U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
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Asian Stocks Waver as Trump Signals Fed Pick, Shutdown Deal and Tech Earnings Stir Markets 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
China Manufacturing PMI Slips Into Contraction in January as Weak Demand Pressures Economy 
Indonesia Stocks Face Fragile Sentiment After MSCI Warning and Market Rout 
Gold Prices Pull Back After Record Highs as January Rally Remains Strong 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
The Japanese yen slipped to its weakest level in more than nine months in early Asian trading on Tuesday, pressured by a stronger U.S. dollar and fading expectations of an imminent Federal Reserve rate cut. The dollar rose as much as 0.1% to 155.29 yen, marking the Japanese currency’s softest point since February 4. Investors are now turning their attention to the delayed U.S. September payrolls report due Thursday, which could further shape market sentiment.
Japan’s recent currency moves sparked concern from Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama, who noted that policymakers are “alarmed” by the yen’s rapid, one-sided decline. Her comments underscore growing anxiety about the economic fallout of a weak yen, which raises import costs and strains household spending.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to meet Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda later on Tuesday. Takaichi, known for supporting aggressive fiscal stimulus and ultra-loose monetary policy, has appointed like-minded policymakers to key roles—an approach that typically weighs on the yen’s value. Meanwhile, market pricing through the CME FedWatch tool shows the likelihood of a 25-basis-point Fed rate cut in December has dropped to 43%, down sharply from 62% a week ago.
The dollar index also strengthened, rising 0.2% to 99.545 and snapping a four-day slide. Analysts at ING noted that even if the Fed pauses in December, markets expect any hold to be temporary, with upcoming economic data—particularly employment indicators—playing a decisive role.
Fed officials added to the cautious tone on Monday. Governor Christopher Waller highlighted a growing trend of U.S. companies preparing for layoffs amid concerns about slowing demand and potential AI-driven productivity shifts. Vice Chair Philip Jefferson described the labor market as “sluggish,” citing employer hesitation to expand hiring.
Risk sentiment weakened across global markets, dragging U.S. equities lower. Treasury yields were mixed, with the two-year note easing slightly to 3.6039% and the 10-year yield edging up to 4.1366%. Major currencies also softened against the dollar, with the euro trading at $1.1594, sterling at $1.3149, and the Australian dollar at $0.6493, while the New Zealand dollar held steady at $0.56535.
