Dollar Slides to Five-Week Low as Asian Stocks Struggle and Markets Bet on Fed Rate Cut 
Australia’s Economic Growth Slows in Q3 Despite Strong Investment Activity 
China’s Services Sector Posts Slowest Growth in Five Months as Demand Softens 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await Fed Rate Decision; Indian Rupee Hits New Record Low 
Asia’s IPO Market Set for Strong Growth as China and India Drive Investor Diversification 
Asian Markets Mixed as RBI Cuts Rates and BOJ Signals Possible Hike 
Dollar Weakens Ahead of Expected Federal Reserve Rate Cut 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
BOJ Faces Pressure for Clarity, but Neutral Rate Estimates Likely to Stay Vague 
European Stocks Rise as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data 
U.S. Futures Steady as Rate-Cut Bets Rise on Soft Labor Data 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
Japan’s Nikkei Drops as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data 
Citi Sets Bullish 2026 Target for STOXX 600 as Fiscal Support and Monetary Easing Boost Outlook 
Oil Prices Hold Steady as Ukraine Tensions and Fed Cut Expectations Support Market 
Asian Markets Stabilize as Wall Street Rebounds and Rate Concerns Ease 
Gold prices slipped in Asian trading on Thursday but remained close to record highs as investors awaited key U.S. inflation figures. Spot gold fell 0.4% to $3,627.59 per ounce at 02:04 ET (06:04 GMT), while U.S. gold futures for December dropped 0.5% to $3,664.30. Earlier this week, prices touched an all-time high of $3,673.95.
Weaker-than-expected U.S. producer price index (PPI) data and significant downward revisions to job figures boosted expectations of a Federal Reserve rate cut next week. Markets now largely anticipate a 25 basis point cut, with some traders betting on a deeper move. Attention is focused on Thursday’s U.S. consumer price index (CPI) data, forecast to show a 0.3% monthly rise and a 2.9% annual gain. Any upside surprise could curb momentum for gold by cooling expectations of aggressive easing.
Political uncertainty has also supported safe-haven demand. A federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump from removing Fed Governor Lisa Cook, raising concerns about political interference in central bank independence. The Trump administration has appealed, prolonging investor unease.
Gold remains highly sensitive to interest rate outlooks. Lower rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding asset while typically pressuring the U.S. dollar. On Thursday, the dollar index edged 0.1% higher but stayed below recent peaks.
Other precious metals showed mixed performance. Silver futures gained 0.2% to $41.67 per ounce, while platinum futures fell 0.5% to $1,008.20. In base metals, benchmark copper futures on the London Metal Exchange slipped 0.2% to $9,987.30 per ton, while U.S. copper futures held steady at $4.61 a pound.
At current levels, gold continues to trade near historic highs, with Fed policy and inflation trends set to be the biggest drivers in the coming days.
