Canadian Dollar Faces Pressure as Fed-BoC Policy Gap Widens 
Trump, Xi Focus on Trade and AI at White House Summit 
Asian Stocks Fall as Surging Bond Yields Rattle Markets 
Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
US 10-Year Treasury Yield at 6% Emerges as New Market Risk Threshold 
Asian Currencies Mixed as Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High 
Japan Private-Sector Growth Slows as Domestic Demand Weakens 
Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High as Yen Approaches 160 
Gold Holds Near $4,275 as Rising Treasury Yields Fuel Fed Rate Hike Bets 
Oil Prices Ease as Iran Tensions Clash With Diplomacy Hopes 
U.S. Dollar Hits Two-Month High as Oil, Treasury Yields Surge 
Australia Unemployment Hits Five-Year High Despite Strong Jobs Growth 
Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
Soybean Futures Slip as Traders Await Trump-Xi Trade Signals 
US Stock Futures Fall as Treasury Yields Surge Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit 
Oil Prices Jump 3% as Houthi Attack Revives Supply Fears 
Oil Prices Fall on U.S.-Iran Hormuz Deal Hopes 
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U.S. stock markets finished at record levels on Friday as investors digested a mixed December jobs report that still pointed to underlying economic strength. The S&P 500 closed at a fresh all-time high, reinforcing optimism around corporate earnings, economic growth, and potential future Federal Reserve rate cuts. By the end of trading at 4:00 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 237 points, or 0.5%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.6% to close at 6,963.21. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite outperformed with a 0.8% rise. For the week, the S&P 500 advanced more than 1%, while both the Dow and Nasdaq posted gains of roughly 2%.
Investor attention centered on the December U.S. jobs report, which showed the economy added 50,000 jobs, slightly below November’s revised figure of 56,000 and well under expectations of 66,000. The Labor Department also revised prior data, cutting a combined 76,000 jobs from October and November payroll estimates. Despite softer headline job growth, the unemployment rate edged down to 4.4%, beating forecasts of 4.5%. Analysts highlighted that household survey data painted a stronger picture, with employment rising by more than 230,000 and unemployment falling sharply, signaling continued labor market resilience.
Market participants are now recalibrating expectations for Federal Reserve policy. While the probability of a March interest rate cut appears lower following the data, economists note that upcoming employment and inflation reports could still support rate reductions later in the year if growth moderates and inflation remains contained.
Corporate and sector-specific news also boosted sentiment. Intel shares surged around 10% after President Donald Trump highlighted gains from the U.S. government’s stake in the chipmaker, sparking a broader rebound in semiconductor stocks. Homebuilder stocks rallied as mortgage rates dropped to their lowest level in three years, following Trump’s comments about potentially purchasing $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court did not issue an expected ruling on Trump-era tariffs. If overturned, analysts estimate the government could face up to $150 billion in refunds to importers, adding another layer of uncertainty for markets moving forward.
