Dollar Falls as Oil Eases, Yen Jumps on Intervention Signals 
Oil Prices Jump 3% as Houthi Attack Revives Supply Fears 
Canadian Dollar Faces Pressure as Fed-BoC Policy Gap Widens 
Australia Unemployment Hits Five-Year High Despite Strong Jobs Growth 
Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
Gold Prices Fall as Treasury Yields Rise on Fed Rate Hike Bets 
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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.
