Japan’s Nikkei Drops as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data 
Europe Confronts Rising Competitive Pressure as China Accelerates Export-Led Growth 
Asian Markets Mixed as Fed Rate Cut Bets Grow and Japan’s Nikkei Leads Gains 
Oil Prices Hold Steady as Ukraine Tensions and Fed Cut Expectations Support Market 
South Korea Posts Stronger-Than-Expected 1.3% Economic Growth in Q3 
Gold Prices Fall Amid Rate Jitters; Copper Steady as China Stimulus Eyed 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await Fed Rate Decision; Indian Rupee Hits New Record Low 
BOJ Faces Pressure for Clarity, but Neutral Rate Estimates Likely to Stay Vague 
Gold Prices Steady as Markets Await Key U.S. Data and Expected Fed Rate Cut 
The producer prices in the Eurozone rose for the very first time since 2013, which shows that the stubbornly low inflation in the single currency bloc might finally be gaining some momentum. The producer price inflation rose by 0.3 percent in November and up by 0.1 percent from a year ago. According to the figures released by the Eurostat earlier this week shows that the inflation rose at the fastest pace since 2013 and by 1.1 percent from a year ago.
European Monetary Union’s (EMU) largest economy, Germany saw its inflation rise by 1.7 percent in 2016, the strongest pace since July 2013 according to data released earlier this week. If this inflation proves to be sticky in the medium term, the European Central Bank (ECB) would really be in a tough position in explain to lawmakers, why they are choosing to buy additional €540 billion worth of bonds, when the current program of purchasing bonds at a pace of €80 billion per month expires in March this year.
