South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Russian Stocks End Mixed as MOEX Index Closes Flat Amid Commodity Strength 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Global Markets Slide as AI, Crypto, and Precious Metals Face Heightened Volatility 
South Africa Eyes ECB Repo Lines as Inflation Eases and Rate Cuts Loom 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Bank of Japan Signals Readiness for Near-Term Rate Hike as Inflation Nears Target 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
December 2024 PCE Data to be Released Today
The US Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index data for December 2024 is expected to be published today, January 31, 2025. This will give the critical inflation trend and consumer spending in the US economy. As a leading indicator, the PCE index is always looked forward to by investors and analysts to judge the economic forecast.
Recent PCE Trends
The PCE Price Index, in November 2024, was only up a small 0.1% month-to-month, falling short of its estimated value of 0.2%, which would have been the smallest increase in six months. This was also seen in the core PCE index price index that doesn't consider food and energy inflation registered at 0.1%. Annual figures showed that the headline PCE saw its inflation rise to 2.4%, while the core, at 2.8%, remained unchanged but both were under expectations.
Economic Environment and Future Predictions
For the next month, economists predict a 0.2% growth in the headline and core PCE indices, which may have some stabilizing effects on inflation rates. For the year-on-year core PCE inflation, it is anticipated to be 2.8%. The Federal Reserve has hiked its estimate for PCE inflation in 2025 from 2.1% to 2.5%, following the current trend of the economy. This release is going to be important for market sentiment and can influence future interest rate policies.
