Asian Currencies Stay Range-Bound as Investors Eye China Data, RBNZ Outlook and U.S.-Iran Ceasefire 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
Gold Prices Fall Below $4,000 as Strong Dollar, Fed Rate Hike Bets Weigh on Bullion 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
Canada Grants C$7 Million to Greenland Molybdenum Mine to Strengthen Critical Minerals Supply 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
Gold Price Ends Lower for Fourth Week Despite Rebound as Fed Rate Hike Bets Strengthen 
Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
Japan Targets 1%+ Real Economic Growth With ¥370 Trillion Investment Plan 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
World Bank Approves $1.1 Billion Emergency Funding for Bangladesh Amid Food and Energy Price Pressures 
Asian Stocks Sink as Apple Price Hikes Spark AI Valuation Fears, South Korea and Japan Lead Selloff 
China Factory PMI Seen Returning to Growth in June as AI Export Demand Supports Economy 
The Canadian dollar plunged to a five-year low, and the Mexican peso remained under pressure on Thursday after former U.S. President Donald Trump renewed tariff threats against Canada and Mexico. Trump reaffirmed plans to impose 25% tariffs on imports from both countries, citing concerns over illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking.
He set a February 1 deadline to finalize the tariffs and is considering whether to exempt Canadian and Mexican oil imports before they take effect on Saturday. The USD/CAD pair edged higher late Thursday, reflecting the loonie's decline, while the Mexican peso’s USD/MXN pair dipped slightly but stayed volatile after a 1% rise in the prior session.
Additionally, a 10% tariff on Chinese imports has been proposed to curb trade imbalances and pressure Beijing to crack down on drug trafficking. The escalating trade tensions have triggered market volatility and heightened risk aversion.
In response, Canadian politician Chrystia Freeland, a leading contender to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announced plans for a retaliation list targeting U.S. exports. The proposed countermeasures, worth approximately C$200 billion, focus on products from politically significant states like Florida, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
With uncertainty mounting, markets brace for further instability as investors assess potential economic fallout from the tariffs.
