Oil Prices Climb on Venezuela Blockade, Russia Sanctions Fears, and Supply Risks 
Oil Prices Steady in Asia but Headed for Weekly Loss on Supply Glut Concerns 
Asian Stocks Edge Higher as Tech Recovers, U.S. Economic Uncertainty Caps Gains 
BoE Set to Cut Rates as UK Inflation Slows, but Further Easing Likely Limited 
Japan Inflation Holds Firm in November as BOJ Nears Key Rate Hike Decision 
Asian Currencies Slip as Dollar Strengthens; Indian Rupee Rebounds on Intervention Hopes 
U.S. Dollar Steadies Near October Lows as Rate Cut Expectations Keep Markets on Edge 
Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Global Central Bank Decisions as Yen, Sterling and Euro React 
Oil Prices Rebound as Trump Orders Blockade of Sanctioned Venezuelan Tankers 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Micron Earnings Boost AI Sentiment Ahead of CPI Data 
Chinese Robotaxi Stocks Rally as Tesla Boosts Autonomous Driving Optimism 
Japan Exports to U.S. Rebound in November as Tariff Impact Eases, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Expectations 
Asian Fund Managers Turn More Optimistic on Growth but Curb Equity Return Expectations: BofA Survey 
BOJ Poised for Historic Rate Hike as Japan Signals Shift Toward Monetary Normalization 
Asian Markets Rebound as Tech Rally Lifts Wall Street, Investors Brace for BOJ Rate Hike 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip After CPI-Fueled Rally as Markets Weigh Economic Uncertainty 
South Korea Warns Weak Won Could Push Inflation Higher in 2025 
Asian stocks traded flat-to-lower on Tuesday, led by a sharp decline in Japanese markets as chipmaking stocks took a hit. Concerns emerged over DeepSeek’s new AI model, which rivals advanced AI technologies like ChatGPT but operates on older hardware, raising doubts about the demand for expensive AI chips and infrastructure.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index dropped nearly 1%, with major chipmakers Advantest Corp. and Tokyo Electron Ltd. sliding up to 10% and 4%, respectively. Tech giant SoftBank Group also fell 4.7%, while the TOPIX index showed minor gains.
China and South Korea markets remained closed for the Lunar New Year, leaving trading volumes muted. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index edged up 0.2%, supported by gains in tech heavyweights like Baidu, Tencent, and Alibaba, which rose between 1% and 5%, reflecting optimism about China’s growing AI capabilities.
The sell-off in chip stocks followed a weak lead from Wall Street, where the NASDAQ Composite slumped over 3%, fueled by a $600 billion market value loss in NVIDIA. However, U.S. futures stabilized during Asian trading.
Australia’s ASX 200 remained steady ahead of inflation data expected on Wednesday. The report could shape expectations for potential interest rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of Australia. Still, persistently high inflation raises doubts about imminent rate adjustments.
Meanwhile, Indian stock futures pointed to a recovery after the Nifty 50 index hit a seven-month low on Monday. Investors also await key U.S. tech earnings and the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision this week.
The market sentiment remains cautious, influenced by global trends and regional holidays, as investors assess the impact of AI advancements on chip demand and inflation data on monetary policies.
